worlds apart
worlds apart (metaphor)
/ˈwɜːldz əˈpɑːrt/
Meanings
- Very different from each other in character, quality, or opinion.
- Extremely distant in lifestyle, experience, or outlook.
- Vastly separated in terms of values, beliefs, or circumstances.
- (literal) Existing at a great physical distance from each other, as if in different worlds.
Synonyms: poles apart; completely different; a world away; incompatible; far removed.
Example Sentences
- Though they grew up in the same town, their ideas about success are worlds apart.
- The two political parties are worlds apart on this issue.
- His childhood in poverty and her life of privilege seem worlds apart.
- The island villages feel worlds apart from the busy cities on the mainland (literal).
Origin and History
The phrase “worlds apart” traces its roots to the late 13th-century Latin term distantia, which denotes remoteness or the concept of standing apart. By the late 14th century, this term’s figurative use expanded to describe not only physical distance but also the conceptual separation between entities, laying the groundwork for the modern idiom that signifies profound differences or vast separation.
Origin Theories and Beliefs
The expression “worlds apart” stems from an ancient worldview that perceived the world as comprising multiple distinct realms, such as heaven, earth, and the underworld. This cosmological perspective fostered the notion of separation between fundamentally different domains, which evolved into a metaphor for irreconcilable disparities.
The phrase also reflects historical theological concepts, such as the division between heaven, purgatory, and hell, which emphasized profound existential distances. Furthermore, during eras of global exploration, encounters with unfamiliar cultures reinforced the idea of societies so divergent they seemed to belong to entirely separate realities, further embedding the phrase in linguistic use.
Historical Development
The term “world” first appeared in written records during the 9th and 10th centuries, referring to the realm of human existence, as seen in the phrase, “So it is written that God foretold the end of the world.” By the 11th century, figurative uses emerged, distinguishing between earthly and otherworldly realms, exemplified by expressions like “neither in this world nor in the other world.”
Over time, this evolved into idiomatic phrases emphasizing vast quantities or distances, such as “I would not stand in her way for worlds.” By the 19th century, “worlds apart” had solidified as a metaphor for stark contrasts, as evidenced in texts like “it is always the case in every game where skill can be employed, that the most skillful make their mark and are worlds apart from the comparatively unskillful” and “they look to you worlds apart.” These examples highlight the phrase’s shift from literal to metaphorical, encapsulating differences in attitudes, cultures, or conditions.
Country of Origin
The idiom “worlds apart” originated in the United Kingdom, where it became integrated into the English language amidst evolving cultural and linguistic contexts.
Earliest Printed Record
The earliest documented figurative use of “worlds apart” appears in The Diary Companion; Being a Supplement to The Ladies’ Diary, for the Year 1800, authored by Charles Hutton and published in 1800. The phrase is used in the quotation:
“How did we revel in our distant Bowers in fancied interviews, whole worlds apart.”
Variants
- poles apart
- a world away
- miles apart
- far apart
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