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Webster 1913 Edition

Sun

Sun

,
Noun.
(Bot.)
See
Sunn
.

Sun

,
Noun.
[OE.
sunne
,
sonne
, AS.
sunne
; akin to OFries.
sunne
, D.
zon
, OS. & OHG.
sunna
, G.
sonne
, Icel.
sunna
, Goth.
sunna
; perh. fr. same root as L.
sol
. √297. Cf.
Solar
,
South
.]
1.
The luminous orb, the light of which constitutes day, and its absence night; the central body round which the earth and planets revolve, by which they are held in their orbits, and from which they receive light and heat. Its mean distance from the earth is about 92,500,000 miles, and its diameter about 860,000.
☞ Its mean apparent diameter as seen from the earth is 32´ 4˝, and it revolves on its own axis once in 25⅓ days. Its mean density is about one fourth of that of the earth, or 1.41, that of water being unity. Its luminous surface is called the photosphere, above which is an envelope consisting partly of hydrogen, called the chromosphere, which can be seen only through the spectroscope, or at the time of a total solar eclipse. Above the chromosphere, and sometimes extending out millions of miles, are luminous rays or streams of light which are visible only at the time of a total eclipse, forming the solar corona.
2.
Any heavenly body which forms the center of a system of orbs.
3.
The direct light or warmth of the sun; sunshine.
Lambs that did frisk in the
sun
.
Shakespeare
4.
That which resembles the sun, as in splendor or importance; any source of light, warmth, or animation.
For the Lord God is a
sun
and shield.
Ps. lxxiv. 11.
I will never consent to put out the
sun
of sovereignity to posterity.
Eikon Basilike.
Sun and planet wheels
(Mach.)
,
an ingenious contrivance for converting reciprocating motion, as that of the working beam of a steam engine, into rotatory motion. It consists of a toothed wheel (called the sun wheel), firmly secured to the shaft it is desired to drive, and another wheel (called the planet wheel) secured to the end of a connecting rod. By the motion of the connecting rod, the planet wheel is made to circulate round the central wheel on the shaft, communicating to this latter a velocity of revolution the double of its own.
G. Francis.
–
Sun angel
(Zool.)
,
a South American humming bird of the genus
Heliangelos
, noted for its beautiful colors and the brilliant luster of the feathers of its throat.
–
Sun animalcute
.
(Zool.)
See
Heliozoa
.
–
Sun bath
(Med.)
,
exposure of a patient to the sun’s rays; insolation.
–
Sun bear
(Zool.)
,
a species of bear (
Helarctos Malayanus
) native of Southern Asia and Borneo. It has a small head and short neck, and fine short glossy fur, mostly black, but brownish on the nose. It is easily tamed. Called also
bruang
, and
Malayan bear
.
–
Sun beetle
(Zool.)
,
any small lustrous beetle of the genus
Amara
.
–
Sun bittern
(Zool.)
,
a singular South American bird (
Eurypyga helias
), in some respects related both to the rails and herons. It is beautifully variegated with white, brown, and black. Called also
sunbird
, and
tiger bittern
.
–
Sun fever
(Med.)
,
the condition of fever produced by sun stroke.
–
Sun gem
(Zool.)
,
a Brazilian humming bird (
Heliactin cornutus
). Its head is ornamented by two tufts of bright colored feathers, fiery crimson at the base and greenish yellow at the tip. Called also
Horned hummer
.
–
Sun grebe
(Zool.)
,
the finfoot.
–
Sun picture
,
a picture taken by the agency of the sun's rays; a photograph.
–
Sun spots
(Astron.)
,
dark spots that appear on the sun's disk, consisting commonly of a black central portion with a surrounding border of lighter shade, and usually seen only by the telescope, but sometimes by the naked eye. They are very changeable in their figure and dimensions, and vary in size from mere apparent points to spaces of 50,000 miles in diameter. The term sun spots is often used to include bright spaces (called faculae) as well as dark spaces (called maculae). Called also
solar spots
. See Illustration in Appendix.
–
Sun star
(Zool.)
,
any one of several species of starfishes belonging to
Solaster
,
Crossaster
, and allied genera, having numerous rays.
–
Sun trout
(Zool.)
,
the squeteague.
–
Sun wheel
.
(Mach.)
See
Sun and planet wheels
, above.
–
Under the sun
,
in the world; on earth.
“There is no new thing under the sun.”
Eccl. i. 9.
☞ Sun is often used in the formation of compound adjectives of obvious meaning; as, sun-bright, sun-dried, sun-gilt, sunlike, sun-lit, sun-scorched, and the like.

Sun

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sunned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sunning
.]
To expose to the sun's rays; to warm or dry in the sun;
as, to
sun
cloth; to
sun
grain.
Then to
sun
thyself in open air.
Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sun

SUN

, n.
1.
The splendid orb or luminary which, being in or near the center of our system of worlds, gives light and heat to all the planets. The light of the sun constitutes the day, and the darkness which proceeds form its absence, or the shade of the earth, constitutes the night. Ps.136.
2.
In popular usage, a sunny place; a place where the beams of the sun fall; as, to stand in the sun, that is, to stand where the direct rays of the sun fall.
3.
Any thing eminently splendid or luminous; that which is the chief source of light or honor. The natives of America complain that the sun of their glory is set.
I will never consent to put out the sun of sovereignty to posterity.
4.
In Scripture, Christ is called the sun of righteousness, as the source of light, animation and comfort to his disciples.
5.
The luminary or orb which constitutes the center of any system of worlds. The fixed stars are supposed to be suns in their respective systems.
Under the sun, in the world; on earth; a proverbial expression.
There is no new thing under the sun. Eccles.1.

SUN

,
Verb.
T.
To expose to the sun's rays; to warm or dry in the light of the sun; to insolate; as, to sun cloth; to sun grain.
--Then to sun thyself in open air.

Definition 2024

Sun

Sun

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sun"

English

The Sun (1)
The Sun's astronomical symbol

Proper noun

Sun

  1. The star at the center of the Solar System, represented in astronomy and astrology by ☉.
  2. (newspapers) An English tabloid newspaper.

Related terms


Translations

Noun

Sun

  1. Abbreviation of Sunday.

Translations

Anagrams

Turkish

Proper noun

Sun

  1. A male given name
  2. A female given name

sun

sun

See also: Appendix:Variations of "sun"

English

Alternative forms

The sun
The Sun photographed by Skylab 4.
  • (proper noun, star which the Earth revolves around): (capitalized) Sun

Proper noun

the Sun

  1. The star that the Earth revolves around and from which it receives light and warmth.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.
Usage notes
  • While the Sun by tradition is typically regarded as masculine, the noun itself was originally feminine in grammatical gender.
Translations

Noun

sun ‎(plural suns)

  1. (astronomy) A star, especially when seen as the centre of any single solar system.
  2. The light and warmth which is received from the sun.
    • Shakespeare
      Lambs that did frisk in the sun.
  3. (figuratively) Something like the sun in brightness or splendor.
    • Bible, Psalms lxxiv. 11
      For the Lord God is a sun and shield.
    • Eikon Basilike
      I will never consent to put out the sun of sovereignity to posterity.
  4. (chiefly literary) Sunrise or sunset.
    • 1609-11, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act III, Scene 2:
      Imogen: […] Pr'ythee, speak, / How many score of miles may we well ride / 'Twixt hour and hour / Pisanio: One score, 'twixt sun and sun, / Madam, 's enough for you; and too much too. / Imogen: Why, one that rode to his execution, man, / Could never go so slow.
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, p.184 (republished 1832):
      whilst many an hunger-starved poor creature pines in the street, wants clothes to cover him, labours hard all day long, runs, rides for a trifle, fights peradventure from sun to sun, sick and ill, weary, full of pain and grief, is in great distress and sorrow of heart.
    • 1849, Henry David Thoreau, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, published 1873, page 357:
      I love these sons of earth every mother's son of them, with their great hearty hearts rushing tumultuously in herds from spectacle to spectacle, as if fearful lest there should not be time between sun and sun to see them all, and the sun does not wait more than in haying-time.
    • 1962, Harry S. Truman, Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Harry S. Truman, page 651:
      You see, the President has five jobs, any one of which would be more than a full-time job for one man; but I have to do all five of them between sun and sun.
    • 1997, Alan Dean Foster, Howling Stones, page 149:
      “Tomorrow at first sun.” Not being much of a morning person, she winced internally. “First sun?” “It is the proper time, when the flowers of the pohoroh first open to the light.”
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

Verb

sun ‎(third-person singular simple present suns, present participle sunning, simple past and past participle sunned)

  1. (transitive) To expose to the warmth and radiation of the sun.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 2, in The Celebrity:
      Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines. A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot tie, sufficiently proclaimed his tastes.
    Beautiful bodies lying on the beach, sunning their bronzed limbs.‎
  2. (transitive) To warm or dry in the sunshine.
  3. (intransitive) To be exposed to the sun.
  4. (intransitive, alternative medicine) To expose the eyes to the sun as part of the Bates method.
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

From Japanese 寸 ‎(sun).

Noun

sun ‎(plural sun)

  1. A traditional Japanese unit of length, approximately 30.3 millimetres (1.193 inches).

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: miles · real · eye · #495: sun · cut · everything · six

Anagrams

Bambara

Etymology 1

Noun

sun

  1. trunk (of tree)
Usage notes

Often used in a compound with the name of a tree to indicate that kind of tree.

Etymology 2

From Arabic صَوْم ‎(ṣawm, “fasting; abstaining from food, drink, and sex”), from Classical Syriac ܨܘܡܐ ‎(ṣawmāʾ)

Noun

sun

  1. fasting (during the month of Ramadan)

Noun

sun

  1. to fast

Finnish

Etymology 1

Conjunction

sun

  1. (coordinating) A coordinating conjunction expressing generality
    En nyt jouda, kun tässä on sitä sun tätä tekemistä.
    I don't have time for that because I have this and that to do (miscellaneous stuff/things to do).
    Lautanen oli täynnä makaroonilaatikkoa, makkaraa, salaattia, perunamuussia sun muuta pöperöä.
    The plate was full of macaroni casserole, sausage, salad, mashed potatoes and other grub.

Etymology 2

From the standard language form sinun ‎(“your, yours”)

Pronoun

sun

  1. (colloquial) Genitive form of sä.

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin sonus.

Noun

sun m ‎(plural suns)

  1. sound
  2. music

Synonyms

Related terms

Inari Sami

Pronoun

sun

  1. (personal) he or she

Kaingang

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʃudn/

Verb

sun

  1. to warm oneself by staying near a fire[1]

References

  1. ↑ “sun” in Editora Esperança, Dicionário Kaingang-Português Português-Kaingang, Ursula Gojtéj Wiesemann, 2nd edition, 2011, page 83.

Ladin

Preposition

sun

  1. on, over
  2. in

Verb

sun

  1. Alternative form of son

Lojban

Rafsi

sun

  1. rafsi of stuna.

Mandarin

Romanization

sun

  1. Nonstandard spelling of sūn.
  2. Nonstandard spelling of sǔn.
  3. Nonstandard spelling of sùn.

Usage notes

  • English transcriptions of Mandarin speech often fail to distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without the appropriate indication of tone.

Mimi of Nachtigal

Etymology

Similar to (and likely a borrowing of, or possibly the lender of) the word used for water in the "third Mimi" language, Amdang sunu, which in turn is (per Starostin) "most likely cognate with Fur suːn ‘waterhole, well’".

Noun

sun

  1. water

References

  • George Starostin, On Mimi

North Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian sand, from Proto-Germanic *samdaz. Cognates include West Frisian sân.

Noun

sun n ‎(plural sun)

  1. (Föhr-Amrum) sand

Derived terms

  • sunbonk
  • sunbeenk
  • sunglees
  • sunig
  • sunkast
  • sunkurn
  • sunkuuk
  • sunküül
  • sunpapiar
  • sunrag
  • sunseek
  • sunskol
  • sunstoof
  • sunstrun
  • suntoort
  • sunwaal
  • sunwai

Old Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse sonr, sunr, from Proto-Germanic *sunuz.

Noun

sun m (nominative plural synær)

  1. son

Descendants

Quiripi

Noun

sun

  1. (Unquachog) stone

References

Romanian

Etymology 1

Verb

sun

  1. first-person singular present tense form of suna.
  2. first-person singular subjunctive form of suna.

Etymology 2

Probably from Latin sonus, or from the verb suna.

Noun

sun n ‎(plural sunuri)

  1. (archaic) sound
Synonyms

Scots

Etymology

From Old English sunne, from Proto-Germanic *sunnǭ, from heteroclitic inanimate Proto-Indo-European *séh₂wl, genitive *sh₂uln-ós ‎(“of the sun”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /sʌn/, /sɪn/

Noun

sun ‎(plural suns)

  1. sun

Derived terms

Vietnamese

Pronunciation

Verb

sun

  1. (intransitive) to shrink
  2. (transitive) to pull together
    sun vai
    to pull one’s shoulders together

References

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /sʌn/

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