Collins English-English Dictionary

sun [s^n]

1. 1. n the star at the centre of our solar system. It is a gaseous body having a highly compressed core, in which energy is generated by thermonuclear reactions (at about 15 million kelvins), surrounded by less dense radiative and convective zones serving to transport the energy to the surface (the photosphere). The atmospheric layers (the chromosphere and corona) are normally invisible except during a total eclipse. Mass and diameter: 333000 and 109 times that of earth respectively; mean distance from earth: 149.6 million km (1 astronomical unit)

2. 2. n any star around which a planetary system revolves

3. 3. n the sun as it appears at a particular time or place

   the winter sun

4. 4. n the radiant energy, esp heat and light, received from the sun; sunshine

5. 5. n a person or thing considered as a source of radiant warmth, glory, etc

6. 6. n a pictorial representation of the sun, often depicted with a human face

7. 7. n [poetic] a year or a day

8. 8. n [poetic] a climate

9. 9. n [archaic] sunrise or sunset (esp in the phrase from sun to sun)

10. 10. vb to expose (oneself) to the sunshine

11. 11. vt. [tr] to expose to the sunshine in order to warm, tan, etc

12. 12. vt. [Etymology] Old English sunne; related to Old High German sunna, Old Frisian senne, Gothic sunno