spheren.[OE. spere, OF. espere, F. sphre, L. sphaera,. Gr. a sphere, a ball.]1. (Geom.) A body or space contained under a single surface, which in every part is equally distant from a point within called its center.()2. Hence, any globe or globular body, especially a celestial one, as the sun, a planet, or the earth.()Of celestial bodies, first the sun,
A mighty sphere, he framed. (Milton.)3. (Astron.) The apparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their places, and on which the various astronomical circles, as of right ascension and declination, the equator, ecliptic, etc., are conceived to be drawn; an ideal geometrical sphere, with the astronomical and geographical circles in their proper positions on it.()4. (Logic) The extension of a general conception, or the totality of the individuals or species to which it may be applied.()5. Circuit or range of action, knowledge, or influence; compass; province; employment; place of existence.()To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in 't. (Shak.)Taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself. (Hawthorne.)Each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe
Our hermit spirits dwell. (Keble.)6. Rank; order of society; social positions.()7. An orbit, as of a star; a socket.(Shak.)Armillary sphere, Crystalline sphere, Oblique sphere,. See under Armillary, Crystalline,. -- Doctrine of the sphere, applications of the principles of spherical trigonometry to the properties and relations of the circles of the sphere, and the problems connected with them, in astronomy and geography, as to the latitudes and longitudes, distance and bearing, of places on the earth, and the right ascension and declination, altitude and azimuth, rising and setting, etc., of the heavenly bodies; spherical geometry. -- Music of the spheres. See under Music.()()v. t.1. To place in a sphere, or among the spheres; to insphere.()The glorious planet Sol
In noble eminence enthroned and sphered
Amidst the other. (Shak.)2. To form into roundness; to make spherical, or spheral; to perfect.(Tennyson.)a.[L. sphaericus, Gr. : cf. F. sphrique.]1. Having the form of a sphere; like a sphere; globular; orbicular; as, a spherical body.()2. Of or pertaining to a sphere.()3. Of or pertaining to the heavenly orbs, or to the sphere or spheres in which, according to ancient astronomy and astrology, they were set.()Knaves, thieves, and treachers by spherical predominance. (Shak.)Though the stars were suns, and overburned
Their spheric limitations. (Mrs. Browning.)Spherical angle, Spherical cordinate, Spherical excess, etc. See under Angle, Coordinate, etc. -- Spherical geometry, that branch of geometry which treats of spherical magnitudes; the doctrine of the sphere, especially of the circles described on its surface. -- Spherical harmonic analysis. See under Harmonic, a. -- Spherical lune,portion of the surface of a sphere included between two great semicircles having a common diameter. -- Spherical opening, the magnitude of a solid angle. It is measured by the portion within the solid angle of the surface of any sphere whose center is the angular point. -- Spherical polygon,portion of the surface of a sphere bounded by the arcs of three or more great circles. -- Spherical projection, the projection of the circles of the sphere upon a plane. See Projection. -- Spherical sector. See under Sector. -- Spherical segment, the segment of a sphere. See under Segment. -- Spherical triangle,re on the surface of a sphere, bounded by the arcs of three great circles which intersect each other. -- Spherical trigonometry. See Trigonometry.()()