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circle

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circle


  5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Circle  \Cir"cle\  (s[~e]r"k'l),  n.  [OE.  cercle,  F.  cercle,  fr  L. 
  circulus  (Whence  also  AS  circul),  dim.  of  circus  circle, 
  akin  to  Gr  kri`kos,  ki`rkos,  circle,  ring.  Cf  {Circus}, 
  {Circum-}.] 
  1.  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. 
 
  2.  The  line  that  bounds  such  a  figure;  a  circumference;  a 
  ring. 
 
  3.  (Astron.)  An  instrument  of  observation,  the  graduated  limb 
  of  which  consists  of  an  entire  circle. 
 
  Note:  When  it  is  fixed  to  a  wall  in  an  observatory,  it  is 
  called  a  {mural  circle};  when  mounted  with  a  telescope 
  on  an  axis  and  in  Y's,  in  the  plane  of  the  meridian,  a 
  {meridian  or  transit  circle};  when  involving  the 
  principle  of  reflection,  like  the  sextant,  a 
  {reflecting  circle};  and  when  that  of  repeating  an 
  angle  several  times  continuously  along  the  graduated 
  limb,  a  {repeating  circle}. 
 
  4.  A  round  body;  a  sphere;  an  orb. 
 
  It  is  he  that  sitteth  upon  the  circle  of  the  earth. 
  --Is.  xi  22. 
 
  5.  Compass;  circuit;  inclosure. 
 
  In  the  circle  of  this  forest.  --Shak. 
 
  6.  A  company  assembled,  or  conceived  to  assemble,  about  a 
  central  point  of  interest,  or  bound  by  a  common  tie;  a 
  class  or  division  of  society;  a  coterie;  a  set 
 
  As  his  name  gradually  became  known  the  circle  of 
  his  acquaintance  widened.  --Macaulay. 
 
  7.  A  circular  group  of  persons;  a  ring. 
 
  8.  A  series  ending  where  it  begins,  and  repeating  itself 
 
  Thus  in  a  circle  runs  the  peasant's  pain.  --Dryden. 
 
  9.  (Logic)  A  form  of  argument  in  which  two  or  more  unproved 
  statements  are  used  to  prove  each  other  inconclusive 
  reasoning. 
 
  That  heavy  bodies  descend  by  gravity;  and  again 
  that  gravity  is  a  quality  whereby  a  heavy  body 
  descends,  is  an  impertinent  circle  and  teaches 
  nothing.  --Glanvill. 
 
  10.  Indirect  form  of  words  circumlocution.  [R.] 
 
  Has  he  given  the  lie,  In  circle,  or  oblique,  or 
  semicircle.  --J.  Fletcher. 
 
  11.  A  territorial  division  or  district. 
 
  Note: 
 
  {The  Circles  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire},  ten  in  number,  were 
  those  principalities  or  provinces  which  had  seats  in  the 
  German  Diet. 
 
  {Azimuth  circle}.  See  under  {Azimuth}. 
 
  {Circle  of  altitude}  (Astron.),  a  circle  parallel  to  the 
  horizon,  having  its  pole  in  the  zenith;  an  almucantar. 
 
  {Circle  of  curvature}.  See  {Osculating  circle  of  a  curve} 
  (Below). 
 
  {Circle  of  declination}.  See  under  {Declination}. 
 
  {Circle  of  latitude}. 
  a  (Astron.)  A  great  circle  perpendicular  to  the  plane 
  of  the  ecliptic,  passing  through  its  poles. 
  b  (Spherical  Projection)  A  small  circle  of  the  sphere 
  whose  plane  is  perpendicular  to  the  axis. 
 
  {Circles  of  longitude},  lesser  circles  parallel  to  the 
  ecliptic,  diminishing  as  they  recede  from  it 
 
  {Circle  of  perpetual  apparition},  at  any  given  place  the 
  boundary  of  that  space  around  the  elevated  pole,  within 
  which  the  stars  never  set  Its  distance  from  the  pole  is 
  equal  to  the  latitude  of  the  place 
 
  {Circle  of  perpetual  occultation},  at  any  given  place  the 
  boundary  of  the  space  around  the  depressed  pole,  within 
  which  the  stars  never  rise. 
 
  {Circle  of  the  sphere},  a  circle  upon  the  surface  of  the 
  sphere,  called  a  great  circle  when  its  plane  passes 
  through  the  center  of  the  sphere;  in  all  other  cases,  a 
  small  circle. 
 
  {Diurnal  circle}.  See  under  {Diurnal}. 
 
  {Dress  circle},  a  gallery  in  a  theater,  generally  the  one 
  containing  the  prominent  and  more  expensive  seats. 
 
  {Druidical  circles}  (Eng.  Antiq.),  a  popular  name  for  certain 
  ancient  inclosures  formed  by  rude  stones  circularly 
  arranged,  as  at  Stonehenge,  near  Salisbury. 
 
  {Family  circle},  a  gallery  in  a  theater,  usually  one 
  containing  inexpensive  seats. 
 
  {Horary  circles}  (Dialing),  the  lines  on  dials  which  show  the 
  hours. 
 
  {Osculating  circle  of  a  curve}  (Geom.),  the  circle  which 
  touches  the  curve  at  some  point  in  the  curve,  and  close  to 
  the  point  more  nearly  coincides  with  the  curve  than  any 
  other  circle.  This  circle  is  used  as  a  measure  of  the 
  curvature  of  the  curve  at  the  point,  and  hence  is  called 
  circle  of  curvature. 
 
  {Pitch  circle}.  See  under  {Pitch}. 
 
  {Vertical  circle},  an  azimuth  circle. 
 
  {Voltaic}  {circle  or  circuit}.  See  under  {Circuit}. 
 
  {To  square  the  circle}.  See  under  {Square}. 
 
  Syn:  Ring;  circlet;  compass;  circuit;  inclosure. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Circle  \Cir"cle\,  v.  i. 
  To  move  circularly;  to  form  a  circle;  to  circulate. 
 
  Thy  name  shall  circle  round  the  gaping  through 
  --Byron. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Circle  \Cir"cle\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Circled};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Circling}.]  [OE.  cerclen  F.  cercler,  fr  L.  circulare  to 
  make  round.  See  {Circle},  n.,  and  cf  {Circulate}.] 
  1.  To  move  around  to  revolve  around 
 
  Other  planets  circle  other  suns.  --Pope. 
 
  2.  To  encompass,  as  by  a  circle;  to  surround;  to  inclose;  to 
  encircle.  --Prior.  Pope. 
 
  Their  heads  are  circled  with  a  short  turban. 
  --Dampier. 
 
  So  he  lies,  circled  with  evil.  --Coleridge. 
 
  {To  circle  in},  to  confine;  to  hem  in  to  keep  together;  as 
  to  circle  bodies  in  --Sir  K.  Digby 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  circle 
  n  1:  a  plane  curve  generated  by  one  point  moving  at  a  constant 
  distance  from  a  fixed  point;  "he  calculated  the 
  circumference  of  the  circle" 
  2:  an  unofficial  association  of  people  or  groups;  "the  smart 
  set  goes  there";  "they  were  an  angry  lot"  [syn:  {set},  {band}, 
  {lot}] 
  3:  something  approximating  the  shape  of  a  circle;  "the  chairs 
  were  arranged  in  a  circle" 
  4:  movement  once  around  a  course;  "he  drove  an  extra  lap  just 
  for  insurance"  [syn:  {lap},  {circuit}] 
  5:  a  road  junction  at  which  traffic  streams  circularly  around  a 
  central  island;  "the  accident  blocked  all  traffic  at  the 
  rotary"  [syn:  {traffic  circle},  {rotary},  {roundabout}] 
  6:  a  curved  section  or  tier  of  seats  in  a  hall  or  theater  or 
  opera  house;  usually  the  first  tier  above  the  orchestra; 
  "they  had  excellent  seats  in  the  dress  circle"  [syn:  {dress 
  circle}] 
  7:  any  circular  or  rotating  mechanism;  "the  machine  punched  out 
  metal  circles"  [syn:  {round}] 
  v  1:  travel  around  something  "circle  the  globe" 
  2:  move  in  circles  [syn:  {circulate}] 
  3:  be  around  [syn:  {surround},  {environ},  {encircle},  {round}, 
  {ring}] 
  4:  form  a  circle  around  "encircle  the  errors"  [syn:  {encircle}] 
 
  From  U.S.  Gazetteer  (1990)  [gazetteer]: 
 
  Circle,  AK  (CDP,  FIPS  14880) 
  Location:  65.82454  N,  144.08262  W 
  Population  (1990):  73  (31  housing  units) 
  Area:  11.8  sq  km  (land),  2.9  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  99733 
  Circle,  MT  (town,  FIPS  14950) 
  Location:  47.41749  N,  105.58614  W 
  Population  (1990):  805  (399  housing  units) 
  Area:  2.0  sq  km  (land),  0.0  sq  km  (water) 
  Zip  code(s):  59215 




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