land

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Surface of the earth

Nouns

1. land, earth, ground, dry land, terra firma, terra incognita. See inorganic matter, concavity, height, depth.

2. (inland area) continent, Europe, Asia, Eurasia, North or South America, Australia, Africa, Antarctica; Gondwana[land], Laurasia, Pangaea, supercontinent; mainland, peninsula, delta; neck of land, isthmus, island; oasis, desert; lowland, highland; promontory; pasture, grassland; glacier, iceberg (see cold); volcano; real estate, property, acres.

3. (coastal area) coast, shore, seashore, lakeshore, strand, beach, bank, lea, seaside, seacoast, rock-bound coast, alluvium; barrier beach. See

edge.

4. (composition of land) soil, glebe, clay, loam, marl, mold, topsoil, sod, subsoil, clod; rock, crag, boulder, stone, shale, chalk, gravel, rubble, dust, sand, sediment, sludge, detritus, placer, eluvium, lava, loess.

5. (study of land) geography, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, geobotany, geodynamics, geognosy, geomorphology, mineralogy, lithology; hydrology (see water); geographer, geologist, etc.

6. landlubber, landsman.

Verbs — land, light, alight, ground; disembark, come or go ashore. See arrival.

Adjectives — earthly, terrestrial; continental, midland, littoral, riparian, alluvial, landed, territorial; earthy.

Adverbs — ashore, on shore, land, etc.; aground, on solid ground.

Interjections — land ahoy!

Quotations — Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land (Aldo Leopold).

Antonyms, see water, air.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [The solid surface of the earth]

Syn. ground, soil, dirt, earth, clay, loam, leaf mold, glebe, marl, gravel, subsoil, clod, sand, rock, mineral, metal, pebble, stone, dry land, terra firma, valley, desert, tableland, hill, bank, seaboard, seaside, shore, beach, strand, crag, cliff, boulder, ledge, peninsula, delta, promontory, neck, tongue; see also earth 2 , mountain 1 , plain .

Ant. sea*, stream, ocean.

2. [Land as property]

Syn. estate, tract, real estate; see area 2 , property 2 .

3. [Land as an agent of production]

Syn. ranch, quarry, field; see farm .

4. [A country]

Syn. homeland, realm, state; see country 3 , home 2 , nation 1 .

v.

1. [To bring a boat to shore]

Syn. dock, set on shore, set down, bring in, come to land, beach, pilot, steer, bring into her slip, drop anchor, cast anchor, put in, make land.

Ant. board, weigh anchor, cast off.

2. [To come into port]

Syn. dock, berth, come to berth; see arrive 1 .

3. [To go ashore]

Syn. disembark, debark, come ashore, invade, arrive, alight, leave the boat, light on, leave the ship, go down the gangplank, hit the beach*, lift anchor and pack gear*; see also descend 1 .

Ant. leave*, go on shipboard, embark.

4. [To bring an airplane to earth]

Syn. touch down, get down, ground, take down, arrive, alight, get into the field, come in, bring in the ship, settle, land into the wind, level off, flatten out, come down, descend upon, make a forced landing, set it on the deck*, balloon in*, bounce in*, crash-land*, up-wind*, fishtail down*, nose over*, overshoot*, splash down*, check in*, undershoot*, pancake*; see also arrive 1 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. ground earth, soil, terra firma, turf, sand, loam, dirt.

2. terrain expanse, stretch, sweep, topography, lowland, highland.

3. property real estate, grounds, acreage, plot, lot, parcel, holding.

4. country, area nation, region, motherland, fatherland, old country, district, territory.

II

v.

1. set down touch down, alight, dock, drop anchor, arrive.

2. obtain *bag, get, win, secure, catch, acquire, *collar.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. An organized geopolitical unit: body politic, country, nation, polity, state. See POLITICS, TERRITORY. 2. Usually extensive real estate: acre (often used in plural), estate, property. See OWNED. II verb 1. To come ashore from a seacraft: debark, disembark. See MOVE. 2. To come to rest on the ground: alight1, light2, set down, settle, touch down. See MOVE. 3. Informal. To come into possession of: acquire, come by, gain, get, obtain, pick up, procure, secure, win. Informal: pick up. See GET.