Earth , n. (Elec.)
The connection of any part an electric conductor with the ground; specif., the connection of a telegraph line with the ground through a fault or otherwise.
&fist; When the resistance of the earth
connection is low it is termed
a good earth.
Earth , n. [From Ear to plow.]
A plowing. [Obs.]
Such land as
ye break up
for barley to sow,
Two
earths at the least, ere ye
sow it, bestow.
Tusser.
Earth , v. i. To burrow. Tickell.
Earth (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Earthed (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Earthing.]
1. To hide, or cause to hide, in the earth; to chase into a
burrow or den. "The fox is earthed."
Dryden.
2. To cover with earth or mold; to inter; to bury; -- sometimes with up.
The miser
earths his treasure,
and the thief,
Watching the mole, half beggars him ere noon.
Young. Why
this in earthing up a carcass?
R.
Blair.
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.
&fist; 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.]
Hear it pronounced