world

[ wurld ]

/ wɜrld /

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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.

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We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

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Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

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beryl

azure

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Idioms about world

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

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English world, weorold; cognate with Dutch wereld, German Welt, Old Norse verǫld, all from (unnattested) Germanic wer-ald- literally, “age of man” (see virile, werewolf, old

synonym study for world

1. See earth.

OTHER WORDS FROM world

coun·ter·world, nounin·ter·world, noun

Words nearby world

workup, workwear, workweek, workwoman, work wonders, world, World Bank, World Bank Group, world beat, worldbeater, world-building

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use world in a sentence

With fires burning in so many disparate corners of the world, one might assume that wildfires have been growing every year.
What wildfires in Brazil, Siberia, and the US West have in common|Lili Pike|September 17, 2020|Vox
Democratic-run New Jersey and New York, with death rates of 181 and 168, respectively, would lead the entire world.
Trump says US Covid-19 deaths would be low if you excluded blue states. That’s wrong.|German Lopez|September 17, 2020|Vox
This makes TikTok the seventh most popular social media platform in the world.
What you must know about TikTok for business|Connie Benton|September 17, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Coastal wetlands have been shrinking around the world for the last century.
Soggy coastal soils? Here’s why ecologists love them|Alison Pearce Stevens|September 17, 2020|Science News For Students

It housed humans for 40,000 years while our species grew and grew around the world.
The Environmental Headache in Your Shampoo - Issue 90: Something Green|Anastasia Bendebury & Michael Shilo DeLay|September 16, 2020|Nautilus
The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Allegations of transphobia are not new in the world of gay online dating.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Editorial and political cartoon pages from throughout the world almost unanimously came to the same conclusion.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
All over the world the just claims of organized labor are intermingled with the underground conspiracy of social revolution.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
There seems something in that also which I could spare only very reluctantly from a new Bible in the world.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
That it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
The "new world" was really found in the wonder-years of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock

British Dictionary definitions for world (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 world (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

Other Idioms and Phrases with world

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

Idioms about world

Origin of world

synonym study for world

OTHER WORDS FROM world

Words nearby world

Words related to world

How to use world in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for world (1 of 2)

Word Origin for world

British Dictionary definitions for world (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with world