orbit

noun orbits

1. countable, uncountable An elliptical movement of an object about a celestial object or Lagrange point, especially a periodic elliptical revolution.
2. countable, uncountable One complete circuit round an orbited body. The Moon's orbit around the Earth takes nearly one month to complete.
3. uncountable The state of moving in an orbit.
4. countable, uncountable The path of an electron around an atomic nucleus.
5. countable, uncountable A path for the ball on the outer edge of the playfield, usually connected so that the ball entering in one end will come out of the other.
6. countable, figuratively, uncountable A sphere of influence; an area or extent of activity, interest, or control. In the post WWII era, several eastern European countries came into the orbit of the Soviet Union.
7. countable, uncountable The bony cavity in the skull of a vertebrate containing the eyeball.

   Similar: eye socket, cranial orbit

8. countable, uncountable The area around the eye of a bird or other animal.

   Similar: eye socket, cranial orbit

9. countable, uncountable A collection of points related by the evolution function of a dynamical system.
10. countable, uncountable The subset of elements of a set X to which a given element can be moved by members of a specified group of transformations that act on X.
11. countable, uncountable The number of hands such that each player at the table has posted the big blind once. All right, I'll play one more orbit but then I'm leaving!
12. countable, informal, uncountable A state of increased excitement, activity, or anger. Dad went into orbit when I told him that I'd crashed the car.

verb orbits · orbiting · orbited

1. transitive To circle or revolve around another object or position. The Earth orbits the Sun.
2. transitive To place an object (e.g. a satellite) into an orbit around a planet. A rocket was used to orbit the satellite.

   Similar: launch

3. transitive To move around the general vicinity of something. The harried mother had a cloud of children orbiting her, begging for sweets.

   Similar: circumambulate, tag along

4. transitive To move in a circle.
5. transitive To center (around). I have orbited my entire life around you, and you know it, okay?
6. transitive To continue to follow or engage with someone by means of social media after breaking up with them.

Opposite: deorbit