English

Noun

orb ‎(plural orbs)

1. A spherical body; a globe; especially, one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star

   In the small orb of one particular tear. --Shakespeare

   Whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rolled. -- John Milton

2. One of the azure transparent spheres conceived by the ancients to be inclosed one within another, and to carry the heavenly bodies in their revolutions
3. A circle; especially, a circle, or nearly circular orbit, described by the revolution of a heavenly body; an orbit

   The schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs. --Bacon

   You seem to me as Dian in her orb. --Shakespeare

   In orbs Of circuit inexpressible they stood, Orb within orb. --John Milton

4. (rare) A period of time marked off by the revolution of a heavenly body.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of John Milton to this entry?)

5. (poetic) The eye, as luminous and spherical

   A drop serene hath quenched their orbs. --John Milton

6. (poetic) A revolving circular body; a wheel

   The orbs Of his fierce chariot rolled. --John Milton

7. (rare) A sphere of action.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of William Wordsworth to this entry?)

   But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe. --Shakespeare

8. A globus cruciger; a ceremonial sphere used to represent royal power
9. A translucent sphere appearing in flash photography
10. (military) A body of soldiers drawn up in a circle, as for defence, especially infantry to repel cavalry.

Translations

same as mound, a ball or globe
See mound, ball, globe

Synonyms

• (an eye) See Wikisaurus:eye

Verb

orb ‎(third-person singular simple present orbs, present participle orbing, simple past and past participle orbed)

1. (poetic) to form into an orb or circle

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Lowell to this entry?)

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Milton to this entry?)

2. (poetic, transitive) to encircle; to surround; to enclose
   • Addison

     The wheels were orbed with gold.

3. (poetic, intransitive) to become round like an orb

Etymology 2

Old French orb ‎(“blind”), from Latin orbus ‎(“destitute”).

Noun

orb ‎(plural orbs)

1. (architecture) A blank window or panel.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Oxf. Gloss to this entry?)

References

• orb in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• bor
• bro
• rob, Rob

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin orbus

Adjective

orb m ‎(feminine orba, masculine plural orbs, feminine plural orbes)

1. blind

Synonyms

• cec

Noun

orb m ‎(uncountable)

1. a fungal disease of wheat and other cereals

Estonian

Etymology

From Proto-Finno-Ugric *orpa, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃órbʰos. Cognate with Finnish orpo and Hungarian árva.

Noun

orb ‎(genitive orvu, partitive orbu)

1. orphan

Declension

Romanian

Etymology

From Latin orbus. Compare Italian orbo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /orb/

Adjective

orb m, n ‎(feminine singular oarbă, masculine plural orbi, feminine and neuter plural oarbe)

1. blind

Declension

Noun

orb m ‎(plural orbi, feminine equivalent oarbă)

1. blind man

Declension

Derived terms

• orbeț
• orbi

Related terms

• orbecăi

See also

• chior
• mut
• surd
• vedea