| Earth | n. [ AS. eorðe; akin to OS. ertha, OFries. irthe, D. aarde, OHG. erda, G. erde, Icel. jörð, Sw. & Dan. jord, Goth. aīrþa, OHG. ero, Gr. &unr_;, adv., to earth, and perh. to E. ear to plow. ] 1. The globe or planet which we inhabit; the world, in distinction from the sun, moon, or stars. Also, this world as the dwelling place of mortals, in distinction from the dwelling place of spirits. [ 1913 Webster ] That law preserves the earth a sphere
And guides the planets in their course. S. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ] In heaven, or earth, or under earth, in hell. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. The solid materials which make up the globe, in distinction from the air or water; the dry land. [ 1913 Webster ] God called the dry land earth. Gen. i. 10. [ 1913 Webster ] He is pure air and fire, and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. The softer inorganic matter composing part of the surface of the globe, in distinction from the firm rock; soil of all kinds, including gravel, clay, loam, and the like; sometimes, soil favorable to the growth of plants; the visible surface of the globe; the ground; as, loose earth; rich earth. [ 1913 Webster ] Give him a little earth for charity. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. A part of this globe; a region; a country; land. [ 1913 Webster ] Would I had never trod this English earth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Worldly things, as opposed to spiritual things; the pursuits, interests, and allurements of this life. [ 1913 Webster ] Our weary souls by earth beguiled. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ] 6. The people on the globe. [ 1913 Webster ] The whole earth was of one language. Gen. xi. 1. [ 1913 Webster ] 7. (Chem.) (a) Any earthy-looking metallic oxide, as alumina, glucina, zirconia, yttria, and thoria. (b) A similar oxide, having a slight alkaline reaction, as lime, magnesia, strontia, baryta. [ 1913 Webster ] 8. A hole in the ground, where an animal hides himself; as, the earth of a fox. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ] They [ ferrets ] course the poor conies out of their earths. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ] 9. (Elec.) The connection of any part an electric conductor with the ground; specif., the connection of a telegraph line with the ground through a fault or otherwise. ☞ When the resistance of the earth connection is low it is termed a good earth. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ] ☞ Earth is used either adjectively or in combination to form compound words; as, earth apple or earth-apple; earth metal or earth-metal; earth closet or earth-closet. [ 1913 Webster ]
Adamic earth,
Bitter earth,
Bog earth,
Chian earth, etc. See under Adamic, Bitter, etc. --
Alkaline earths. See under Alkaline. --
Earth apple. (Bot.) (a) A potato. (b) A cucumber. --
Earth auger, a form of auger for boring into the ground; -- called also earth borer. --
Earth bath, a bath taken by immersing the naked body in earth for healing purposes. --
Earth battery (Physics), a voltaic battery the elements of which are buried in the earth to be acted on by its moisture. --
Earth chestnut, the pignut. --
Earth closet, a privy or commode provided with dry earth or a similar substance for covering and deodorizing the fæcal discharges. --
Earth dog (Zoöl.), a dog that will dig in the earth, or enter holes of foxes, etc. --
Earth hog,
Earth pig (Zoöl.), the aard-vark. --
Earth hunger, an intense desire to own land, or, in the case of nations, to extend their domain. --
Earth light (Astron.), the light reflected by the earth, as upon the moon, and corresponding to moonlight; -- called also earth shine. Sir J. Herschel. --
Earth metal. See 1st Earth, 7. (Chem.) --
Earth oil, petroleum. --
Earth pillars or
Earth pyramids (Geol.), high pillars or pyramids of earth, sometimes capped with a single stone, found in Switzerland. Lyell. --
Earth pitch (Min.), mineral tar, a kind of asphaltum. --
Earth quadrant, a fourth of the earth's circumference. --
Earth table (Arch.), the lowest course of stones visible in a building; the ground table. --
On earth, an intensive expression, oftenest used in questions and exclamations; as, What on earth shall I do? Nothing on earth will satisfy him. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
|
