sun

I. sun¹ S2 W1 /sʌn/ BrE AmE noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: sunne]
1. the sun/the Sun the large bright object in the sky that gives us light and heat, and around which the Earth moves ⇨ solar:
The sky was blue and the sun was shining.
2. [uncountable] the heat and light that come from the sun ⇨ sunny:
Too much sun is bad for you.
in the sun
We sat in the sun, eating ice cream.
the warmth of the afternoon sun
3. [countable] any star around which ↑planets move
4. everything/anything etc under the sun used to emphasize that you are talking about a large range of things:
You can buy jeans in every colour under the sun.
5. catch the sun British English, get some sun American English if someone catches or gets the sun, they become slightly red or brown because they have been outside in the sun
⇨ make hay while the sun shines at ↑hay(2)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ verbs
▪ the sun shines When I woke, the sun was shining.
▪ the sun beats down/blazes down (=shines with a lot of light and heat) The sun beats down on us as we work.
▪ the sun comes out (=appears when cloud moves away) The rain stopped and the sun came out.
▪ the sun rises/comes up (=appears at the beginning of the day) As the sun rises, the birds take flight.
▪ the sun sets/goes down (=disappears at the end of the day) It is a good place to sit and watch the sun go down.
▪ the sun sinks (=gradually disappears at the end of the day) The sun sank lower and the breeze grew cool.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + sun
▪ the hot/warm sun The hot sun beat down on the men working.
▪ the blazing/burning sun Tourists trudge around in the blazing sun.
▪ a bright sun It was a warm day with a bright sun overhead.
▪ the morning/afternoon/evening sun We ate breakfast outside in the gentle morning sun.
▪ the midday/noonday sun They all sought shade from the blazing midday sun.
▪ the rising/setting sun (=the sun as it appears/disappears) The fields were ablaze with light from the setting sun.
■ phrases
▪ the sun is high/low in the sky They walked until the sun was low in the sky.
■ nouns
▪ the sun’s rays This moisturiser will also protect skin from the sun’s rays.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ in the sky
▪ star a large ball of burning gas in space, which can be seen at night as a point of light in the sky: The dark night sky was clear and full of stars.
▪ planet one of the large objects that goes around the sun, for example the Earth, Saturn, Mercury, or Mars: The planet Uranus was discovered in 1781.
▪ sun the star that gives us light and heat, around which the planets move. There are also many millions of other suns in the universe: The sun came out from behind a cloud. | a dying sun
▪ moon the round object that moves around the Earth every 28 days, or a similar object that goes around another planet: The moon rose in the night sky. | Titan is one of the moons of Saturn.
▪ asteroid a mass of rock that moves around the sun. Most asteroids are found between Jupiter and Mars: the asteroid belt
▪ pulsar a type of star that is far away in space and produces ↑radiation and RADIO WAVES
▪ quasar an object like a star that is far away in space and shines extremely brightly
▪ supernova a very large exploding star
▪ constellation a group of stars that forms a particular pattern and has a name: The constellation of Orion is one of the most easily recognizable patterns of stars in the night sky.
▪ galaxy one of the large groups of stars that make up the universe: Astronomers have detected a galaxy 11 billion light years away.
▪ the universe all space, including all the stars and planets: How many planets in the universe have life?
II. sun² BrE AmE verb (past tense and past participle sunned, present participle sunning)
sun yourself to sit or lie outside when the sun is shining ⇨ sunbathe:
The beaches were full of families sunning themselves.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sun

sun [sun suns sunned sunning] noun, verb [sʌn] [sʌn]

noun
1. the sun, the Sun singular the star that shines in the sky during the day and gives the earth heat and light
• the sun's rays
• the rising/setting sun
• The sun was shining and birds were singing.
• The sun was just setting.

• A pale wintry sun shone through the clouds.

2. (usually the sun) singular, uncountable the light and heat from the sun
Syn: sunshine
• the warmth of the afternoon sun
• This room gets the sun in the mornings.
• We sat in the sun.
• The sun was blazing hot.
• Too much sun ages the skin.
• We did our best to keep out of the sun.
• They've booked a holiday in the sun (= in a place where it is warm and the sun shines a lot).
• Her face had obviously caught the sun (= become red or brown) on holiday.
• I was driving westwards and I had the sun in my eyes (= the sun was shining in my eyes).

see also sunny

3. countable (technical) any star around which planets move
more at make hay while the sun shines at hay, a place in the sun at place _n.
Word Origin:
Old English sunne, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zon and German Sonne, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek hēlios and Latin sol.
Collocations:
The weather
Good weather
be bathed in/bask in/be blessed with/enjoy bright/brilliant/glorious sunshine
the sun shines/warms sth/beats down (on sth)
the sunshine breaks/streams through sth
fluffy/wispy clouds drift across the sky
a gentle/light/stiff/cool/warm/sea breeze blows in/comes in off the sea
the snow crunches beneath/under sb's feet/boots
Bad weather
thick/dark/storm clouds form/gather/roll in/cover the sky/block out the sun
the sky darkens/turns black
a fine mist hangs in the air
a dense/heavy/thick fog rolls in
the rain falls/comes down (in buckets/sheets)/pours down
snow falls/comes down/covers sth
the wind blows/whistles/howls/picks up/whips through sth/sweeps across sth
strong/gale-force winds blow/gust (up to 80 mph)
a storm is approaching/is moving inland/hits/strikes/rages
thunder rolls/rumbles/sounds
(forked/sheet) lightning strikes/hits/flashes
a (blinding/snow) blizzard hits/strikes/blows/rages
a tornado touches down/hits/strikes/destroys sth/rips through sth
forecast/expect/predict rain/snow/a category-four hurricane
(NAmE) pour (down)/ (BrE) pour (down) with rain
get caught in/seek shelter from/escape the rain
be covered/shrouded in mist/a blanket of fog
be in for/brave/shelter from a/the storm
hear rolling/distant thunder
be battered/buffeted by strong winds
(BrE) be blowing a gale
battle against/brave the elements
The weather improves
the sun breaks through the clouds
the sky clears/brightens (up)/lightens (up)
the clouds part/clear
the rain stops/lets up/holds off
the wind dies down
the storm passes
the mist/fog lifts/clears
Example Bank:
• Don't sit in the sun too long.
• He was enjoying the feel of the sun on his back.
• It was getting cooler as the sun sank below the horizon.
• Just then, a watery sun broke through the clouds.
• On children, use a cream with a high sun protection factor.
• The clouds darkened, obliterating the sun.
• The distant mountains glowed in the light of the setting sun.
• The evening sun slanted through the window.
• The helmets were glinting in the sun.
• The north side of the garden never gets any sun.
• The setting sun cast long shadows over the landscape.
• The sun caught her dazzling copper hair.
• The sun climbed higher in the sky.
• The sun glinted on the blades.
• The sun moved slowly westward.
• The sun reflected off the water.
• The sun rises in the east.
• The sun sets in the west.
• The sun struck the steep blue slates of the roof.
• The sun warmed his face.
• The sun was up now, and strong.
• The sun went in and it started to rain.
• The wintry sun was already low in the sky.
• There is nothing new under the sun.
• They call Norway the land of the midnight sun.
• This plant likes a dryish soil in full sun.
• Try to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Venus orbits the Sun in just under one Earth year.
• We did our best to keep out of the sun.
• We had discussions about everything under the sun.
• We went out into the sun.
• We were lying by the pool, soaking up the afternoon sun.
• We've booked a holiday in the sun.
• You've caught the sun.
• an afternoon of lazing under the warm sun
• with the sun in her eyes
• wrinkles caused by sun damage
• Her face had obviously caught the sun.
• They're having a winter break in the sun.
• We sat in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

Idioms: under the sun ▪ with the sun

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

sun / sʌn / noun [ S or U ]

A1 the star that the Earth moves around, which provides light and heat for the Earth, or the light or heat that the Earth receives from this star:

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

The sun's rays are at their most powerful at midday.

I think I've had a bit too much sun today - I've got a headache.

Shall we go and sit out in the sun?

We thought we'd go out for a walk while the sun was shining .

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

sun

[sʌ̱n]
♦♦
suns, sunning, sunned
1) N-SING: usu the N The sun is the ball of fire in the sky that the Earth goes round, and that gives us heat and light.
  The sun was now high in the southern sky...
  The sun came out, briefly.
  ...the sun's rays...
  The sun was shining.
2) N-UNCOUNT: usu the N You refer to the light and heat that reach us from the sun as the sun.
  Dena took them into the courtyard to sit in the sun...
  They were trying to soak up some sun.
3) VERB: usu cont If you are sunning yourself, you are sitting or lying in a place where the sun is shining on you.
  [V pron-refl] She was last seen sunning herself in a riverside park.
  Syn:
  sunbathing
4) N-COUNT A sun is any star which has planets going around it.
5) PHRASE: PHR after v Everything under the sun means a very great number of things. Anything under the sun means anything at all.
a place in the sun → see place
  We sat there for hours talking about everything under the sun...
  The fashion-conscious will go for anything under the sun!

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

¹sun /ˈsʌn/ noun, pl suns
1 a the sun also the Sun : the star that the Earth moves around and that gives the Earth heat and light
• The rain has stopped and the sun is shining.
• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
• the rising/setting sun
• the warmth of the sun's rays
b [count] : any star that has planets which move around it
• They dream of traveling to distant suns.
2 [noncount] : the heat or light produced by the sun : sunshine or sunlight
• The plant needs full sun. [=it should not be in the shade]
• Try to keep out of the sun.
• The cat lay basking in the sun.
• I couldn't see because the sun was in my eyes. [=the bright light of the sun was shining directly in my eyes]
• We went to the beach to get/catch some sun. [=to spend time in the sunlight]
in the sun
✦If someone or something has a day/moment/time, etc., in the sun, that person or thing is popular or gets a lot of attention during a period of time.
• Organic foods are having their moment in the sun.
• The singer is still waiting for his day in the sun.
make hay (while the sun shines)
- see hay
place in the sun : a very good, successful, or desirable position
• After years of struggling as an unknown actor, he has finally found his/a place in the sun.
under the sun : in the world - used to emphasize the large number of things that are being mentioned
• There is nothing under the sun [=nothing at all] that we cannot do.
• We talked about everything under the sun.
• She called me every name under the sun.