circle
UK /ˈsɜːkəl/ · US /ˈsɜɹkəl/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms circles circling circled
- noun (geometry) A two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane that are equally distant from a given point (center). “The set of all points (x, y) such that (x − 1)² + y² = r² is a circle of radius r around the point (1, 0).”
- noun (colloquial) A two-dimensional geometric figure, a disk, consisting of the set of all those points of a plane at a distance less than or equal to a fixed distance (radius) from a given point.
- noun The orbit of an astronomical body.
- noun (geography) A circle of latitude. “the 49th circle”
- noun A state of moving as to follow a circle; a route that forms a circle. “The troops spent ten minutes marching in circle.”
- noun Any shape, curve or arrangement of objects that approximates to or resembles the geometric figures. “Children, please join hands and form a circle.”
- noun Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures. “Cut a circle out of that sheet of metal.”
- noun A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle. “The crank moves in a circle.”
- verb (transitive) To travel around along a curved path; to orbit. “The wolves circled the herd of deer.”
- verb (transitive) To surround; to encompass within a circle. “A high fence circles the enclosure.”
- verb (transitive) To place in a circle; to make a circle. “We circled stones around him.”
- verb (transitive) To place or mark a circle around. “Circle the jobs that you are interested in applying for.”
- verb (transitive) To smoke cannabis in a circle, passing the cannabis around from person to person. “We circled a joint that afternoon.”
- verb (intransitive, paganism) To take part in a magic circle. “I circled with that group for three years.”
- verb (transitive, obsolete) To add someone to a circle on the social media site Google+.
- verb (intransitive) To travel in circles. “Vultures circled overhead.”
- proper noun A census-designated place in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States. Erroneously thought to be on the Arctic Circle, which is 50 miles further north.
- proper noun A town, the county seat of McCone County, Montana, United States. Named after a cattle brand in the form of a circle.
- proper noun the Circle line of the London Underground, originally the Inner Circle.
- proper noun A surname from German.
Synonyms
disc disk round coil ring loop line 30 yard circle cricket circle field circle fielding circle rotary roundabout traffic circle circle of friends crowd bunch gang group social circle set band lot lap circuit R-2 Mexican valium rophy rope roofy
Etymology
From Middle English circle, cercle, from Old French cercle and Latin circulus, diminutive of Latin circus (“circle, circus”), from Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos, “circle, ring”), related to Old English hring (“ring”). Compare also Old English ċircul (“circle, zodiac”), which came from the same Latin source. By surface analysis, Latin circ(us) + -(u)le.
From the standard noun circle.
Americanized form of German Zirkel.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A plane figure, bounded by a single curve line called its circumference, every part of which is equally distant from a point within it, called the center.
- noun The line that bounds sush a figure; a circumference; a ring.
- verb To move around; to revolve around.
- verb To encompass, as by a circle; to surround; to inclose; to encircle. Prior. Pope.
Etymology [OE. cercle, F. cercle, fr. L. circulus (Whence also AS. circul), dim. of circus circle, akin to Gr. Circus, Circum- .]
Etymology [OE. cerclen, F. cercler, fr. L. circulare to make round. See Circle, n., and cf. Circulate.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “circle”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details