marble

[ mahr-buh l ]

/ ˈmɑr bəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR marble ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

metamorphosed limestone, consisting chiefly of recrystallized calcite or dolomite, capable of taking a high polish, occurring in a wide range of colors and variegations and used in sculpture and architecture.

any variety of this stone: Carrara marble.

an object made of or carved from this stone, especially a sculpture: Renaissance marbles.

a piece of this stone: the fallen marbles of Roman ruins.

(not in technical use) any of various breccias or other stones that take a high polish and show a variegated pattern.

a marbled appearance or pattern; marbling: The woodwork had a greenish marble.

anything resembling marble in hardness, coldness, smoothness, etc.: a brow of marble.

something lacking in warmth or feeling.

a little ball made of stone, baked clay, glass, porcelain, agate, or steel, especially for use in games.

marbles, (used with a singular verb) a game for children in which a marble is propelled by the thumb to hit another marble so as to drive it out of a circle drawn or scratched on the ground.

marbles, Slang. normal rational faculties; sanity; wits; common sense: to have all one's marbles; to lose one's marbles.

adjective

consisting or made of marble.

like marble, as in hardness, coldness, smoothness, etc.

lacking in warmth, compassion, or sympathy: marble heart.

of variegated or mottled color.

verb (used with object), mar·bled, mar·bling.

to color or stain like variegated marble.

to apply a decorative pattern to (paper, the edges of a book, etc.) by transferring oil pigments floating on water.

Origin of marble

1150–1200; Middle English marbel, dissimilated variant of Old English marmel (in marmelstān marble stone) < Latin marmor < Greek mármaros, akin to marmaírein to sparkle

OTHER WORDS FROM marble

mar·bler, noun un·mar·bled, adjective

Words nearby marble

maravedi, marañon's sign, marañón, maraş, marbella, marble, marble bone disease, marble bones, marble cake, marble orchard, marbled white

Definition for marble (2 of 2)

Marble

[ mahr-buh l ]

/ ˈmɑr bəl /

noun

Alice,1913–90, U.S. tennis player.

Example sentences from the Web for marble

He rests lavishly, depicted in a marble sarcophagus that stares up for eternity at the carved depictions of his life story.

Brooklyn’s Gangster Graveyard |Nina Strochlic |October 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
A civilian named Richard Gabrielle was trapped under a pile of marble, but alive during those last minutes.

The Flying New York Fireman Who Shined on 9/11 |Michael Daly |September 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“Expansion favors everyone,” added the 79-year-old Tuscan, who started off as a bookkeeper in a marble firm in 1955.

Mosque-Building Bin Ladens Buy Marble Once Used for Churches |Tom Kington |August 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Carrara marble has been quarried as far back as Roman times and was used by emperors for massive monuments like the Rome Pantheon.

Mosque-Building Bin Ladens Buy Marble Once Used for Churches |Tom Kington |August 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Perhaps the general did not cultivate his fame as “The Marble Man,” but he earned it.

How I Learned to Hate Robert E. Lee |Christopher Dickey |June 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Then they stepped from the pile of marble blocks, and passed quietly away.

The Mark of the Beast |Sidney Watson
The marks will become more distinct if the marble is rubbed with a little vermilion.

Outlines of Lessons in Botany, Part I; From Seed to Leaf |Jane H. Newell
Thus, every column would contain one hundred and ten tons of marble, besides base and capital!

Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. I of II) |Charles Bucke
What long leaps the little birds took across the snow, which looked like a marble pavement with fairies dancing upon it!

Our Bird Comrades |Leander S. (Leander Sylvester) Keyser
The fora and atria were overcrowded with bronze and marble statues and groups.

A Manual of the Historical Development of Art |G. G. (Gustavus George) Zerffi

British Dictionary definitions for marble

marble

/ (ˈmɑːbəl) /

noun

a hard crystalline metamorphic rock resulting from the recrystallization of a limestone: takes a high polish and is used for building and sculpture
(as modifier)a marble bust Related adjective: marmoreal

a block or work of art of marble

a small round glass or stone ball used in playing marbles

make one's marble good Australian and NZ informal to succeed or do the right thing

pass in one's marble Australian informal to die

verb

(tr) to mottle with variegated streaks in imitation of marble

adjective

cold, hard, or unresponsive

white like some kinds of marble

Derived forms of marble

marbled, adjective marbler, noun marbly, adjective

Word Origin for marble

C12: via Old French from Latin marmor, from Greek marmaros, related to Greek marmairein to gleam

Scientific definitions for marble

marble

[ mär′bəl ]

A metamorphic rock consisting primarily of calcite and dolomite. Marble is formed by the metamorphism of limestone. Although it is usually white to gray in color, it often has irregularly colored marks due to the presence of impurities such as silica and clay. Marble is used especially in sculpture and as a building material.

Idioms and Phrases with marble

marble

see have all one's buttons (marbles).

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

marble

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), mar·bled, mar·bling.

Origin of marble

OTHER WORDS FROM marble

Words nearby marble

Definition for marble (2 of 2)

noun

Example sentences from the Web for marble

British Dictionary definitions for marble

noun

verb

adjective

Derived forms of marble

Word Origin for marble

Scientific definitions for marble

Idioms and Phrases with marble

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

marble

noun

adjective

verb (used with object), mar·bled, mar·bling.

Origin of marble

OTHER WORDS FROM marble

Words nearby marble

Definition for marble (2 of 2)

noun

Words related to marble

Example sentences from the Web for marble

British Dictionary definitions for marble

noun

verb

adjective

Derived forms of marble

Word Origin for marble

Scientific definitions for marble

Idioms and Phrases with marble