orbit
/ˈɔːbɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɔːrbɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈȯr-bət/ (ame, mw) · /ˈɔː.bɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɔːr.bɪt/ (ame, ipa)
orbit — noun
1. the route an object in space keeps taking as it goes around a planet, star, or m
the route an object in space keeps taking as it goes around a planet, star, or moon
The Moon stays in orbit around Earth because of gravity.
in orbit around [planet]
Engineers checked the satellite's orbit before the launch from Florida.
A small rock crossed Mars's orbit late on Tuesday night.
The new telescope can track a planet's orbit for many years.
The toy model shows Earth's orbit as a long oval line.
- path
a broader everyday word for any line of movement
- trajectory
often used for the route of something thrown or launched, not repeated circling
- course
usually stresses direction rather than repeated movement around a center
文法句型
in orbit around [planet/star]
enter orbit
track an orbit
用法筆記
Common with around after the noun and with verbs such as enter, leave, and track. In science writing, low orbit and high orbit are especially frequent for satellites.
常見錯誤
2. the bony hollow in the skull where an eye sits
the bony hollow in the skull where an eye sits
The boxer had a crack in the left orbit above his eye.
medical use: orbit = eye socket
The X-ray showed swelling in the orbit behind Noah's right eye.
The doctor said the baseball had bruised Mia's left orbit.
The surgeon repaired the broken orbit after the car crash.
A deep cut ran from Marcus's eyebrow to the edge of the orbit.
- eye socket
the usual everyday phrase
- socket
shorter, but often needs eye for clarity
- cavity
a broader anatomical word for a hollow space
文法句型
damage to the orbit
swelling in the orbit
repair the orbit
用法筆記
Mostly a medical or anatomical term. In everyday English, people usually say eye socket instead.
常見錯誤
3. the group of people, places, or activities that someone or something can affect
the group of people, places, or activities that someone or something can affect or is closely connected with
After the reform, local schools fell within the mayor's orbit, not the county's.
within someone's orbit
After the TV campaign, the village charity moved beyond its old orbit.
Before college, classical music stayed outside Ben's orbit in Tainan.
A phone app brought rice farmers into the bank's orbit.
After the merger, Nina's orbit extended to three teams and two Seoul offices.
文法句型
within someone's orbit
outside someone's orbit
bring someone into someone's orbit
用法筆記
Often appears after within, outside, beyond, or in the orbit of. It is common in politics, business, and social description, not in literal talk about planets.
常見錯誤
orbit — verb
1. to travel on a curved course around a planet, star, or other body in space
to travel on a curved course around a planet, star, or other body in space
The station orbits Earth sixteen times a day.
transitive: orbit [planet]
Several moons orbit Jupiter far beyond the bright rings.
Above the camp, several old satellites still orbit through the night sky.
For months, the probe orbited Mars and sent back clear photos.
The new weather satellite will orbit above the equator.
文法句型
orbit [planet/star/body]
orbit around [planet/star/body]
用法筆記
Common with a direct object naming the body, as in orbit Earth or orbit Jupiter. In technical contexts, it can also appear without an object when the central body is already understood.