worldly

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 has repeatedly criticized Western churches as too worldly and too entrenched in consumerism.

2) ADJ-GRADED: usu v-link ADJ Someone who is worldly is experienced and knows about the practical or social aspects of life.

He was different from anyone I had known, very worldly, everything that Dermot was not...

He was worldly and sophisticated.

Derived words:
worldliness N-UNCOUNT

To Betty, Joe had an air of worldliness.

3) ADJ: ADJ n Worldly is used to describe things relating to success, wealth, and possessions. [mainly LITERARY]

Today the media drive athletes to the view that the important thing is to gain worldly success.

4) ADJ: ADJ n You can refer to someone's possessions as their worldly goods or possessions. [LITERARY]

...a man who had given up all his worldly goods...

They are willing to sign away their entire worldly possessions.


English dictionary. 2008.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 — 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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