orb

plural orbs

1. countableuncountableA spherical body; a sphere, especially one of the celestial spheres; a sun, planet, or star.

   In the small orb of one particular tear.

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act LOVER'S COMPLAINT]

   1 more example

   Whether the prime orb, Incredible how swift, had thither rolled.

   1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   Synonyms: ball, globe, sphere

2. countableuncountableCelestial sphere; one of the azure transparent spheres conceived by the ancients to be enclosed one within another, and to carry the heavenly bodies in their revolutions.
3. countableuncountablearchitectureA structural motif or finial in the shape of a sphere.
4. countableuncountableAn orbit of an heavenly body

   You seem to me as Dian in her orb.

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

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   The schoolmen were like astronomers, which did feign eccentrics, and epicycles, and such engines of orbs.

   1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Superstition”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC

   In orbs / Of circuit inexpressible they stood, / Orb within orb.

   1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

5. countablerareuncountableThe time period of an orbit.

   Know none before us, self-begot, self-rais'd / By our own quick'ning power, when fatal course / Had circl'd his full Orbe, the birth mature / Of this our native Heav'n, Ethereal Sons.

   1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book V

   Synonyms: year

6. countablepoeticuncountableThe eye, seen as a luminous and spherical entity.

   A drop serene hath quenched their orbs.

   1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

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   Painfully, he forced his hot eyelids to unclose, and his distended orbs sought for some object whereon to fix; they met the patch of grass, yet red with the blood of Walter Maynard.

   1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Assignation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 260

   Synonyms: eye

7. countablepoeticuncountableAny revolving circular body, such as a wheel.

   The orbs Of his fierce chariot rolled.

   1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   Synonyms: roller, wheel

8. countablerareuncountableA sphere of action.

   But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe.

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

   1 more example

   By what fatality the orb of my genius […] acts upon these men like the moon upon a certain description of patients, it would be irksome to inquire

   1815, William Wordsworth, Essay, Supplementary to the Preface

   Synonyms: area, domain, field, province

9. countableuncountableA globus cruciger; a ceremonial sphere used to represent royal or imperial power.

   Synonyms: globe, globus cruciger, mound

10. countableuncountableA translucent sphere appearing in flash photography (Orb (optics)).
11. countableuncountablegovernmentA body of soldiers drawn up in a circle, as for defence, especially infantry to repel cavalry.

    Synonyms: circle, orbit, globe

12. uncountableastrologyAmount of deviation from the closest perfect aspect.

    For example Mars has its orb 7 degrees to the Sun.

    2015, Padam Singh, Krishna Attri, Astrology For Stock Market

    2 more examples

    For example, an approaching transitioning aspect (i.e., for 120 degrees) is effective when it remains within 2 degrees of orb on either side of the perfect angle.

    2005, William Noah, Astrology of America, page 234

    Astrologers' opinions vary on how many degrees of orb to allow for each aspect.

    2012, Kris Brandt Riske, Llewellyn's 2013 Sun Sign Book: Horoscopes for Everyone, page 18

present singular third person orbs · participle present orbing · participle past orbed · past orbed

1. poetictransitiveTo form into an orb or circle.

   a full-orbed sun

   1842, James Russell Lowell, sonnet

   2 more examples

   Let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield

   1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

   And is it that the haze of grief ⁠Hath stretch’d my former joy so great? […] Or that the past will always win ⁠A glory from its being far; ⁠And orb into the perfect star We saw not, when we moved therein?

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXIV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 41

2. intransitivepoeticTo become round like an orb.
3. poetictransitiveTo encircle; to surround; to enclose.

   The wheels were orbed with gold.

   1717, Joseph Addison, Metamorphoses

plural orbs

1. architectureA blank window or panel.

   small blank windows or panels, for in later times such panels were called orbs, blind windows

   1845, Robert Willis, The Architectural History of Canterbury Cathedral

plural ORBs

1. abbreviationinitialismcomputingInitialism of object request broker.
2. abbreviationhistoricalinitialismgovernmentInitialism of operations record book (used by RAF).