Earth (?), n. [AS. eor?e; akin
to OS. ertha, OFries. irthe, D. aarde, OHG.
erda, G. erde, Icel. jör?, Sw. & Dan.
jord, Goth. aīrpa, OHG. ero, Gr. ?,
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.
That law preserves the earth a sphere
And guides the planets in their course.
S.
Rogers.
In heaven, or earth, or under earth, in
hell.
Milton.
2. The solid materials which make up the
globe, in distinction from the air or water; the dry land.
God called the dry land earth.
Gen. i. 10.
He is pure air and fire, and the dull elements of
earth and water never appear in him.
Shak.
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.
Give him a little earth for
charity.
Shak.
4. A part of this globe; a region; a country;
land.
Would I had never trod this English
earth.
Shak.
5. Worldly things, as opposed to spiritual
things; the pursuits, interests, and allurements of this
life.
Our weary souls by earth beguiled.
Keble.
6. The people on the globe.
The whole earth was of one
language.
Gen. xi. 1.
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.
8. A hole in the ground, where an animal
hides himself; as, the earth of a fox.
Macaulay.
They [ferrets] course the poor conies out of their
earths.
Holland.
☞ 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.
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
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.]