 |
| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | eorthe |
1 the planet that we live on : 
the planet Earth
world
also Earth [singular, uncountable]
the planet Earth2 the substance that plants grow in [= soil] a lump of earth
soil
[uncountable]TASa lump of earth3 the hard surface of the world, as opposed to the sea or air [= ground]: The earth shook. They watched the kite fall back to earth. ➔ see usage note ground1
land
[uncountable]The earth shook.They watched the kite fall back to earth.4 used to ask a question when you are very surprised or angry : What on earth did you do that for?
what/why/how etc on earth ...?
spokenWhat on earth did you do that for?5 to cost etc a very large amount of money : It must have cost the earth!
cost/pay/charge the earth
informalIt must have cost the earth!6 the biggest etc example of something that exists : the most powerful man on earth
the biggest/tallest/most expensive etc ... on earth
the most powerful man on earth7 used in religion to refer to the time when people are alive as opposed to being in heaven or hell : Jesus' time on earth
religion
[uncountable]Jesus' time on earth➔ move heaven and earth
at heaven (9)➔ hell on earth
at hell1 (2)8 to stop behaving or living in a way that is not practical : She soon brought him back down to earth.
come back/down to earth (with a bump)
She soon brought him back down to earth.9 used to emphasize that you mean nothing at all : Nothing on earth would have persuaded me to go. There's no reason on earth why you should tell him.
no ... /nothing on earth
Nothing on earth would have persuaded me to go.There's no reason on earth why you should tell him.10 to look or feel very strange : The next morning I felt like nothing on earth.
look/feel etc like nothing on earth
British EnglishThe next morning I felt like nothing on earth.11 a wire that makes a piece of electrical equipment safe by connecting it with the ground [= ground American English]
electricity
[countable usually singular] British EnglishTEE12 the hole where a wild animal such as a fox lives [↪ den, lair]
animal's home
[countable]13 to hide in order to escape from someone who is chasing you [= go to ground]
go to earth
British English14 to find someone, especially by looking in many places
run somebody/something to earth
British English ➔ down-to-earthWORD CHOICE:
ground, land, earth, soil, floorThe ground is the surface that you walk on when you are outdoors • There were a few flakes of snow on the ground. • an area of muddy groundland is an area of ground that is owned or controlled by someone • They were on his land. • land set aside for housingIt is also the part of the earth's surface that is not covered in water • animals that live on landearth or soil is the soft substance that covers the ground and that plants grow in • Green shoots peeped through the earth. • fertile soilThe Earth or earth is also the planet that we live on.The floor is the surface that you walk on when you are indoors • There's mud all over the floor! ➔ See also ground
➔ promise somebody the moon/the earth
at promise1 (3)➔ the salt of the earth
at salt1 (2)WORD CHOICE:WORD CHOICE: ground, land, earth, soil, floorThe ground is the surface that you walk on when you are outdoors • There were a few flakes of snow on the ground. • an area of muddy groundland is an area of ground that is owned or controlled by someone • They were on his land. • land set aside for housingIt is also the part of the earth's surface that is not covered in water • animals that live on landearth or soil is the soft substance that covers the ground and that plants grow in • Green shoots peeped through the earth. • fertile soilThe Earth or earth is also the planet that we live on.The floor is the surface that you walk on when you are indoors • There's mud all over the floor! ➔ See also ground
