Word family noun earth earthling earthiness adjective earthy earthly ≠ unearthly earthen verb unearth adverb earthward(s)
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_079_gearthearth1 /ɜːθ $ ɜːrθ/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 world (also Earth)WORLD [singular, uncountable] the planet that we live on the planet Earththe Earth The Earth revolves around the Sun.the Earth’s surface/atmosphere/crust etc 71% of the Earth’s surface is sea.on Earth the origin of life on Earth2 soil [uncountable]TAS the substance that plants grow in SYN soilsoft/bare/damp etc earth footprints in the wet earth a lump of earth► see thesaurus at ground3 land [uncountable]LAND/GROUND the hard surface of the world, as opposed to the sea or air SYN ground The earth shook. They watched the kite fall back to earth.4 → what/why/how etc on earth ...?5 → cost/pay/charge the earth6 → the biggest/tallest/most expensive etc ... on earth7 religion [uncountable] used in religion to refer to the time when people are alive as opposed to being in heaven or hell Jesus’ time on earth → move heaven and earth at heaven(9), → hell on earth at hell1(2)8 → come back/down to earth (with a bump)9 → no ... /nothing on earth10 → look/feel etc like nothing on earth11 electricity [countable usually singular] British EnglishTEE a wire that makes a piece of electrical equipment safe by connecting it with the ground SYN ground American English12 animal’s home [countable]HBA the hole where a wild animal such as a fox lives → den, lair 13 → go to earth14 → run somebody/something to earth → down-to-earth, → promise somebody the moon/the earth at promise1(3), → the salt of the earth at salt1(2)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: the planet that we live onnounsthe Earth’s surfaceOver seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by ocean.the Earth’s crustVolcanoes and earthquakes occur where there is movement in the Earth’s crust.the Earth’s core (=central part)The Earth’s inner core is almost entirely composed of iron.the Earth’s mantle (=parts around the central core)the incredibly high temperatures and pressures deep within Earth’s mantlethe Earth’s atmosphereThe Earth’s atmosphere blocks off all radiation from space other than light and radio waves.the Earth’s gravitythe continual pull of the Earth’s gravity on the Moon.the Earth’s orbitThe rocket left the Earth's orbit and set off to Mars.the Earth’s rotationHas the Earth’s rotation always been the same?the Earth’s axisOver thousands of years, the direction of Earth’s axis slowly changes.the Earth’s climateThe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has an influence on the Earth’s climate.verbsorbitThe Earth orbits the Sun once a year, and the Moon orbits the Earth approximately every 27 days.revolve/rotateBecause of the direction in which the Earth revolves, the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west.go round/aroundWhy does the Earth goes around the Sun?phrasesPlanet Earththe origin of life on Planet Earth THESAURUSEarth/the Earth the planet we live on – used especially when talking about this in relation to other planets and to space. Also used when talking about being on the ground as opposed to being in the skyThe Earth moves around the Sun.The space shuttle returned to Earth safely.It’s the highest mountain on Earth.the world the planet we live on – used when talking about all the people, countries, places etc on itHe’s one of the richest men in the world.Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishman to sail around the world.land the solid dry part of the Earth’s surfaceAfter weeks at sea, the sailors saw land.the globe the world – used especially when you want to emphasize that something happens in or comes from every part of the worlda meeting of scientists from around the globe There has been an increase in skin cancer across the globe.The network is accessible from any point on the globe. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: the substance that plants grow inadjectivessoftThe wheels got stuck in the soft earth.hardIt hadn’t rained for weeks and the earth was hard.bare (=not covered by trees or grass)There were no flowers or grass, just bare earth.fertileThis earth is not fertile enough to produce crops.freshly-dugThe poppy seeds were planted in the freshly-dug earth.moist/dampI slipped on the damp earth and fell over.phrasesa mound of earth (=a pile of earth that looks like a small hill)A mound of earth lay beside the grave.a clod/clump of earth (=a lump of earth)The horse’s hooves kicked up great clods of earth. Examples from the Corpus
earth• Outside, the sun beat down on the red baked earth of Provence.• Then, suddenly, he was running, his arms flailing wildly, his bare feet thudding against the dark earth.• A shaking of earth, sky, mind, all.• Thousands of tons of earth were moved to build the dam.• With the industrial revolution, however, a better world did in fact arrive on earth.• planet earth• Above the earth, below the earth, on the earth, like Alice, curiouser and curiouser.• The message was freshly scratched in the earth.• The temperature of the Earth's core may be as high as 9,000 degrees Fahrenheit.• Born when the earth sleeps, yet Effie never seemed to rest and had soon worn out a rather fragile Marjorie.• In this way, signals can be sent to it and bounced back to earth stations for reception.• He bailed out at just the right time and floated the short distance to earth in a golden parachute.• When he returned to earth, he discovered that his father had died.soft/bare/damp etc earth• Four single bulbs under tin covers lit the entire station, and the air smelled of coal and damp earth.• She pulled through the clutching shrubbery and skimmed back up the steps, realizing she was leaving footprints of damp earth.• The mist was getting heavier; so, too, was the rank odor of damp earth.• It was dark and smelt of damp earth.• The floor was of bare earth, and a ring of wooden poles supported the roof.• She was pointing at a recess scraped in the soft earth and pine needles.• It pounded the soft earth and gurgled along the gutters to splash with relentless monotony into the tub outside the back door.earthearth2 verb [transitive] British EnglishTEE to make electrical equipment safe by connecting it to the ground with a wire SYN ground American English Make sure that the machine is properly earthed.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
earth• He is strongest when he's earthed and practical.• All that is a bit abstract but it can be earthed by an example.• The £50 rubber-soled shoes earthed the massive electric shock as the bolt hit Brian, 12, in his bedroom.• Any exposed metal must be reliably earthed to the mains Earth lead.Origin earth Old English eorthe