sphere-n; 5 Senses

Sense Number 1: social environment or context, walk of life

Commentary: SPHERE[+circumstance][+environment][+social][+identifiable]

Examples:
John is not in the same sphere as his moneyed friends.
She is now enjoying peace and privacy that her life in the public sphere did not allow.
The new chairman has been an effective leader in the economic sphere.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 4

Sense Number 2: a physical ball or globe

Commentary: SPHERE[+entity][+structure][+globe]

Examples:
From space the earth appears as a blue-green sphere.
The bright red paper lanterns were shaped like spheres.
The beach ball was a giant plastic yellow sphere.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2

Sense Number 3: the region under a nation's political or military influence

Commentary: SPHERE[+location][+region][+geographical][+influenced][+politically]
NOTE: refers to a geographical region affected by a political or military influence

Examples:
Their nation was unhappy about its diminishing sphere of influence in the region.
The Europeans feel this conflict is largely outside their sphere of power.
The dictator is trying to increase his sphere of influence through a military buildup.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3

Sense Number 4: a closed, curved 3D geometrical form

Commentary: SPHERE[+form][+geometric][+round][+3D]
NOTE: refers to the perfect abstract concept, not imperfect physical examples (see Sense 1)

Examples:
Cones and spheres are both figures in solid geometry.
Find the volume of a sphere with radius equal to 10 centimeters.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5, 6

Sense Number 5: apparent celestial shells used to describe planetary motions

Commentary: SPHERE[+form][+celestial][+shell][+apparent]

Examples:
The ancients believed the planets, sun and moon moved via rotating, transparent celestial spheres.
The poets speak of the music of the spheres. (perfect music produced by movement of the celestial shells, inaudible on earth)

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 7