Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WORLD, n. [Sax. weorold, woruld; D. waereld; Sw. verld. 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. – Heb. xi. 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. – Heb. i. There may be other worlds, where the inhabitants have never violated their allegiance to their Almighty sovereign. – W. B. Sprague.
5. Present state of existence; as, while we are in the world. Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. Ps. lxxiii.
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 than to secure divine favor.
7. Public life or society; as banished from the world. – Shak.
8. Business or trouble of life. From this world-wearied flesh. – Shak.
9. A great multitude or quantity; as, a world of business; a world of charms. – Milton.
10. Mankind; people in general; in an indefinite sense. Let the world see your fortitude. Whose disposition, all the world well knows. – Shak.
11. Course of life. He begins the world with little property, but with many friends.
12. Universal empire. This through the east just vengeance head, / And lost poor Antony the world. – Prior.
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. – Law.
15. The principal nations or countries of the earth. Alexander conquered the world.
16. The Roman empire. – Scripture.
17. A large tract of country; a wide compass of things. I must descry new worlds. – Cowley.
18. The inhabitants of the earth; the whole human race. – John iii.
19. The carnal state or corruption of the earth; as, the present evil world; the course of this world. Gal. i. Eph. ii.
20. The ungodly part of the world. I pray not for the world, but for them that thou hast given me. John xvii.
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, exactly. [Little used.] – Sidney. #2. For any consideration.