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# earthly

«earthly» in Mova's school dictionary: **Of this world and this life, not of heaven** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adjective

### meaning for a pupil

1) Of this world and this life, not of heaven. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#m1)

2) (informal, with no, any or why) At all; possible, as in «no earthly use» or «why on earth». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#m2)

3) Of the planet Earth, as opposed to space. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In church language «earthly» is contrasted with «heavenly»: Christians believe earthly riches pass away but heavenly treasure lasts. In everyday talk it strengthens a question or a «no»: «no earthly reason», «not an earthly chance». In science fiction «earthly» means from Earth.

### examples

- There's no earthly reason why you can't finish your homework now. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x1)
- Why on earth did you paint the cat blue? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x2)
- He gave away his earthly possessions and became a monk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x3)
- Christians believe that earthly life is not the end. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x4)
- That old bike is no earthly use to anyone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x5)
- The Bible says not to store up treasures on earth but in heaven. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x6)
- The alien had never tasted earthly food. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x7)
- She hasn't an earthly chance of winning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x8)
- He who filled her every thought! he whom she loved best, and who was her whole earthly pride! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/#x9)

### note

Adjective; it is used before nouns (earthly life), and in the strengthening sense only with «no», «any», «not» or questions. Opposite in religious use: «heavenly». Do not confuse with «earthy» (smelling of soil; plain and down-to-earth). «Why on earth» is the common phrase.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «earthly» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/earthly/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.