Astronomythe planet on which human beings live, third in order from the sun: [proper noun: Earth]Earth is the place we call home.[proper noun* the + ~]The earth is one of the few planets known to have a carbon dioxide and oxygen atmosphere.
the surface of this planet:[uncountable]to fall to earth.
soil and dirt, as distinguished from rock and sand:[uncountable]The farmer examined a handful of earth.
Idioms
Idiomson earth, (used to express emphasis, disbelief, or emotion):
(after words beginning with wh- that ask a question, or the word how):Where on earth have you been? What on earth do you mean?
(after a phrase that has an adjective and a noun, to emphasize the adjective):This is the worst job on earth.
Astronomy(often cap.) the planet third in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 7926 mi. (12,755 km) and a polar diameter of 7900 mi. (12,714 km), a mean distance from the sun of 92.9 million mi. (149.6 million km), and a period of revolution of 365.26 days, and having one satellite. See table under planet.
the inhabitants of this planet, esp. the human inhabitants:The whole earth rejoiced.
this planet as the habitation of humans, often in contrast to heaven and hell:to create a hell on earth.
the surface of this planet:to fall to earth.
the solid matter of this planet; dry land; ground.
soil and dirt, as distinguished from rock and sand; the softer part of the land.
the hole of a burrowing animal; lair.
Chemistryany of several metallic oxides that are difficult to reduce, as alumina, zirconia, and yttria. Cf. alkaline earth, rare earth.
Fine ArtAlso called earth′ col′or. any of various pigments consisting chiefly of iron oxides and tending toward brown in hue.
Electricity[Chiefly Brit. Elect.]a ground.
[Archaic.]a land or country.
Idiomsmove heaven and earth. See heaven (def. 7).
Idiomson earth, in the world:Where on earth have you been?
Sportrun to earth:
[Hunting.]to chase (an animal) into its hole or burrow:to run a fox to earth.
to search out; track down:They ran the fugitive to earth in Algiers.
v.t.
Electricity[Chiefly Brit. Elect.]to ground.
bef. 950; Middle English erthe, Old English eorthe; cognate with German Erde, Dutch aarde, Old Norse jǫrth, Danish jord, Gothic airtha
3.See corresponding entry in UnabridgedEarth,globe,world are terms applied to the planet on which we dwell. Earth is used esp. 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.
(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 × 1024 kg; sidereal period of axial rotation: 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds; sidereal period of revolution about sun: 365.256 days
Related adjective(s): terrestrial, telluric
the inhabitants of this planet: the whole earth rejoiced
the dry surface of this planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground
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
worldly or temporal matters as opposed to the concerns of the spirit
the hole in which some species of burrowing animals, esp foxes, live