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Webster 1913 Edition

World

World

,
Noun.
[OE.
world
,
werld
,
weorld
,
weoreld
, AS.
weorold
,
worold
; akin to OS.
werold
, D.
wereld
, OHG.
weralt
,
worolt
,
werolt
,
werlt
, G.
welt
, Icel.
veröld
, Sw.
verld
, Dan.
verden
; properly, the age of man, lifetime, humanity; AS.
wer
a man + a word akin to E.
old
; cf. AS.
yld
lifetime, age,
ylde
men, humanity. Cf.
Werewolf
,
Old
.]
1.
The earth and the surrounding heavens; the creation; the system of created things; existent creation; the universe.
The invisible things of him from the creation of the
world
are clearly seen.
Rom. 1. 20.
With desire to know,
What nearer might concern him, how this
world

Of heaven and earth conspicuous first began.
Milton.
2.
Any planet or heavenly body, especially when considered as inhabited, and as the scene of interests analogous with human interests;
as, a plurality of
worlds
.
“Lord of the worlds above.”
I. Watts.
Amongst innumerable stars, that shone
Star distant, but high-hand seemed other
worlds
.
Milton.
There may be other
worlds
, where the inhabitants have never violated their allegiance to their almighty Sovereign.
W. B. Sprague.
3.
The earth and its inhabitants, with their concerns; the sum of human affairs and interests.
That forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the
world
, and all our woe.
Milton.
4.
In a more restricted sense, that part of the earth and its concerns which is known to any one, or contemplated by any one; a division of the globe, or of its inhabitants; human affairs as seen from a certain position, or from a given point of view; also, state of existence; scene of life and action;
as, the Old
World
; the New
World
; the religious
world
; the Catholic
world
; the upper
world
; the future
world
; the heathen
world
.
One of the greatest in the Christian
world

Shall be my surety.
Shakespeare
Murmuring that now they must be put to make war beyond the
world’s
end – for so they counted Britain.
Milton.
5.
The customs, practices, and interests of men; general affairs of life; human society; public affairs and occupations;
as, a knowledge of the
world
.
Happy is she that from the
world
retires.
Waller.
If knowledge of the
world
makes man perfidious,
May Juba ever live in ignorance.
Addison.
6.
Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual;
as, to begin the
world
with no property; to lose all, and begin the
world
anew
.
7.
The inhabitants of the earth; the human race; people in general; the public; mankind.
Since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the
world
can say against it.
Shakespeare
Tell me, wench, how will the
world
repute me
For undertaking so unstaid a journey?
Shakespeare
8.
The earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven; concerns of this life as distinguished from those of the life to come; the present existence and its interests; hence, secular affairs; engrossment or absorption in the affairs of this life; worldly corruption; the ungodly or wicked part of mankind.
I pray not for the
world
, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
John xvii. 9.
Love not the
world
, neither the things that are in the
world
. If any man love the
world
, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world
, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world
.
1 John ii. 15, 16.
9.
As an emblem of immensity, a great multitude or quantity; a large number.
“A world of men.”
Chapman.
“A world of blossoms for the bee.”
Bryant.
Nor doth this wood lack
worlds
of company.
Shakespeare
A
world
of woes dispatched in little space.
Dryden.
All . . . in the world
,
all that exists; all that is possible;
as,
all
the precaution
in the world
would not save him
.
–
A world to see
,
a wonder to see; something admirable or surprising to see.
[Obs.]

O, you are novices; 't is a
world to see

How tame, when men and women are alone,
A meacock wretch can make the curstest shrew.
Shakespeare
–
For all the world
.
(a)
Precisely; exactly.
(b)
For any consideration.
–
Seven wonders of the world
.
See in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.
–
To go to the world
,
to be married.
[Obs.]
“Thus goes every one to the world but I . . . ; I may sit in a corner and cry heighho for a husband!”
Shak.
–
World's end
,
the end, or most distant part, of the world; the remotest regions.
–
World without end
,
eternally; forever; everlastingly; as if in a state of existence having no end.
Throughout all ages,
world without end
.
Eph. iii. 21.

Webster 1828 Edition

World

WORLD

,
Noun.
[This seems to be a compound word, and probably is named from roundness, the vault; but this is not certain.]
1.
The universe; the whole system of created globes or vast bodies of matter.
2.
The earth; the terraqueous globe; sometimes called the lower world.
3.
The heavens; as when we speak of the heavenly world, or upper world.
4.
System of beings; or the orbs which occupy space, and all the beings which inhabit them. Hebrews 11.
God--hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things; by whom also he made the worlds. Hebrews 1.
There may be other worlds, where the inhabitants have never violated their allegiance to their Almighty sovereign.
5.
Present state of existence; as while we are in the world.
Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. Psalm 73.
6.
A secular life. By the world we sometimes understand the things of this world, its pleasures and interests. A great part of mankind are more anxious to enjoy the world to than secure divine favor.
7.
Public life, or society; as banished from the world.
8.
Business or trouble of life.
From this world-wearied flesh.
9.
A great multitude or quantity; as a world of business; a world of charms.
10.
Mankind; people in general; in an indefinite sense. Let the world see your fortitude.
Whose disposition, all the world well knows--
11.
Course of life. He begins the world with little property, but with many friends.
12.
Universal empire.
This through the east just vengeance hurld, and lost poor Antony the world.
13.
The customs and manners of men; the practice of life. A knowledge of the world is necessary for a man of business; it is essential to politeness.
14.
All the world contains.
Had I a thousand worlds, I would give them all for one year more to devote to God.
15.
The principal nations or countries of the earth. Alexander conquered the world.
16.
The Roman empire.
17.
A large tract of country; a wide compass of things.
I must descry new worlds.
18.
The inhabitants of the earth; the whole human race. John 3.
19.
The carnal state or corruption of the earth; as the present evil world; the course of this world. Galatians 1. Ephesians 2.
20.
The ungodly part of the world.
I pray not for the world, but for them that thou hast given men. John 17.
21.
Time; as in the phrase, world without end.
22.
A collection of wonders. [Not in use.]
In the world, in possibility. [All the precaution in the world would not save him.]
For all the world,
1.
Exactly. [Little used.]
2.
For any consideration.

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