worldly

worldly
/werrld"lee/, adj., worldlier, worldliest, adv.
adj.
1. of or pertaining to this world as contrasted with heaven, spiritual life, etc.; earthly; mundane.
2. experienced; knowing; sophisticated: the benefits of his worldly wisdom.
3. devoted to, directed toward, or connected with the affairs, interests, or pleasures of this world.
4. of or pertaining to the people or laity; secular; neither ecclesiastical nor religious.
5. Obs. of, pertaining to, or existing on earth.
adv.
6. in a worldly manner (archaic except in combination): worldly-wise; worldly-minded.
[bef. 900; ME; OE wor(u)ldlic. See WORLD, -LY]
Syn. 1. temporal. See earthly. 2. urbane, cosmopolitan.
Ant. 1. spiritual.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Worldly — World ly, a. [AS. woroldlic.] [1913 Webster] 1. Relating to the world; human; common; as, worldly maxims; worldly actions. I thus neglecting worldly ends. Shak. [1913 Webster] Many years it hath continued, standing by no other worldly mean but… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Worldly — World ly, adv. With relation to this life; in a worldly manner. [1913 Webster] Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise By simply meek. Milton. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • worldly — [adj1] material, nonreligious carnal, earthly, earthy, fleshly, human, lay, materialistic, mundane, natural, physical, practical, profane, secular, sublunary, telluric, temporal, terrene, terrestrial, ungodly; concepts 536,582 Ant. immaterial,… …   New thesaurus

  • worldly — ► ADJECTIVE (wordlier, wordliest) 1) of or concerned with material affairs rather than spiritual ones. 2) experienced and sophisticated. ● worldly goods (or possessions or wealth) Cf. ↑worldly wealth DERI …   English terms dictionary

  • worldly — [wʉrld′lē] adj. worldlier, worldliest 1. of or limited to this world; temporal or secular 2. devoted to or concerned with the affairs, pleasures, etc. of this world: also worldly minded 3. worldly wise; sophisticated SYN. EARTHLY worldliness n …   English World dictionary

  • worldly — O.E. woruldlic, from the roots of WORLD (Cf. world) and LIKE (Cf. like) (adj.). A common Germanic compound (Cf. O.Fris. wraldlik, O.S. weroldlik, M.Du. wereldlik, Ger. weltlich, O.N. veraldligr). Worldly wise is recorded from c.1400 …   Etymology dictionary

  • worldly — 1 mundane, *earthly, terrestrial, earthy, sublunary Analogous words: temporal, *profane, secular: *material, physical, corporeal: *carnal, fleshly, sensual Contrasted words: *celestial, heavenly, empyrean, empyreal: sacred, * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • worldly — index civil (public), material (physical), mundane, physical, profane Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton …   Law dictionary

  • worldly — meaning ‘temporal or earthly’, has two ls …   Modern English usage

  • worldly — [[t]wɜ͟ː(r)ldli[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED Worldly is used to describe things relating to the ordinary activities of life, rather than to spiritual things. [LITERARY] I think it is time you woke up and focused your thoughts on more worldly matters... He… …   English dictionary

  • worldly — adj. (worldlier, worldliest) 1 temporal or earthly (worldly goods). 2 engrossed in temporal affairs, esp. the pursuit of wealth and pleasure. Phrases and idioms: worldly minded intent on worldly things. worldly wisdom prudence as regards one s… …   Useful english dictionary

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