WORLDLY • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Worldly

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/wˈərldli/ Listen

adjective

Worldly adj.

Relating to the world; human; common; as, worldly maxims; worldly actions. "I thus neglecting worldly ends." "Many years it hath continued, standing by no other worldly mean but that one only hand which erected it."

Pertaining to this world or life, in contradistinction from the life to come; secular; temporal; devoted to this life and its enjoyments; bent on gain; as, worldly pleasures, affections, honor, lusts, men. "With his soul fled all my worldly solace."

Lay, as opposed to clerical. (Obs.)

adverb

Worldly adv. With relation to this life; in a worldly manner. "Subverting worldly strong and worldly wise By simply meek."

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Etymology of 'Worldly'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Worldly" Quotes from Famous Books

... to tears; but she saw nothing in my situation so hopeless as I had depicted it. Brought up in a convent, she knew nothing of the world, its wants, its cares;—and, indeed, what woman is a worldly casuist in matters of the heart!—Nay, more—she kindled into a sweet enthusiasm when she spoke of my fortunes and myself. We had dwelt together on the works of the famous masters. I had related to her their histories; the high reputation, the influence, ...

— Tales of a Traveller • Washington Irving

... any delight in seeing it. An uncle is different from a father,—an uncle who has never had a child of his own. He wanted deference,—what he would have called respect; while Harry was at first prepared to give him a familiar affection based on equality,—on an equality in money matters and worldly interests,—though I fear that Harry allowed to be seen his own intellectual superiority. Mr. Prosper, though an ignorant man, and by no means clever, was not such a fool as not to see all this. Then had come the persistent refusal to hear ...

— Mr. Scarborough's Family • Anthony Trollope

... entrusted the worldly welfare of little Zeno, and to the notary the responsibility of his education, and both of these people not only fulfilled their duties, but gave the child a large share of their love, so that the orphan throve both in ...

— Uarda • Georg Ebers

... Church, in fact, sanctions the family, and the Holy Fathers of the Church, in fact, blessed the family; but the highest perfection really demands the renunciation of worldly advantages. ...

— The Light Shines in Darkness • Leo Tolstoy

... Pascal's statements. "Can it really be you who are talking in this strain?" cried the baron. "You, a practical, worldly man, give way to such a burst ...

— Baron Trigault's Vengeance - Volume 2 (of 2) • Emile Gaboriau

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