sphere´less

sphere «sfihr», noun, verb, sphered, spher|ing.

–n.

1. a) a round body whose surface is at all points equally distant from the center. b) any rounded body approximately of this form; ball; globe. A baseball is a sphere.

2. one of the stars or planets. The earth, sun, and moon are spheres.

3. the place or surroundings in which a person or thing exists, acts, or works: »

A teacher's sphere is the classroom. People used to say that woman's sphere was the home.

4. extent; region: »

a sphere of interest. Extending principles which belong altogether to building, into the sphere of architecture proper (John Ruskin).

5. a place, position, or rank in society: »

the sphere of the aristocracy.

6. a supposed hollow globe, with the earth at its center, enclosing the stars, sun, and planets; celestial sphere.

7. a) any one of a series of such globes, one inside another, in which the stars and planets were supposed by ancient astronomers to be set. Movement of the spheres was believed to cause the stars and planets to revolve around the earth and produce a harmonious sound known as the music of the spheres. b) the particular sphere occupied by each of the fixed stars and planets.

8. the heavens; the sky.

–v.t.

1. to enclose in or as if in a sphere; encircle; surround: »

Mourners, sphered by their dark garb in a sacred and touching solitude... (William R. Alger).

2. to make into a sphere.

3. to place among the heavenly spheres; set aloft: »

But thou art as a planet sphered above (Shelley).

╂[< Late Latin sphēra, in Latin sphaera < Greek sphaîra]

–sphere´less, adjective.

–sphere´like´, adjective.