I. ˈərth, ˈə̄th, ˈəith noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English erthe, from Old English eorthe; akin to Old High German erda earth, Old Norse jörth, Gothic airtha, Old High German ero earth, Greek eraze to earth, Welsh erw acre
1.
a. : the fragmental material composing part of the surface of the globe : soil , ground
give him a little earth for charity — Shakespeare
— usually distinguished from bedrock
b. : soil for cultivating
good earth in a sheltered valley
a clayey earth difficult to drain
c. : one of the four elements of the alchemists
2. : the sphere of mortal life comprising the world with its lands and seas as distinguished from spheres of spirit life — compare heaven , hell
3.
a. : areas of land uncovered by water
b. : the solid footing formed of earth
good to feel the earth under his feet again
c. : the solid materials that make up the physical globe
4. archaic : a particular region of the world : country , land
would I had never trod this English earth — Shakespeare
5. often capitalized : the planet upon which we live and which being about 93 million miles from the sun is the third in order of distance from the sun and which having a diameter at the equator of 7927 miles is the fifth in size among the planets
6.
a. : the people of the planet earth
b. : the mortal body of man — distinguished from soul, spirit
c. : the pursuits, interests, and allurements of earthly life : worldly as distinguished from spiritual concerns
7. : the burrow of a burrowing animal
8.
a. : a difficultly reducible metallic oxide (as alumina, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide) formerly classed as an element — see alkaline earth , rare earth
b. : earth color
red earth
c. : a clay or substance resembling clay used chiefly as an adsorbent
active earths
— see bleaching clay , fuller's earth
9. chiefly Britain : ground 7
•
- on earth
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English erthen, from erthe, n. — more at earth I
transitive verb
1. now dialect Britain : bury , inter
2. : to hide (as oneself) or cause to hide (as an animal) in the earth or in a burrow or den
3. : to draw soil about (plants) : cultivate so as to throw soil toward (as a row crop) : bank , ridge — often used with up
potatoes should be earthed up before blooming
soil should be kept out of the heart when earthing celery
4. chiefly Britain : ground vt 6
intransitive verb
: to hide in the ground (as in an earth or den) : go to ground — used especially of a hunted animal
III. “, ˈi(ə)rth, ˈiəth noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English erth, erthe, from Old English earth, yrth, from erian to plow — more at ear II
now dialect Britain : an act of plowing : a stirring or tilling of soil in preparation for planting