(1)世界，地球(planet where we live or the universe)[U，the～]：a journey/walk(a)round the～环球旅行/徒步环球旅行;sail/travel (a)round the～环球航行/周游世界; many parts/every country/the rivers and oceans of the～地球上的许多地方/每一个国家/河流和海洋;all over the～(the(whole)～over) 世界各处; the～'s tallest building 世界上最高的建筑物;the～politics/peace/population/situation 世界政治/和平/人口/形势;one of the most famous artists/important issues in the～世界上最著名的艺术家/最重要的问题之一;the First/Second W～War 第一/第二次世界大战; war on a～scale 世界范围的战争; conquer/dominate/rule the～征服/统治/统治世界; open up a new～开辟一个新天地; be not long for this～不久于人世; an event that shook the～震撼世界的事件; The sun is the centre of our～. 太阳是我们这个星系的中心。Their products beat/lead the～.(sl) 他们的产品世界第一。〖同〗planet，Earth，globe，star;

(2)世界的某一部分(special part or area of the earth)[U，the～]：the developing/developed～世界上发展中/发达地区;the eastern/western～ 东方/西方世界;the medieval/ancient/external/outer～中古/古老/外部/外部世界;The sea is the fishes'～. 海洋是鱼类的世界。the Oriental/Roman/New/Old W～东方/古罗马/新(指美洲)/旧(指欧、亚、非三洲)世界;the English-speaking～说英语的地区;〖同〗area，region;

(3)类似地球的天体(another planet in space like the earth)[C]： a strange creature/people from another～来自另一个星球的古怪生物/人们; There are many unexplored～s out in space. 宇宙中有很多尚未探明的天体。Is there life on other～s? 别的星球上有生命吗?a universe of all～s 全宇宙;〖同〗planet，star;

(4)人生(间)，尘世(human life，activities and existence)[U，the～]：be cut off from the outside～与外界隔绝;be ignorant of the～不谙世事; a man of the～老于世故的人; have knowledge of the～通晓人情世故;You must learn to live in the～as it is. 你必须学会随遇而安。(sb) show no interest in the～around him (某人)对其周围的事情不感兴趣;It's nice to get away from the～once in a while. 偶尔远离尘世是很不错的。know/see the～洞悉世故/见世面;How goes the～with you? 你的情况怎样? Many people believe that after death，one enters the next～. 很多人相信人死之后会进入另一个世界。this～and the next 今生与来世; the～to come 来世; She has brought four children into the～. 她生了四个孩子。come into the～降生;withdraw from/forsake/renounce the～隐居/遁世/退隐;give up the～and enter a convent 弃绝尘世去当修女; the temptations of the～花花世界的诱惑;〖同〗affairs，society，material;

(5)全世界的人;上流社会(people in general or the upper-class society)[C，the～]： Half the～live(s) below the poverty line. 世界上有一半的人生活在贫困线之下。the～'s response to sth 世人对某事的反应; announce one's discovery/tell the news to the～把自己的发现/这个消息告诉世人; The whole～knows it/is waiting for the results of the peace talk/must unite in the war on pollution. 全世界都知道这件事/正在等待和平谈判的结果/必须团结起来治理污染。What will the～say? 世人会说什么呢? The whole～is against the warlords. 全世界的人都反对军阀。the～， the flesh and the devil (fml) 一切罪恶;〖同〗mankind，humankind，society;

(6)某一范畴的事或人，界(particular sphere of human or their activity)(常构成合成词)[C]：the women's/child's/adult～妇女/儿童/成人社会;the fashionable/cookery/literary/racing～上流社会/烹饪界/文学界/赛马界;the animal/insect/plant～动物世界/昆虫世界/植物界; the industrial/scientific/theatre/ operatic/ medical/ amusement/academic/publishing～工业/科学/戏剧/歌剧/医学/娱乐/学术/出版界; the working-class/high-class criminal～工人阶层/高级犯罪阶层; a well-known character in the business～商界的一位著名人物; the～of art/football/sport/show business/music/film stars/politics 艺术/足球/运动/演艺/音乐/影星/政界; They are letting me into their～. 他们让我进入他们的圈子。Look，we're in different～s. 你看，我们属于不同的圈子。enlarge one's～扩大自己的范围;His～is rather limited. 他接触的社会很窄。a semi-magical～of rich colours and patterns 丰富多彩、造型各异的奇妙世界; a～of hypothesis and speculation 假想和推测的世界;〖同〗class，division，profession;

(7)大量(large number or amount of)[C][N(of)]：There is a～of difference between thinking about it and doing it. 给予思考和将之付诸于行动两者有天壤之别。The fire made a～of difference. 有没有火是大不一样的。The medicine/holiday/vacation did me the～of good. 吃药/休假/度假对我有极大的好处。A bit of fresh air did me the～of good. 呼吸点儿新鲜空气对我有很大的好处。It implies a/the～of meaning. 它含有极大的意义。have～s of time 有大量的时间; I would give the～to discover the truth. 我愿不惜任何代价发现真理。My family is/means all the～to me. 我的家庭对我来说至关重要。

come/go down/up in the world 落魄/发迹： He has come/gone up in the～since he won the lottery. 他赢了彩票之后便发迹了。The president came down in the～since his scandal. 自从那次丑闻之后，总统便声名狼藉。

for all the world as if/like 就像，酷似： She looks for all the～like my sister. 她酷似我姐姐。It sounded for all the～as if they could win the game. 听起来简直就像他们能赢这场比赛。

in a world of one's own 1)聚精会神： She is in a～of her own when playing the piano. 弹钢琴时她完全沉浸在音乐之中。2)与外界隔绝： They live in a～of their own. 他们住的地方与外界隔绝。

in the world 究竟：What/Who in the～was it? 这究竟是什么/谁?

(not) for (all) the world 无论如何也(不)：I wouldn't hurt her feelings for all the～. 我无论怎样也不会伤害她的感情。

out of this/the world 好得不得了(infml)：The performance was simply out of the～. 这场演出简直太棒了。

set the world on fire 轰动一时 (infml)： You have set the～on fire with your great invention. 你的重大发明震惊世界。

think the world of 十分喜欢： He may get angry sometimes，but he really thinks the～of you. 他有时可能发脾气，但他确实非常喜欢你。

the world is one's oyster 一切如意： You're talented，young and healthy...， the～'s your oyster. 你有才干，又年轻，而且身体健康……一切都随心如愿。

→′worldly adj 尘世的;老成练达的;′worldliness n 尘世;老成;′world-beater n 举世无双的人或事物;͵world-′class adj 世界级的;͵world-′famous adj 世界著名的;′world-weary adj 厌世的;͵world-′wide adj & adv 遍及全世界的(地);

【辨异】world 与 earth 和 globe 的区别见EARTH。