earth

[ urth ]

noun

1. (often initial capital letter) the planet third in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 7,926 miles (12,755 km) and a polar diameter of 7,900 miles (12,714 km), a mean distance from the sun of 92.9 million miles (149.6 million km), and a period of revolution of 365.26 days, and having one satellite.
2. the inhabitants of this planet, especially the human inhabitants:

   The whole earth rejoiced.

3. this planet as the habitation of humans, often in contrast to heaven and hell:

   to create a hell on earth.

4. the surface of this planet:

   to fall to earth.

5. the solid matter of this planet; dry land; ground.
6. soil and dirt, as distinguished from rock and sand; the softer part of the land.
7. the hole of a burrowing animal; lair.
8. Chemistry. any of several metallic oxides that are difficult to reduce, as alumina, zirconia, and yttria. Compare alkaline earth, rare earth.
9. Also called earth color. Fine Arts. any of various pigments consisting chiefly of iron oxides and tending toward brown in hue.
10. Chiefly British Electronics. a ground.
11. Archaic. a land or country.

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly British Electronics. to ground.

earth

/ ɜːθ /

noun

1. sometimes capital the third planet from the sun, the only planet on which life is known to exist. It is not quite spherical, being flattened at the poles, and consists of three geological zones, the core, mantle, and thin outer crust. The surface, covered with large areas of water, is enveloped by an atmosphere principally of nitrogen (78 per cent), oxygen (21 per cent), and some water vapour. The age is estimated at over four thousand million years. Distance from sun: 149.6 million km; equatorial diameter: 12 756 km; mass: 5.976 × 10 ²⁴kg; sidereal period of axial rotation: 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds; sidereal period of revolution about sun: 365.256 days terrestrialtelluriantelluricterrene
2. the inhabitants of this planet

   the whole earth rejoiced

3. the dry surface of this planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground
4. the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the surface of the ground and consists of disintegrated rock particles, mould, clay, etc; soil
5. worldly or temporal matters as opposed to the concerns of the spirit
6. the hole in which some species of burrowing animals, esp foxes, live
7. chem See rare earth alkaline earth
8. 1. a connection between an electrical circuit or device and the earth, which is at zero potential
   2. a terminal to which this connection is made US and Canadian equivalentground
9. Also calledearth colour any of various brown pigments composed chiefly of iron oxides
10. modifier astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn Compare air fire water
11. cost the earth informal.
    to be very expensive
12. come back to earth or come down to earth
    to return to reality from a fantasy or daydream
13. on earth
    used as an intensifier in such phrases as what on earth , who on earth , etc
14. run to earth
    1. to hunt (an animal, esp a fox) to its earth and trap it there
    2. to find (someone) after searching

verb

1. intr (of a hunted fox) to go to ground
2. tr to connect (a circuit, device, etc) to earth

Earth

1. The planet on which we live — the third planet from the sun .

Notes

It consists of an inner core made of iron and nickel, an outer core of liquid metal, a mantle , and, on the outside, a crust .

On the Earth's surface, the oceans and the continents form the stage on which the evolution of life takes place. The atmosphere above the surface circulates, producing the daily weather .

The Earth was formed at the same time as the sun, about 4.6 billion years ago.

The surface of the solid Earth is in a state of constant change as the rock is moved around by the processes of plate tectonics .

Word History and Origins

Origin of earth¹

First recorded before 950; Middle English erthe, Old English eorthe; cognate with German Erde, Dutch aarde, Old Norse jǫrth, Danish jord, Gothic airtha

Word History and Origins

Origin of earth¹

Old English eorthe; related to Old Norse jorth, Old High German ertha, Gothic airtha, Greek erā

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on earth, in the world:

   Where on earth have you been?

2. run to earth,
   1. Hunting. to chase (an animal) into its hole or burrow:

      to run a fox to earth.

   2. to search out; track down:

      They ran the fugitive to earth in Algiers.

3. move heaven and earth. heaven ( def 8 ).

More idioms and phrases containing earth

see down to earth ; ends of the earth ; four corners of the earth ; move heaven and earth ; not have an earthly chance ; on earth ; run to earth ; salt of the earth .

Synonym Study

Earth, globe, world are terms applied to the planet on which we dwell. Earth is used especially in speaking of a condition of existence contrasted with that in heaven or hell: those who are yet on earth. Globe formerly emphasized merely the roundness of the earth: to circumnavigate the globe. It is now used more like world, with especial application to the inhabitants of the earth and their activities, interests, and concerns. In this sense, both globe and world are more inclusive than earth and are used more abstractly: the politics of the globe; the future of the world; One World.

Example Sentences

The Union of Concerned Scientists, the National Wildlife Federation, Earth First and The Wilderness Society, among others, all published articles or ran campaigns against runaway population growth well into the late 1990s.

From Salon

As designed, the review board found, the mission would probably cost up to $11 billion and not return samples to Earth until at least 2040.

From Los Angeles Times

But in September, he wrote that this was only a possibility "so long as it is not smothered by bureaucracy" and claimed Doge was "the only path to extending life beyond Earth".

From BBC

“Compact yet beautifully expansive, Orbital invites us to observe the Earth’s splendour, whilst reflecting on the individual and collective value of every human life,” the Booker Prize judges wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

The highest tides — king tides — are seen during new and full moons when the sun, Earth and moon are in a line.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clay
• coast
• dirt
• dust
• gravel
• land
• mud
• sand
• shore
• surface
• terrain
• turf