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spheremore about sphere

sphere

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sphere  \Sphere\,  n.  [OE.  spere,  OF  espere,  F.  sph[`e]re,  L. 
  sphaera,.  Gr  ???  a  sphere,  a  ball.] 
  1.  (Geom.)  A  body  or  space  contained  under  a  single  surface, 
  which  in  every  part  is  equally  distant  from  a  point  within 
  called  its  center. 
 
  2.  Hence  any  globe  or  globular  body,  especially  a  celestial 
  one  as  the  sun,  a  planet,  or  the  earth. 
 
  Of  celestial  bodies,  first  the  sun,  A  mighty  sphere, 
  he  framed.  --Milton. 
 
  3.  (Astron.) 
  a  The  apparent  surface  of  the  heavens,  which  is  assumed 
  to  be  spherical  and  everywhere  equally  distant,  in 
  which  the  heavenly  bodies  appear  to  have  their  places, 
  and  on  which  the  various  astronomical  circles,  as  of 
  right  ascension  and  declination,  the  equator, 
  ecliptic,  etc.,  are  conceived  to  be  drawn;  an  ideal 
  geometrical  sphere,  with  the  astronomical  and 
  geographical  circles  in  their  proper  positions  on  it 
  b  In  ancient  astronomy,  one  of  the  concentric  and 
  eccentric  revolving  spherical  transparent  shells  in 
  which  the  stars,  sun,  planets,  and  moon  were  supposed 
  to  be  set  and  by  which  they  were  carried,  in  such  a 
  manner  as  to  produce  their  apparent  motions. 
 
  4.  (Logic)  The  extension  of  a  general  conception,  or  the 
  totality  of  the  individuals  or  species  to  which  it  may  be 
  applied. 
 
  5.  Circuit  or  range  of  action  knowledge,  or  influence; 
  compass;  province;  employment;  place  of  existence. 
 
  To  be  called  into  a  huge  sphere,  and  not  to  be  seen 
  to  move  in  't.  --Shak. 
 
  Taking  her  out  of  the  ordinary  relations  with 
  humanity,  and  inclosing  her  in  a  sphere  by  herself. 
  --Hawthorne. 
 
  Each  in  his  hidden  sphere  of  joy  or  woe  Our  hermit 
  spirits  dwell.  --Keble. 
 
  6.  Rank;  order  of  society;  social  positions. 
 
  7.  An  orbit,  as  of  a  star;  a  socket.  [R.]  --Shak. 
 
  {Armillary  sphere},  {Crystalline  sphere},  {Oblique  sphere},. 
  See  under  {Armillary},  {Crystalline},. 
 
  {Doctrine  of  the  sphere},  applications  of  the  principles  of 
  spherical  trigonometry  to  the  properties  and  relations  of 
  the  circles  of  the  sphere,  and  the  problems  connected  with 
  them  in  astronomy  and  geography,  as  to  the  latitudes  and 
  longitudes,  distance  and  bearing,  of  places  on  the  earth, 
  and  the  right  ascension  and  declination,  altitude  and 
  azimuth,  rising  and  setting,  etc.,  of  the  heavenly  bodies; 
  spherical  geometry. 
 
  {Music  of  the  spheres}.  See  under  {Music}. 
 
  Syn:  Globe;  orb;  circle.  See  {Globe}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sphere  \Sphere\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Sphered};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Sphering}.] 
  1.  To  place  in  a  sphere,  or  among  the  spheres;  to  insphere. 
 
  The  glorious  planet  Sol  In  noble  eminence  enthroned 
  and  sphered  Amidst  the  other  --Shak. 
 
  2.  To  form  into  roundness;  to  make  spherical,  or  spheral;  to 
  perfect.  --Tennyson. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sphere 
  n  1:  a  particular  environment  or  walk  of  life;  "his  social  sphere 
  is  limited";  "it  was  a  closed  area  of  employment";  "he's 
  out  of  my  orbit"  [syn:  {domain},  {area},  {orbit},  {field}, 
  {arena}] 
  2:  any  spherically  shaped  artifact 
  3:  the  geographical  area  in  which  one  nation  is  very 
  influential  [syn:  {sphere  of  influence}] 
  4:  a  particular  aspect  of  life  or  activity;  "he  was  helpless  in 
  an  important  sector  of  his  life"  [syn:  {sector}] 
  5:  a  solid  figure  bounded  by  a  spherical  surface  (including  the 
  space  it  encloses) 
  6:  a  three-dimensional  closed  surface  such  that  every  point  on 
  the  surface  is  equidistant  from  the  center 
  7:  the  apparent  surface  of  the  imaginary  sphere  on  which 
  celestial  bodies  appear  to  be  projected  [syn:  {celestial 
  sphere},  {empyrean},  {firmament},  {heavens},  {vault  of 
  heaven},  {welkin}]




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