world

[ wurld ]

/ wɜrld /

noun

the earth or globe, considered as a planet.

(often initial capital letter) a particular division of the earth: the Western world.

the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period: the ancient world.

humankind; the human race; humanity: The world must eliminate war and poverty.

the public generally: The whole world knows it.

the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life: The world worships success.

a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.: the fashionable world.

any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it: a child's world; the world of dreams; the insect world.

everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.

any complex whole conceived as resembling the universe: the world of the microcosm.

one of the three general groupings of physical nature: animal world; mineral world; vegetable world.

any period, state, or sphere of existence: this world; the world to come.

Often worlds. a great deal: That vacation was worlds of fun.

any indefinitely great expanse.

any heavenly body: the starry worlds.

Nearby words

worktop, workup, workwear, workweek, workwoman, world, world bank, world bank group, world beat, world car, world communion sunday

Idioms

bring into the world,

to give birth to; bear: My grandmother brought nine children into the world.
to deliver (a baby): the doctor brought many children into the world.

come into the world, to be born: Her first child came into the world in June.

for all the world,

for any consideration, however great: She wouldn't come to visit us for all the world.
in every respect; precisely: You look for all the world like my Aunt Mary.

in the world,

at all; ever: I never in the world would have believed such an obvious lie.
from among all possibilities: Where in the world did you find that hat?

on top of the world. top¹(def 47).

out of this/the world, exceptional; fine: The chef prepared a roast duck that was out of this world.

set the world on fire, to achieve great fame and success: He didn't seem to be the type to set the world on fire.

think the world of, to like or admire greatly: His coworkers think the world of him.

world without end, for all eternity; for always.

Origin of world

before 900; Middle English; Old English world, weorold; cognate with Dutch wereld, German Welt, Old Norse verǫld, all < Germanic *wer-ald- literally, age of man

SYNONYMS FOR world

1 See earth.

Related formscoun·ter·world, nounin·ter·world, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for set the world on fire (1 of 2)

world

/ (wɜːld) /

noun

the earth as a planet, esp including its inhabitants

mankind; the human race

people generally; the publicin the eyes of the world

social or public lifeto go out into the world

the universe or cosmos; everything in existence

a complex united whole regarded as resembling the universe

any star or planet, esp one that might be inhabited

(often capital) a division or section of the earth, its history, or its inhabitantsthe Western World; the Ancient World; the Third World

an area, sphere, or realm considered as a complete environmentthe animal world

any field of human activity or way of life or those involved in itthe world of television

a period or state of existencethe next world

the total circumstances and experience of an individual that make up his life, esp that part of it relating to happinessyou have shattered my world

a large amount, number, or distanceworlds apart

worldly or secular life, ways, or people

logic See possible world

all the world and his wife a large group of people of various kinds

bring into the world

(of a midwife, doctor, etc) to deliver (a baby)
to give birth to

come into the world to be born

dead to the world informal unaware of one's surroundings, esp fast asleep or very drunk

for the world (used with a negative) for any inducement, however great

for all the world in every way; exactly

give to the world to publish

in the world (usually used with a negative) (intensifier)no-one in the world can change things

man of the world or woman of the world a man or woman experienced in social or public life

not long for this world nearing death

on top of the world informal exultant, elated, or very happy

informal wonderful; excellent

set the world on fire to be exceptionally or sensationally successful

the best of both worlds the benefits from two different or opposed ways of life, philosophies, etc

think the world of to be extremely fond of or hold in very high esteem

world of one's own a state of mental detachment from other people

world without end for ever

(modifier) of or concerning most or all countries; worldwideworld politics; a world record

(in combination) throughout the worldworld-famous

Word Origin for world

Old English w (e) orold, from wer man + ald age, life; related to Old Frisian warld, wrald, Old Norse verold, Old High German wealt (German Welt)

British Dictionary definitions for set the world on fire (2 of 2)

World

noun The World

a man-made archipelago of 300 reclaimed islands built off the coast of Dubai in the shape of a map of the world. Area: 63 sq km (24 sq miles)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for set the world on fire

world

Old English woruld, worold "human existence, the affairs of life," also "the human race, mankind," a word peculiar to Germanic languages (cf. Old Saxon werold, Old Frisian warld, Dutch wereld, Old Norse verold, Old High German weralt, German Welt), with a literal sense of "age of man," from Proto-Germanic *wer "man" (Old English wer, still in werewolf; see virile) + *ald "age" (see old).

Originally "life on earth, this world (as opposed to the afterlife)," sense extended to "the known world," then to "the physical world in the broadest sense, the universe" (c.1200). In Old English gospels, the commonest word for "the physical world," was Middangeard (Old Norse Midgard), literally "the middle enclosure" (cf. yard), which is rooted in Germanic cosmology. Greek kosmos in its ecclesiastical sense of "world of people" sometimes was rendered in Gothic as manaseþs, literally "seed of man."

The usual Old Norse word was heimr, literally "abode" (see home). Words for "world" in some other Indo-European languages derive from the root for "bottom, foundation" (e.g. Irish domun, Old Church Slavonic duno, related to English deep); the Lithuanian word is pasaulis, from pa- "under" + saule "sun." Original sense in world without end, translating Latin saecula saeculorum, and in worldly. Latin saeculum can mean both "age" and "world," as can Greek aion. World power in the geopolitical sense first recorded 1900. World-class is attested from 1950, originally of Olympic athletes.

Idioms and Phrases with set the world on fire (1 of 2)

set the world on fire

Perform an outstanding feat and win fame, as in An ambitious man, he longed to set the world on fire with his inventions. This hyperbolic expression uses set on fire in the sense of “arouse excitement in.” Also see set on fire, def. 2.

Idioms and Phrases with set the world on fire (2 of 2)

world

In addition to the idioms beginning with world

world is one's oyster, the
world of good, a

also see:

all over the place (world)
best of both worlds
bring into the world
come up (in the world)
dead to the world
for all the world
go out (of the world)
in one's own world
it's a small world
laugh and the world laughs with you
man of the world
move up (in the world)
not for all the tea in china (for the world)
on earth (in the world), what
on top of the world
out of this world
set the world on fire
think a lot (the world) of
third world
with the best will in the world

world

noun

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of world

British Dictionary definitions for set the world on fire (1 of 2)

world

noun

Word Origin for world

British Dictionary definitions for set the world on fire (2 of 2)

World

noun The World

Word Origin and History for set the world on fire

world

Idioms and Phrases with set the world on fire (1 of 2)

set the world on fire

Idioms and Phrases with set the world on fire (2 of 2)

world