A 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]:
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:
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Celestial 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
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Architecture A structural motif or finial in the shape of a sphere
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An orbit of an heavenly body
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:
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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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:
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:
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Poetic The 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:
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:
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Poetic Any 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:
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 inquire1815, William Wordsworth, Essay, Supplementary to the Preface:
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]:
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A globus cruciger; a ceremonial sphere used to represent royal or imperial power
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A translucent sphere appearing in flash photography (Orb (optics))
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Government, Military, Politics, War A body of soldiers drawn up in a circle, as for defence, especially infantry to repel cavalry.
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:
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For example Mars has its orb 7 degrees to the Sun.2015, Padam Singh, Krishna Attri, Astrology For Stock Market:
Let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield1667, 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:
a full-orbed sun1842, James Russell Lowell, sonnet:
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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:
small blank windows or panels, for in later times such panels were called orbs, blind windows1845, Robert Willis, The Architectural History of Canterbury Cathedral: