ORB

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does orb mean? 

• ORB (noun)
  The noun ORB has 2 senses:

1. the ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye

2. an object with a spherical shape

  Familiarity information: ORB used as a noun is rare.

• ORB (verb)
  The verb ORB has 1 sense:

1. move in an orbit

  Familiarity information: ORB used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ORB (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The ball-shaped capsule containing the vertebrate eye

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

eyeball; orb

Hypernyms ("orb" is a kind of...):

capsule (a structure that encloses a body part)

Holonyms ("orb" is a part of...):

eye; oculus; optic (the organ of sight)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An object with a spherical shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

ball; globe; orb

Context example:

a ball of fire

Hypernyms ("orb" is a kind of...):

sphere (a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "orb"):

crystal ball (a glass or crystal globe used in crystal gazing by fortunetellers)

camphor ball; mothball (a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing)

time-ball (a ball that slides down a staff to show a fixed time; especially at an observatory)

fireball (the luminous center of a nuclear explosion)

fireball (a ball of fire (such as the sun or a ball-shaped discharge of lightning))

globule (a small globe or ball)

spherule; pellet (a small sphere)

bolus (a small round soft mass (as of chewed food))

• ORB (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move in an orbit

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

orb; orbit; revolve

Context example:

electrons orbit the nucleus

Hypernyms (to "orb" is one way to...):

circle (move in a circular path above (someone or something))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "orb"):

retrograde (move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

How did these massive orbs form, and how did they wind up so shockingly close to their stars?

(Investigating the Mystery of Migrating 'Hot Jupiters', NASA)

Active Mars will be within orb of this new moon, which suggests a friend’s help could trigger progress.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Lucy's eyes in form and colour; but Lucy's eyes unclean and full of hell-fire, instead of the pure, gentle orbs we knew.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This nail, he continued, pulling off his hat and turning up his sightless orbs, is one of those wherewith man's salvation was secured.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Several changes of day and night passed, and the orb of night had greatly lessened, when I began to distinguish my sensations from each other.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Such is the imperfect nature of man! such spots are there on the disc of the clearest planet; and eyes like Miss Scatcherd's can only see those minute defects, and are blind to the full brightness of the orb.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Ordinarily grey and cold and harsh, they were now warm and soft and golden, and all a-dance with tiny lights that dimmed and faded, or welled up till the full orbs were flooded with a glowing radiance.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The aspect will not be exact for one year—not until February of 2021—but Saturn and Uranus are now within significant mathematical orb, so something may be afoot regarding your career.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A part of its orb was at length hid, and I waved my brand; it sank, and with a loud scream I fired the straw, and heath, and bushes, which I had collected.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

He stood at Miss Temple's side; he was speaking low in her ear: I did not doubt he was making disclosures of my villainy; and I watched her eye with painful anxiety, expecting every moment to see its dark orb turn on me a glance of repugnance and contempt. I listened too; and as I happened to be seated quite at the top of the room, I caught most of what he said: its import relieved me from immediate apprehension.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)