Definition of circle in English:

circle

noun ˈsəːk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l

1A round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre)
draw a circle with a compass
Example sentencesExamples
- In the normal geometry of flat space, the diameter of a circle is its circumference divided by pi.
- We can picture all these dualities as points on the circumference of a circle.
- We will locate a marker on the circumference of a circle.
- Pi, the ratio between a circle's diameter and circumference, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries.
- A fringe of short parallel lines ran around the edge, and then a pair of concentric circles nearer the centre.
1. 1.1 Something in the shape of a circle.
  the lamp spread a circle of light
  they all sat round in a circle
  Example sentencesExamples
  The circle of light tracked beautifully across the empty gallery space.
  We're sitting in his spacious living room, which is furnished with two couches and a dozen plastic green chairs arranged in a circle.
  If you haven't immediately fallen asleep, you may see a circle of light.
  He gestured to the couch and easy chairs arranged in a circle in the lobby.
  Place one or several under a table lamp within the circle of brightest light; the colors will glow.
  When the petals fall a large circle of beautifully shaped brown seeds are left arrayed in spirograph formation.
  The beam of light aimed at the circle was in the shape of a circle.
  Arrange in circles of overlapping slices on four plates.
  I don't know how they get white meat packed into the neat circles or oval shapes that they make chicken sandwich out of.
  I can see him there still, in the circle of light thrown by the lamp, leaning his head on his hand.
  The story is largely seen in flickering circles of light and specific scenes are tinted using intense bubblegum pink and steely blue.
  We lit them and sat around our burning circle of light singing.
  My oven mitts bear characteristic blackened circles in the exact shape of my stovetop burners.
  When he walked into the ballroom Leon saw a circle of candles arranged loosely around her.
  Gemstones came into use and were usually cut in circles or rectangular shapes.
  Her pinkish red hair was braided and arranged neatly in a circle on her head.
  Tight circles of light begin to appear, sporadically.
  The light forms a massive circle, within which one can see the sad buildings that are being demolished.
  Synonyms
  ring, round, band, hoop, circlet
  halo, disc, wreath
  technical annulus
2. 1.2 A dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness.
  she was pale and rather beautiful, with dark circles around deep, exhausted eyes
  Example sentencesExamples
  He looked at her closely, taking in the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.
  Use a concealer to minimize any dark circles under the eyes or blemishes.
  He stretched out on his couch, dark circles under his smoky blue eyes.
  She looked thinner, the telltale sign of a recent illness evident in the dark circles under her eyes.
  Foundations provide the coverage you need to disguise dark spots and undereye circles.
  Closer inspection reveals not only the wrinkles around his squinted eyes, but also a suggestion of dark circles under them.
  His spiky blond hair was matted and there were deep dark circles underneath his eyes.
  I see dark circles under my bloodshot blue eyes and wrinkles from at least four years of undue stress.
  If you ran into me on a street corner I'd be scowling and glassy-eyed with dark circles.
  Her eyes were weary and bloodshot with deep dark circles under them.
  Below his eyes were dark circles, outlining his tired eyes.
  Hey, what happened to those ugly dark circles around your eyes?
  He looked terrible; underfed and beaten, with deep dark circles under his eyes.
  She had the most dreadful dark circles under her eyes.
  My blue eyes were bloodshot and dark black circles surrounded them; signs of a lack of sleep the night before.
  Real make-up suddenly looked like the preserve of those who had something to hide: crow's feet, dark circles and uneven skin tone.
  His hair was wild, and dark circles hung below his eyes.
  If I could wear kohl eyeliner I would never need worry about having dark circles under my eyes.
  There's no harm in asking Santa to give me my hair back, rid me of dark circles, and transform me into Brad Pitt.
  Dark circles were etched into the skin below his eyes.
3. 1.3British A curved upper tier of seats in a theatre or cinema.
  she sat in the front row of the circle
  Example sentencesExamples
  The blueprint sees an auditorium retained, with seating in the circle on the first floor which could be used to watch theatre.
  ‘When I went to see her dance, I always booked seats in the royal circle,’ he recalls.
  There were so many choir wannabes that they filled the choir platform, the stalls and the circle seats.
  Even from my seat in the circle, Aida's blue eye-shadow looked excessive.
  It was even better the third time, possibly because we had really good seats in the circle.
  I was so small I'd have to perch on the edge of my seat in the circle and peer over the balcony railing to see the players.
  A quick glance at my ticket reminded me that I had a seat in the circle and that I wouldn't be having to stand up for this gig.
  He had the strange sensation that he stood in the rear circle of a theatre.
  Synonyms
  balcony, upper circle
4. 1.4Hockey
  short for striking circle
  Example sentencesExamples
  Pakistan lifted the tempo a notch after yesterday's match but lacked striking power in the circle in the first half.
2A group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances.
she did not normally move in such exalted circles
Example sentencesExamples
- His name, however, comes up all the time in hockey circles.
- You become aware that you're part of a movement or circle in any sort of artistic endeavor.
- But beyond tight-knit dance circles, the movement's original importance has been largely forgotten.
- The director is a big name in theatre circles and the actors are all well-known faces in Bangalore.
- It is not easy to break into the cinema circle if you have no background of movies.
- Both plays were very well received and she enjoyed some celebrity in theatrical circles.
- I prefer a few close friends to a wide circle of acquaintances.
- However, a circle of women disciples followed Jesus up to the end of his life.
- The Irish wave of discontent in banking circles has spread across the EU.
- Not all women benefitted from the situation, but only those within the circle of the upper classes.
- He was highly regarded in Bolton's amateur dramatic circles, regularly taking lead roles in Bolton Little Theatre productions.
- In other circles, theatre is a dead artform.
- Little by little he forges around himself a circle of acquaintances and friends.
- His court became the centre for a dazzling circle of poets.
- In showbusiness circles his sexuality was an open secret.
- His years in Britain as a cricketer had been his passport to upper-class circles.
- Word of her culinary prowess spread in media circles, and invitations came in to contribute to cookbooks and women's magazines.
- And at weekends they spend their hard-earned cash in pubs and clubs with a wide circle of interesting, cosmopolitan friends.
- Pornography was seen in fashionable circles as a radical movement.
- He had a wide circle of friends in the book trade in Ireland, the UK and the United States.
Synonyms
group, set, ring, company, body, coterie, clique
camp, league, faction
crowd, band, crew
informal gang, bunch, pack
sphere, world, milieu, arena, domain
society

verb ˈsəːk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l

[with object]

1Move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once.
they were circling Athens airport
no object we circled round the island
Example sentencesExamples
- This means all the cars have to get back in a close line and circle for four or five laps.
- Soon we were circling each other warily, but I had fought him before, and I remembered his weaknesses.
- Ever since, we have circled each other amiably, two playwrights on similar trajectories.
- The car circled the park once then rolled down Dong Khoi Street.
- After circling the area once, we headed toward my car.
- Once again, the wolves are circling a large mammal.
- Turning to a working radar, we immediately spotted little white dots circling nearby Alcatraz Island.
- They circle each other with acrobatic moves.
- She circled the rink once and then began to slap the puck around.
- We circled the block once to see who was leaving the club.
- She pointed to two cats that were circling each other, starting to hiss.
- The combatants were circling each other warily, and waiting for the next move.
- As the crocodile circled, he retreated to find his dog, which suffered several long cuts to its leg.
- Two dogs were circling each other in the enclosed space.
- Once outside the girls circled the hut and collected their weapons.
- Australia's media barons are circling each other like sharks in a very small aquarium.
- They circled each other like two mad dogs, neither making a move.
- In the time it has taken you to read this story, those two stars may have fully circled each other.
- Rather than smile and wink flirtatiously, they instead stare at each other curiously, like two predators circling each other in the wild.
- Round and around they circled each other, lunging, stepping back, attacking and then defending.
Synonyms
wheel, move round, move round in circles, revolve, rotate, whirl, spiral, gyrate
go round, walk round, travel round, circumnavigate
orbit, revolve round
rare circumambulate
1. 1.1circle backno object Move in a wide loop back towards one's starting point.
  he paced away from her, then circled back
  Example sentencesExamples
  Let's see if we can circle back to where we started.
  On our fourth day out, we circled back inland.
  The dog first heads away from the road, then quickly circles back toward the family.
  We circled back towards J Street, passing the St. Francis of Assisi church.
  It dumped its fuel in the ocean, before circling back to the airport with 273 passengers and crew.
  So am I just circling back to the beginning in my journey?
  Ava's thinking is like a wheel spinning, circling back on itself.
  We circle back down to our boat, passing through crowded Turkish cemeteries.
  I circled back and drove by again thinking maybe I'd missed it.
  The hawk circled back to the island.
  He and I go right, then circle back toward her slowly.
  Eventually she flew off, but not before circling back and dropping a single feather at his feet.
  The film moves rapidly and without signposts from Cape Breton to England, Scotland and Ireland, eventually circling back to where it started.
  I'm off to look for a hotel room, and tomorrow morning I'll begin to circle back north.
  She keeps circling back to a few events, a few places, all from childhood.
  The offspring of the Manhattan Project are circling back toward Manhattan.
  So they circled back to the park, by which time, the police were already on the scene.
  Sue, my wife, is taking a long run on the beach and then circling back to buy fresh shrimp for supper.
  Her horse slowed to a trot as she circled back to the starting line.
  We tried to get them away from their weapons but they kept circling back to them.
2. 1.2 Form a ring around.
  the abbey was circled by a huge wall
  Example sentencesExamples
  It was a mountain, and there was a path that circled it.
  Decomposed granite paths circle the fountain, and a sandstone path leads to the front door.
  The Gare de Lyon is one of the ring of train stations that circle Paris.
  It would take eight people holding hands to circle the base of the trunk.
  The steel fence circling the ‘promised land’ looked rather imposing.
  Lush grass surrounded the edge of the pit, which was circled by a white picket fence.
  For a glimpse of the not-so-distant past, you have only to cross one of the huge, bleak avenues that circles the Old Town.
  Houses cry out for a coat of paint and are circled by half-broken fences.
  Circled by soft white sand, the islands are getting known for their beaches.
  Seen from space, an aurora appears as a ring of energy circling a planet's polar region.
  It is a perfect spring day as they stroll along the path circling the artificial lake.
  Their house will be circled, surrounded.
  Synonyms
  surround, encircle, ring, ring round, enclose, encompass, bound
  hedge in, fence in, hem in
  literary gird, girdle
3. 1.3 Draw a line around.
  circle the correct answers
  Example sentencesExamples
  As he held the classified section toward me, I noticed a hastily drawn line circling one of the ads.
  She went through the ads with her pen, circling some and putting a single line alongside others.
  Answer by circling the response that best describes you: Agree, Unsure, or Disagree
  A list of places to avoid and areas where the pilots cannot go are ringed, circled and pinned into maps of the region.
  I will always be a person who circles the date on my calendar and anticipates its arrival.

Phrases

circle the drain

informal Experience a rapidly worsening situation apparently leading to failure or disaster.
what do you do when your business starts to circle the drain?

circle the wagons

informal Unite in defence of a common interest.
the Lakers quickly circled the wagons, against the Spurs and the crowd
Example sentencesExamples
- Conservatives circled the wagons around him after his comments about homosexuality.
- The press office responded to criticism by circling the wagons and freezing out reporters.
- We seem to be circling the wagons for self-protection.
- All professional organizations are known to circle the wagons at the first signs of trouble.
- The Cuban people continue to circle the wagons around him in response to efforts to bring down his government.
- They want to circle the wagons and say there's no problem.
- The establishment's response has been to circle the wagons.
- As we expected, you are trying to circle the wagons to protect your hold on power.
- The public health people have been circling the wagons to cover up the facts!
- We all went through some tough times together, but we really circled the wagons.

come (or turn) full circle

Return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable.
the region is being forced to come full circle and repeat the errors of its tragic past
now it seems the wheel has turned full circle—the western is being revived
Example sentencesExamples
- Things seem to be turning full circle and I'm not sure I want to live through some of those past episodes again.
- I ran a piece in the magazine looking at coffee houses coming full circle back to their 18th century roots as business places.
- In some ways modern societies are turning full circle and returning to the varied rituals of the past.
- Mrs Glendinning has come full circle by returning to the school she attended as a pupil.
- Her career came full circle with a return to cycling.
- The exhibition comes full circle here, returning to the idea with which it begins.
- Our author's life has now come full circle with his return some years ago to his native Hampshire.
- Warehouse conversions are now coming full circle and being turned back into warehouses again.
- From his arrival in Perth to his inevitable departure, our conversation has come full circle.
- He has essentially come full circle, returning to the place where it all began some 17 years ago.

go (or run) round in circles

informal Do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition.
the discussion went round and round in circles
Example sentencesExamples
- No-one seems to be taking responsibility for this and we're just going round in circles.
- And I think we went round in circles for a year, because neither of us was brave enough to admit that we didn't like the project.
- I feel like I've been stagnating all day, going round in circles with this case!
- Our meeting was starting to go round in circles.
- The inquiry went round in circles and I was no wiser.
- We spent two hours arguing and going round in circles.
- We could go round in circles apportioning the blame, but the bottom line is that we've failed to meet expectations.
- I know what I want but there is a genuine lack of cash, and this is why we are going round in circles.
- I feel as though I'm watching someone go round in circles, caught up in a cycle of pain.
- I want us to be in a position to make some decisions instead of seeing the issue go round in circles.

Origin

Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus 'small ring', diminutive of circus 'ring'.

The root of circle is Latin circulus ‘small ring’, from circus ‘ring’, the source of our word circus (Late Middle English). A Roman circus was a rounded or oval arena lined with tiers of seats, where chariot races, gladiatorial combats, and other, often cruel, contests took place. Names like Piccadilly Circus were attached to open, more or less circular areas in towns where streets converged. Other words from the same root include circuit (Late Middle English) from Latin circum ire ‘go around’, and circulate (Late Middle English) ‘move in a circular path’. Come or turn full circle is a reference to ‘The Wheele is come full circle’ in Shakespeare's King Lear. The wheel is the one thought of as being turned by the goddess Fortune and symbolizing change.

Rhymes

encircle

Definition of circle in US English:

circle

(also circ., cir.)

nounˈsərk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l

1A round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the center).
Example sentencesExamples
- In the normal geometry of flat space, the diameter of a circle is its circumference divided by pi.
- We can picture all these dualities as points on the circumference of a circle.
- We will locate a marker on the circumference of a circle.
- A fringe of short parallel lines ran around the edge, and then a pair of concentric circles nearer the centre.
- Pi, the ratio between a circle's diameter and circumference, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries.
1. 1.1 Something in the shape of a circle.
  the lamp spread a circle of light
  they all sat around in a circle
  Example sentencesExamples
  When he walked into the ballroom Leon saw a circle of candles arranged loosely around her.
  The circle of light tracked beautifully across the empty gallery space.
  The beam of light aimed at the circle was in the shape of a circle.
  If you haven't immediately fallen asleep, you may see a circle of light.
  Arrange in circles of overlapping slices on four plates.
  Place one or several under a table lamp within the circle of brightest light; the colors will glow.
  We lit them and sat around our burning circle of light singing.
  The story is largely seen in flickering circles of light and specific scenes are tinted using intense bubblegum pink and steely blue.
  I don't know how they get white meat packed into the neat circles or oval shapes that they make chicken sandwich out of.
  Her pinkish red hair was braided and arranged neatly in a circle on her head.
  Tight circles of light begin to appear, sporadically.
  The light forms a massive circle, within which one can see the sad buildings that are being demolished.
  When the petals fall a large circle of beautifully shaped brown seeds are left arrayed in spirograph formation.
  Gemstones came into use and were usually cut in circles or rectangular shapes.
  We're sitting in his spacious living room, which is furnished with two couches and a dozen plastic green chairs arranged in a circle.
  He gestured to the couch and easy chairs arranged in a circle in the lobby.
  My oven mitts bear characteristic blackened circles in the exact shape of my stovetop burners.
  I can see him there still, in the circle of light thrown by the lamp, leaning his head on his hand.
  Synonyms
  ring, round, band, hoop, circlet
2. 1.2 A dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness.
  Example sentencesExamples
  Dark circles were etched into the skin below his eyes.
  Real make-up suddenly looked like the preserve of those who had something to hide: crow's feet, dark circles and uneven skin tone.
  She looked thinner, the telltale sign of a recent illness evident in the dark circles under her eyes.
  His spiky blond hair was matted and there were deep dark circles underneath his eyes.
  Her eyes were weary and bloodshot with deep dark circles under them.
  Hey, what happened to those ugly dark circles around your eyes?
  Foundations provide the coverage you need to disguise dark spots and undereye circles.
  He looked terrible; underfed and beaten, with deep dark circles under his eyes.
  My blue eyes were bloodshot and dark black circles surrounded them; signs of a lack of sleep the night before.
  She had the most dreadful dark circles under her eyes.
  If you ran into me on a street corner I'd be scowling and glassy-eyed with dark circles.
  His hair was wild, and dark circles hung below his eyes.
  If I could wear kohl eyeliner I would never need worry about having dark circles under my eyes.
  I see dark circles under my bloodshot blue eyes and wrinkles from at least four years of undue stress.
  He stretched out on his couch, dark circles under his smoky blue eyes.
  There's no harm in asking Santa to give me my hair back, rid me of dark circles, and transform me into Brad Pitt.
  He looked at her closely, taking in the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.
  Below his eyes were dark circles, outlining his tired eyes.
  Closer inspection reveals not only the wrinkles around his squinted eyes, but also a suggestion of dark circles under them.
  Use a concealer to minimize any dark circles under the eyes or blemishes.
3. 1.3British A curved upper tier of seats in a theater.
  See also dress circle
  Example sentencesExamples
  A quick glance at my ticket reminded me that I had a seat in the circle and that I wouldn't be having to stand up for this gig.
  The blueprint sees an auditorium retained, with seating in the circle on the first floor which could be used to watch theatre.
  ‘When I went to see her dance, I always booked seats in the royal circle,’ he recalls.
  There were so many choir wannabes that they filled the choir platform, the stalls and the circle seats.
  He had the strange sensation that he stood in the rear circle of a theatre.
  It was even better the third time, possibly because we had really good seats in the circle.
  Even from my seat in the circle, Aida's blue eye-shadow looked excessive.
  I was so small I'd have to perch on the edge of my seat in the circle and peer over the balcony railing to see the players.
  Synonyms
  balcony, upper circle
2A group of people with shared professions, interests, or acquaintances.
she did not normally move in such exalted circles
Example sentencesExamples
- But beyond tight-knit dance circles, the movement's original importance has been largely forgotten.
- The director is a big name in theatre circles and the actors are all well-known faces in Bangalore.
- His name, however, comes up all the time in hockey circles.
- In showbusiness circles his sexuality was an open secret.
- You become aware that you're part of a movement or circle in any sort of artistic endeavor.
- And at weekends they spend their hard-earned cash in pubs and clubs with a wide circle of interesting, cosmopolitan friends.
- His court became the centre for a dazzling circle of poets.
- He was highly regarded in Bolton's amateur dramatic circles, regularly taking lead roles in Bolton Little Theatre productions.
- The Irish wave of discontent in banking circles has spread across the EU.
- It is not easy to break into the cinema circle if you have no background of movies.
- He had a wide circle of friends in the book trade in Ireland, the UK and the United States.
- I prefer a few close friends to a wide circle of acquaintances.
- In other circles, theatre is a dead artform.
- Both plays were very well received and she enjoyed some celebrity in theatrical circles.
- Pornography was seen in fashionable circles as a radical movement.
- Not all women benefitted from the situation, but only those within the circle of the upper classes.
- Little by little he forges around himself a circle of acquaintances and friends.
- Word of her culinary prowess spread in media circles, and invitations came in to contribute to cookbooks and women's magazines.
- His years in Britain as a cricketer had been his passport to upper-class circles.
- However, a circle of women disciples followed Jesus up to the end of his life.
Synonyms
group, set, ring, company, body, coterie, clique
sphere, world, milieu, arena, domain

verbˈsərk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l

[with object]

1Move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once.
no object we circled around the island
the two dogs circle each other with hackles raised
Example sentencesExamples
- Once again, the wolves are circling a large mammal.
- They circle each other with acrobatic moves.
- They circled each other like two mad dogs, neither making a move.
- The combatants were circling each other warily, and waiting for the next move.
- As the crocodile circled, he retreated to find his dog, which suffered several long cuts to its leg.
- Ever since, we have circled each other amiably, two playwrights on similar trajectories.
- Turning to a working radar, we immediately spotted little white dots circling nearby Alcatraz Island.
- We circled the block once to see who was leaving the club.
- This means all the cars have to get back in a close line and circle for four or five laps.
- Soon we were circling each other warily, but I had fought him before, and I remembered his weaknesses.
- She circled the rink once and then began to slap the puck around.
- Two dogs were circling each other in the enclosed space.
- After circling the area once, we headed toward my car.
- Rather than smile and wink flirtatiously, they instead stare at each other curiously, like two predators circling each other in the wild.
- Round and around they circled each other, lunging, stepping back, attacking and then defending.
- In the time it has taken you to read this story, those two stars may have fully circled each other.
- She pointed to two cats that were circling each other, starting to hiss.
- The car circled the park once then rolled down Dong Khoi Street.
- Australia's media barons are circling each other like sharks in a very small aquarium.
- Once outside the girls circled the hut and collected their weapons.
Synonyms
wheel, move round, move round in circles, revolve, rotate, whirl, spiral, gyrate
go round, walk round, travel round, circumnavigate
1. 1.1circle backno object Move in a wide loop back toward one's starting point.
  Example sentencesExamples
  We tried to get them away from their weapons but they kept circling back to them.
  We circle back down to our boat, passing through crowded Turkish cemeteries.
  The film moves rapidly and without signposts from Cape Breton to England, Scotland and Ireland, eventually circling back to where it started.
  The hawk circled back to the island.
  He and I go right, then circle back toward her slowly.
  I'm off to look for a hotel room, and tomorrow morning I'll begin to circle back north.
  It dumped its fuel in the ocean, before circling back to the airport with 273 passengers and crew.
  On our fourth day out, we circled back inland.
  The offspring of the Manhattan Project are circling back toward Manhattan.
  Ava's thinking is like a wheel spinning, circling back on itself.
  So they circled back to the park, by which time, the police were already on the scene.
  Her horse slowed to a trot as she circled back to the starting line.
  So am I just circling back to the beginning in my journey?
  She keeps circling back to a few events, a few places, all from childhood.
  I circled back and drove by again thinking maybe I'd missed it.
  Sue, my wife, is taking a long run on the beach and then circling back to buy fresh shrimp for supper.
  We circled back towards J Street, passing the St. Francis of Assisi church.
  The dog first heads away from the road, then quickly circles back toward the family.
  Eventually she flew off, but not before circling back and dropping a single feather at his feet.
  Let's see if we can circle back to where we started.
2. 1.2 Form a ring around.
  the monastery was circled by a huge wall
  Example sentencesExamples
  Seen from space, an aurora appears as a ring of energy circling a planet's polar region.
  For a glimpse of the not-so-distant past, you have only to cross one of the huge, bleak avenues that circles the Old Town.
  The Gare de Lyon is one of the ring of train stations that circle Paris.
  Decomposed granite paths circle the fountain, and a sandstone path leads to the front door.
  It would take eight people holding hands to circle the base of the trunk.
  It is a perfect spring day as they stroll along the path circling the artificial lake.
  Houses cry out for a coat of paint and are circled by half-broken fences.
  Circled by soft white sand, the islands are getting known for their beaches.
  It was a mountain, and there was a path that circled it.
  Their house will be circled, surrounded.
  Lush grass surrounded the edge of the pit, which was circled by a white picket fence.
  The steel fence circling the ‘promised land’ looked rather imposing.
  Synonyms
  surround, encircle, ring, ring round, enclose, encompass, bound
3. 1.3 Draw a line around.
  circle the correct answers
  Example sentencesExamples
  I will always be a person who circles the date on my calendar and anticipates its arrival.
  Answer by circling the response that best describes you: Agree, Unsure, or Disagree
  She went through the ads with her pen, circling some and putting a single line alongside others.
  As he held the classified section toward me, I noticed a hastily drawn line circling one of the ads.
  A list of places to avoid and areas where the pilots cannot go are ringed, circled and pinned into maps of the region.

Phrases

circle the drain

informal Experience a rapidly worsening situation apparently leading to failure or disaster.
what do you do when your business starts to circle the drain?

circle the wagons

informal (of a group) unite in defense of a common interest.
Example sentencesExamples
- The establishment's response has been to circle the wagons.
- The Cuban people continue to circle the wagons around him in response to efforts to bring down his government.
- We all went through some tough times together, but we really circled the wagons.
- They want to circle the wagons and say there's no problem.
- As we expected, you are trying to circle the wagons to protect your hold on power.
- The press office responded to criticism by circling the wagons and freezing out reporters.
- All professional organizations are known to circle the wagons at the first signs of trouble.
- The public health people have been circling the wagons to cover up the facts!
- We seem to be circling the wagons for self-protection.
- Conservatives circled the wagons around him after his comments about homosexuality.

come (or turn) full circle

Return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable.
Example sentencesExamples
- Warehouse conversions are now coming full circle and being turned back into warehouses again.
- He has essentially come full circle, returning to the place where it all began some 17 years ago.
- From his arrival in Perth to his inevitable departure, our conversation has come full circle.
- Things seem to be turning full circle and I'm not sure I want to live through some of those past episodes again.
- Her career came full circle with a return to cycling.
- Mrs Glendinning has come full circle by returning to the school she attended as a pupil.
- Our author's life has now come full circle with his return some years ago to his native Hampshire.
- I ran a piece in the magazine looking at coffee houses coming full circle back to their 18th century roots as business places.
- In some ways modern societies are turning full circle and returning to the varied rituals of the past.
- The exhibition comes full circle here, returning to the idea with which it begins.

go around (or around and around) in circles

informal Do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition.
the discussion went around and around in circles
Example sentencesExamples
- And I think we went round in circles for a year, because neither of us was brave enough to admit that we didn't like the project.
- Our meeting was starting to go round in circles.
- The inquiry went round in circles and I was no wiser.
- I feel as though I'm watching someone go round in circles, caught up in a cycle of pain.
- I know what I want but there is a genuine lack of cash, and this is why we are going round in circles.
- We could go round in circles apportioning the blame, but the bottom line is that we've failed to meet expectations.
- No-one seems to be taking responsibility for this and we're just going round in circles.
- I feel like I've been stagnating all day, going round in circles with this case!
- We spent two hours arguing and going round in circles.
- I want us to be in a position to make some decisions instead of seeing the issue go round in circles.

run around in circles

informal Be fussily busy with little result.
Example sentencesExamples
- We have to book pantomimes and plays yearly in advance but the uncertainty over the town hall's future means we are running around in circles.
- For the moment the government is running around in circles.
- You're just tiring yourself out, draining emotional energy, while making no progress running around in circles.
- It seems like the show just runs around in circles constantly, and the characters are stagnant.
- Pundits, columnists and community spokesmen are running around in circles as they theorise, condemn and then proceed to pat each other on the back.
- You two are never going to get anywhere if you keep running around in circles like this.
- Industrious, we run around in circles, squeaking.
- We're running around in circles and wasting our time.
- And officials in this country, as elsewhere in the region, are running round in circles.

the wheel has turned (or come) full circle

The situation has returned to what it was in the past, as if completing a cycle.
Example sentencesExamples
- The wheel comes full circle and he is back where his own history began.
- Now the wheel has come full circle, and those who smuggled food into the camp are also honoured in the exhibition hall.
- But the wheel has turned full circle, and the actor is once again a big deal.
- Now the wheel has turned full circle and films set in Scotland are more likely to embrace urban realism.
- Forty years ago it all seemed most unlikely, but today the wheel has turned full circle.
- The wheel of fashion turned full circle, with designers convincing audiences to swoon over collections they would have balked at last year.
- But, as happens so often in history, the wheel has turned full circle.

Origin

Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus ‘small ring’, diminutive of circus ‘ring’.

单词	circle
释义	Definition of circle in English: circle noun ˈsəːk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l 1A round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre) draw a circle with a compass Example sentencesExamples In the normal geometry of flat space, the diameter of a circle is its circumference divided by pi. We can picture all these dualities as points on the circumference of a circle. We will locate a marker on the circumference of a circle. Pi, the ratio between a circle's diameter and circumference, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries. A fringe of short parallel lines ran around the edge, and then a pair of concentric circles nearer the centre. 1.1 Something in the shape of a circle. the lamp spread a circle of light they all sat round in a circle Example sentencesExamples The circle of light tracked beautifully across the empty gallery space. We're sitting in his spacious living room, which is furnished with two couches and a dozen plastic green chairs arranged in a circle. If you haven't immediately fallen asleep, you may see a circle of light. He gestured to the couch and easy chairs arranged in a circle in the lobby. Place one or several under a table lamp within the circle of brightest light; the colors will glow. When the petals fall a large circle of beautifully shaped brown seeds are left arrayed in spirograph formation. The beam of light aimed at the circle was in the shape of a circle. Arrange in circles of overlapping slices on four plates. I don't know how they get white meat packed into the neat circles or oval shapes that they make chicken sandwich out of. I can see him there still, in the circle of light thrown by the lamp, leaning his head on his hand. The story is largely seen in flickering circles of light and specific scenes are tinted using intense bubblegum pink and steely blue. We lit them and sat around our burning circle of light singing. My oven mitts bear characteristic blackened circles in the exact shape of my stovetop burners. When he walked into the ballroom Leon saw a circle of candles arranged loosely around her. Gemstones came into use and were usually cut in circles or rectangular shapes. Her pinkish red hair was braided and arranged neatly in a circle on her head. Tight circles of light begin to appear, sporadically. The light forms a massive circle, within which one can see the sad buildings that are being demolished. Synonyms ring, round, band, hoop, circlet halo, disc, wreath technical annulus 1.2 A dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness. she was pale and rather beautiful, with dark circles around deep, exhausted eyes Example sentencesExamples He looked at her closely, taking in the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. Use a concealer to minimize any dark circles under the eyes or blemishes. He stretched out on his couch, dark circles under his smoky blue eyes. She looked thinner, the telltale sign of a recent illness evident in the dark circles under her eyes. Foundations provide the coverage you need to disguise dark spots and undereye circles. Closer inspection reveals not only the wrinkles around his squinted eyes, but also a suggestion of dark circles under them. His spiky blond hair was matted and there were deep dark circles underneath his eyes. I see dark circles under my bloodshot blue eyes and wrinkles from at least four years of undue stress. If you ran into me on a street corner I'd be scowling and glassy-eyed with dark circles. Her eyes were weary and bloodshot with deep dark circles under them. Below his eyes were dark circles, outlining his tired eyes. Hey, what happened to those ugly dark circles around your eyes? He looked terrible; underfed and beaten, with deep dark circles under his eyes. She had the most dreadful dark circles under her eyes. My blue eyes were bloodshot and dark black circles surrounded them; signs of a lack of sleep the night before. Real make-up suddenly looked like the preserve of those who had something to hide: crow's feet, dark circles and uneven skin tone. His hair was wild, and dark circles hung below his eyes. If I could wear kohl eyeliner I would never need worry about having dark circles under my eyes. There's no harm in asking Santa to give me my hair back, rid me of dark circles, and transform me into Brad Pitt. Dark circles were etched into the skin below his eyes. 1.3British A curved upper tier of seats in a theatre or cinema. she sat in the front row of the circle Example sentencesExamples The blueprint sees an auditorium retained, with seating in the circle on the first floor which could be used to watch theatre. ‘When I went to see her dance, I always booked seats in the royal circle,’ he recalls. There were so many choir wannabes that they filled the choir platform, the stalls and the circle seats. Even from my seat in the circle, Aida's blue eye-shadow looked excessive. It was even better the third time, possibly because we had really good seats in the circle. I was so small I'd have to perch on the edge of my seat in the circle and peer over the balcony railing to see the players. A quick glance at my ticket reminded me that I had a seat in the circle and that I wouldn't be having to stand up for this gig. He had the strange sensation that he stood in the rear circle of a theatre. Synonyms balcony, upper circle 1.4Hockey short for striking circle Example sentencesExamples Pakistan lifted the tempo a notch after yesterday's match but lacked striking power in the circle in the first half. 2A group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances. she did not normally move in such exalted circles Example sentencesExamples His name, however, comes up all the time in hockey circles. You become aware that you're part of a movement or circle in any sort of artistic endeavor. But beyond tight-knit dance circles, the movement's original importance has been largely forgotten. The director is a big name in theatre circles and the actors are all well-known faces in Bangalore. It is not easy to break into the cinema circle if you have no background of movies. Both plays were very well received and she enjoyed some celebrity in theatrical circles. I prefer a few close friends to a wide circle of acquaintances. However, a circle of women disciples followed Jesus up to the end of his life. The Irish wave of discontent in banking circles has spread across the EU. Not all women benefitted from the situation, but only those within the circle of the upper classes. He was highly regarded in Bolton's amateur dramatic circles, regularly taking lead roles in Bolton Little Theatre productions. In other circles, theatre is a dead artform. Little by little he forges around himself a circle of acquaintances and friends. His court became the centre for a dazzling circle of poets. In showbusiness circles his sexuality was an open secret. His years in Britain as a cricketer had been his passport to upper-class circles. Word of her culinary prowess spread in media circles, and invitations came in to contribute to cookbooks and women's magazines. And at weekends they spend their hard-earned cash in pubs and clubs with a wide circle of interesting, cosmopolitan friends. Pornography was seen in fashionable circles as a radical movement. He had a wide circle of friends in the book trade in Ireland, the UK and the United States. Synonyms group, set, ring, company, body, coterie, clique camp, league, faction crowd, band, crew informal gang, bunch, pack sphere, world, milieu, arena, domain society verb ˈsəːk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l [with object] 1Move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once. they were circling Athens airport no object we circled round the island Example sentencesExamples This means all the cars have to get back in a close line and circle for four or five laps. Soon we were circling each other warily, but I had fought him before, and I remembered his weaknesses. Ever since, we have circled each other amiably, two playwrights on similar trajectories. The car circled the park once then rolled down Dong Khoi Street. After circling the area once, we headed toward my car. Once again, the wolves are circling a large mammal. Turning to a working radar, we immediately spotted little white dots circling nearby Alcatraz Island. They circle each other with acrobatic moves. She circled the rink once and then began to slap the puck around. We circled the block once to see who was leaving the club. She pointed to two cats that were circling each other, starting to hiss. The combatants were circling each other warily, and waiting for the next move. As the crocodile circled, he retreated to find his dog, which suffered several long cuts to its leg. Two dogs were circling each other in the enclosed space. Once outside the girls circled the hut and collected their weapons. Australia's media barons are circling each other like sharks in a very small aquarium. They circled each other like two mad dogs, neither making a move. In the time it has taken you to read this story, those two stars may have fully circled each other. Rather than smile and wink flirtatiously, they instead stare at each other curiously, like two predators circling each other in the wild. Round and around they circled each other, lunging, stepping back, attacking and then defending. Synonyms wheel, move round, move round in circles, revolve, rotate, whirl, spiral, gyrate go round, walk round, travel round, circumnavigate orbit, revolve round rare circumambulate 1.1circle backno object Move in a wide loop back towards one's starting point. he paced away from her, then circled back Example sentencesExamples Let's see if we can circle back to where we started. On our fourth day out, we circled back inland. The dog first heads away from the road, then quickly circles back toward the family. We circled back towards J Street, passing the St. Francis of Assisi church. It dumped its fuel in the ocean, before circling back to the airport with 273 passengers and crew. So am I just circling back to the beginning in my journey? Ava's thinking is like a wheel spinning, circling back on itself. We circle back down to our boat, passing through crowded Turkish cemeteries. I circled back and drove by again thinking maybe I'd missed it. The hawk circled back to the island. He and I go right, then circle back toward her slowly. Eventually she flew off, but not before circling back and dropping a single feather at his feet. The film moves rapidly and without signposts from Cape Breton to England, Scotland and Ireland, eventually circling back to where it started. I'm off to look for a hotel room, and tomorrow morning I'll begin to circle back north. She keeps circling back to a few events, a few places, all from childhood. The offspring of the Manhattan Project are circling back toward Manhattan. So they circled back to the park, by which time, the police were already on the scene. Sue, my wife, is taking a long run on the beach and then circling back to buy fresh shrimp for supper. Her horse slowed to a trot as she circled back to the starting line. We tried to get them away from their weapons but they kept circling back to them. 1.2 Form a ring around. the abbey was circled by a huge wall Example sentencesExamples It was a mountain, and there was a path that circled it. Decomposed granite paths circle the fountain, and a sandstone path leads to the front door. The Gare de Lyon is one of the ring of train stations that circle Paris. It would take eight people holding hands to circle the base of the trunk. The steel fence circling the ‘promised land’ looked rather imposing. Lush grass surrounded the edge of the pit, which was circled by a white picket fence. For a glimpse of the not-so-distant past, you have only to cross one of the huge, bleak avenues that circles the Old Town. Houses cry out for a coat of paint and are circled by half-broken fences. Circled by soft white sand, the islands are getting known for their beaches. Seen from space, an aurora appears as a ring of energy circling a planet's polar region. It is a perfect spring day as they stroll along the path circling the artificial lake. Their house will be circled, surrounded. Synonyms surround, encircle, ring, ring round, enclose, encompass, bound hedge in, fence in, hem in literary gird, girdle 1.3 Draw a line around. circle the correct answers Example sentencesExamples As he held the classified section toward me, I noticed a hastily drawn line circling one of the ads. She went through the ads with her pen, circling some and putting a single line alongside others. Answer by circling the response that best describes you: Agree, Unsure, or Disagree A list of places to avoid and areas where the pilots cannot go are ringed, circled and pinned into maps of the region. I will always be a person who circles the date on my calendar and anticipates its arrival. Phrases circle the drain informal Experience a rapidly worsening situation apparently leading to failure or disaster. what do you do when your business starts to circle the drain? circle the wagons informal Unite in defence of a common interest. the Lakers quickly circled the wagons, against the Spurs and the crowd Example sentencesExamples Conservatives circled the wagons around him after his comments about homosexuality. The press office responded to criticism by circling the wagons and freezing out reporters. We seem to be circling the wagons for self-protection. All professional organizations are known to circle the wagons at the first signs of trouble. The Cuban people continue to circle the wagons around him in response to efforts to bring down his government. They want to circle the wagons and say there's no problem. The establishment's response has been to circle the wagons. As we expected, you are trying to circle the wagons to protect your hold on power. The public health people have been circling the wagons to cover up the facts! We all went through some tough times together, but we really circled the wagons. come (or turn) full circle Return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable. the region is being forced to come full circle and repeat the errors of its tragic past now it seems the wheel has turned full circle—the western is being revived Example sentencesExamples Things seem to be turning full circle and I'm not sure I want to live through some of those past episodes again. I ran a piece in the magazine looking at coffee houses coming full circle back to their 18th century roots as business places. In some ways modern societies are turning full circle and returning to the varied rituals of the past. Mrs Glendinning has come full circle by returning to the school she attended as a pupil. Her career came full circle with a return to cycling. The exhibition comes full circle here, returning to the idea with which it begins. Our author's life has now come full circle with his return some years ago to his native Hampshire. Warehouse conversions are now coming full circle and being turned back into warehouses again. From his arrival in Perth to his inevitable departure, our conversation has come full circle. He has essentially come full circle, returning to the place where it all began some 17 years ago. go (or run) round in circles informal Do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition. the discussion went round and round in circles Example sentencesExamples No-one seems to be taking responsibility for this and we're just going round in circles. And I think we went round in circles for a year, because neither of us was brave enough to admit that we didn't like the project. I feel like I've been stagnating all day, going round in circles with this case! Our meeting was starting to go round in circles. The inquiry went round in circles and I was no wiser. We spent two hours arguing and going round in circles. We could go round in circles apportioning the blame, but the bottom line is that we've failed to meet expectations. I know what I want but there is a genuine lack of cash, and this is why we are going round in circles. I feel as though I'm watching someone go round in circles, caught up in a cycle of pain. I want us to be in a position to make some decisions instead of seeing the issue go round in circles. Origin Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus 'small ring', diminutive of circus 'ring'. The root of circle is Latin circulus ‘small ring’, from circus ‘ring’, the source of our word circus (Late Middle English). A Roman circus was a rounded or oval arena lined with tiers of seats, where chariot races, gladiatorial combats, and other, often cruel, contests took place. Names like Piccadilly Circus were attached to open, more or less circular areas in towns where streets converged. Other words from the same root include circuit (Late Middle English) from Latin circum ire ‘go around’, and circulate (Late Middle English) ‘move in a circular path’. Come or turn full circle is a reference to ‘The Wheele is come full circle’ in Shakespeare's King Lear. The wheel is the one thought of as being turned by the goddess Fortune and symbolizing change. Rhymes encircle noun.1 phr. Definition of circle in US English: circle (also circ., cir.) nounˈsərk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l 1A round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the center). Example sentencesExamples In the normal geometry of flat space, the diameter of a circle is its circumference divided by pi. We can picture all these dualities as points on the circumference of a circle. We will locate a marker on the circumference of a circle. A fringe of short parallel lines ran around the edge, and then a pair of concentric circles nearer the centre. Pi, the ratio between a circle's diameter and circumference, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries. 1.1 Something in the shape of a circle. the lamp spread a circle of light they all sat around in a circle Example sentencesExamples When he walked into the ballroom Leon saw a circle of candles arranged loosely around her. The circle of light tracked beautifully across the empty gallery space. The beam of light aimed at the circle was in the shape of a circle. If you haven't immediately fallen asleep, you may see a circle of light. Arrange in circles of overlapping slices on four plates. Place one or several under a table lamp within the circle of brightest light; the colors will glow. We lit them and sat around our burning circle of light singing. The story is largely seen in flickering circles of light and specific scenes are tinted using intense bubblegum pink and steely blue. I don't know how they get white meat packed into the neat circles or oval shapes that they make chicken sandwich out of. Her pinkish red hair was braided and arranged neatly in a circle on her head. Tight circles of light begin to appear, sporadically. The light forms a massive circle, within which one can see the sad buildings that are being demolished. When the petals fall a large circle of beautifully shaped brown seeds are left arrayed in spirograph formation. Gemstones came into use and were usually cut in circles or rectangular shapes. We're sitting in his spacious living room, which is furnished with two couches and a dozen plastic green chairs arranged in a circle. He gestured to the couch and easy chairs arranged in a circle in the lobby. My oven mitts bear characteristic blackened circles in the exact shape of my stovetop burners. I can see him there still, in the circle of light thrown by the lamp, leaning his head on his hand. Synonyms ring, round, band, hoop, circlet 1.2 A dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness. Example sentencesExamples Dark circles were etched into the skin below his eyes. Real make-up suddenly looked like the preserve of those who had something to hide: crow's feet, dark circles and uneven skin tone. She looked thinner, the telltale sign of a recent illness evident in the dark circles under her eyes. His spiky blond hair was matted and there were deep dark circles underneath his eyes. Her eyes were weary and bloodshot with deep dark circles under them. Hey, what happened to those ugly dark circles around your eyes? Foundations provide the coverage you need to disguise dark spots and undereye circles. He looked terrible; underfed and beaten, with deep dark circles under his eyes. My blue eyes were bloodshot and dark black circles surrounded them; signs of a lack of sleep the night before. She had the most dreadful dark circles under her eyes. If you ran into me on a street corner I'd be scowling and glassy-eyed with dark circles. His hair was wild, and dark circles hung below his eyes. If I could wear kohl eyeliner I would never need worry about having dark circles under my eyes. I see dark circles under my bloodshot blue eyes and wrinkles from at least four years of undue stress. He stretched out on his couch, dark circles under his smoky blue eyes. There's no harm in asking Santa to give me my hair back, rid me of dark circles, and transform me into Brad Pitt. He looked at her closely, taking in the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes. Below his eyes were dark circles, outlining his tired eyes. Closer inspection reveals not only the wrinkles around his squinted eyes, but also a suggestion of dark circles under them. Use a concealer to minimize any dark circles under the eyes or blemishes. 1.3British A curved upper tier of seats in a theater. See also dress circle Example sentencesExamples A quick glance at my ticket reminded me that I had a seat in the circle and that I wouldn't be having to stand up for this gig. The blueprint sees an auditorium retained, with seating in the circle on the first floor which could be used to watch theatre. ‘When I went to see her dance, I always booked seats in the royal circle,’ he recalls. There were so many choir wannabes that they filled the choir platform, the stalls and the circle seats. He had the strange sensation that he stood in the rear circle of a theatre. It was even better the third time, possibly because we had really good seats in the circle. Even from my seat in the circle, Aida's blue eye-shadow looked excessive. I was so small I'd have to perch on the edge of my seat in the circle and peer over the balcony railing to see the players. Synonyms balcony, upper circle 2A group of people with shared professions, interests, or acquaintances. she did not normally move in such exalted circles Example sentencesExamples But beyond tight-knit dance circles, the movement's original importance has been largely forgotten. The director is a big name in theatre circles and the actors are all well-known faces in Bangalore. His name, however, comes up all the time in hockey circles. In showbusiness circles his sexuality was an open secret. You become aware that you're part of a movement or circle in any sort of artistic endeavor. And at weekends they spend their hard-earned cash in pubs and clubs with a wide circle of interesting, cosmopolitan friends. His court became the centre for a dazzling circle of poets. He was highly regarded in Bolton's amateur dramatic circles, regularly taking lead roles in Bolton Little Theatre productions. The Irish wave of discontent in banking circles has spread across the EU. It is not easy to break into the cinema circle if you have no background of movies. He had a wide circle of friends in the book trade in Ireland, the UK and the United States. I prefer a few close friends to a wide circle of acquaintances. In other circles, theatre is a dead artform. Both plays were very well received and she enjoyed some celebrity in theatrical circles. Pornography was seen in fashionable circles as a radical movement. Not all women benefitted from the situation, but only those within the circle of the upper classes. Little by little he forges around himself a circle of acquaintances and friends. Word of her culinary prowess spread in media circles, and invitations came in to contribute to cookbooks and women's magazines. His years in Britain as a cricketer had been his passport to upper-class circles. However, a circle of women disciples followed Jesus up to the end of his life. Synonyms group, set, ring, company, body, coterie, clique sphere, world, milieu, arena, domain verbˈsərk(ə)lˈsərk(ə)l [with object] 1Move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once. no object we circled around the island the two dogs circle each other with hackles raised Example sentencesExamples Once again, the wolves are circling a large mammal. They circle each other with acrobatic moves. They circled each other like two mad dogs, neither making a move. The combatants were circling each other warily, and waiting for the next move. As the crocodile circled, he retreated to find his dog, which suffered several long cuts to its leg. Ever since, we have circled each other amiably, two playwrights on similar trajectories. Turning to a working radar, we immediately spotted little white dots circling nearby Alcatraz Island. We circled the block once to see who was leaving the club. This means all the cars have to get back in a close line and circle for four or five laps. Soon we were circling each other warily, but I had fought him before, and I remembered his weaknesses. She circled the rink once and then began to slap the puck around. Two dogs were circling each other in the enclosed space. After circling the area once, we headed toward my car. Rather than smile and wink flirtatiously, they instead stare at each other curiously, like two predators circling each other in the wild. Round and around they circled each other, lunging, stepping back, attacking and then defending. In the time it has taken you to read this story, those two stars may have fully circled each other. She pointed to two cats that were circling each other, starting to hiss. The car circled the park once then rolled down Dong Khoi Street. Australia's media barons are circling each other like sharks in a very small aquarium. Once outside the girls circled the hut and collected their weapons. Synonyms wheel, move round, move round in circles, revolve, rotate, whirl, spiral, gyrate go round, walk round, travel round, circumnavigate 1.1circle backno object Move in a wide loop back toward one's starting point. Example sentencesExamples We tried to get them away from their weapons but they kept circling back to them. We circle back down to our boat, passing through crowded Turkish cemeteries. The film moves rapidly and without signposts from Cape Breton to England, Scotland and Ireland, eventually circling back to where it started. The hawk circled back to the island. He and I go right, then circle back toward her slowly. I'm off to look for a hotel room, and tomorrow morning I'll begin to circle back north. It dumped its fuel in the ocean, before circling back to the airport with 273 passengers and crew. On our fourth day out, we circled back inland. The offspring of the Manhattan Project are circling back toward Manhattan. Ava's thinking is like a wheel spinning, circling back on itself. So they circled back to the park, by which time, the police were already on the scene. Her horse slowed to a trot as she circled back to the starting line. So am I just circling back to the beginning in my journey? She keeps circling back to a few events, a few places, all from childhood. I circled back and drove by again thinking maybe I'd missed it. Sue, my wife, is taking a long run on the beach and then circling back to buy fresh shrimp for supper. We circled back towards J Street, passing the St. Francis of Assisi church. The dog first heads away from the road, then quickly circles back toward the family. Eventually she flew off, but not before circling back and dropping a single feather at his feet. Let's see if we can circle back to where we started. 1.2 Form a ring around. the monastery was circled by a huge wall Example sentencesExamples Seen from space, an aurora appears as a ring of energy circling a planet's polar region. For a glimpse of the not-so-distant past, you have only to cross one of the huge, bleak avenues that circles the Old Town. The Gare de Lyon is one of the ring of train stations that circle Paris. Decomposed granite paths circle the fountain, and a sandstone path leads to the front door. It would take eight people holding hands to circle the base of the trunk. It is a perfect spring day as they stroll along the path circling the artificial lake. Houses cry out for a coat of paint and are circled by half-broken fences. Circled by soft white sand, the islands are getting known for their beaches. It was a mountain, and there was a path that circled it. Their house will be circled, surrounded. Lush grass surrounded the edge of the pit, which was circled by a white picket fence. The steel fence circling the ‘promised land’ looked rather imposing. Synonyms surround, encircle, ring, ring round, enclose, encompass, bound 1.3 Draw a line around. circle the correct answers Example sentencesExamples I will always be a person who circles the date on my calendar and anticipates its arrival. Answer by circling the response that best describes you: Agree, Unsure, or Disagree She went through the ads with her pen, circling some and putting a single line alongside others. As he held the classified section toward me, I noticed a hastily drawn line circling one of the ads. A list of places to avoid and areas where the pilots cannot go are ringed, circled and pinned into maps of the region. Phrases circle the drain informal Experience a rapidly worsening situation apparently leading to failure or disaster. what do you do when your business starts to circle the drain? circle the wagons informal (of a group) unite in defense of a common interest. Example sentencesExamples The establishment's response has been to circle the wagons. The Cuban people continue to circle the wagons around him in response to efforts to bring down his government. We all went through some tough times together, but we really circled the wagons. They want to circle the wagons and say there's no problem. As we expected, you are trying to circle the wagons to protect your hold on power. The press office responded to criticism by circling the wagons and freezing out reporters. All professional organizations are known to circle the wagons at the first signs of trouble. The public health people have been circling the wagons to cover up the facts! We seem to be circling the wagons for self-protection. Conservatives circled the wagons around him after his comments about homosexuality. come (or turn) full circle Return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable. Example sentencesExamples Warehouse conversions are now coming full circle and being turned back into warehouses again. He has essentially come full circle, returning to the place where it all began some 17 years ago. From his arrival in Perth to his inevitable departure, our conversation has come full circle. Things seem to be turning full circle and I'm not sure I want to live through some of those past episodes again. Her career came full circle with a return to cycling. Mrs Glendinning has come full circle by returning to the school she attended as a pupil. Our author's life has now come full circle with his return some years ago to his native Hampshire. I ran a piece in the magazine looking at coffee houses coming full circle back to their 18th century roots as business places. In some ways modern societies are turning full circle and returning to the varied rituals of the past. The exhibition comes full circle here, returning to the idea with which it begins. go around (or around and around) in circles informal Do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition. the discussion went around and around in circles Example sentencesExamples And I think we went round in circles for a year, because neither of us was brave enough to admit that we didn't like the project. Our meeting was starting to go round in circles. The inquiry went round in circles and I was no wiser. I feel as though I'm watching someone go round in circles, caught up in a cycle of pain. I know what I want but there is a genuine lack of cash, and this is why we are going round in circles. We could go round in circles apportioning the blame, but the bottom line is that we've failed to meet expectations. No-one seems to be taking responsibility for this and we're just going round in circles. I feel like I've been stagnating all day, going round in circles with this case! We spent two hours arguing and going round in circles. I want us to be in a position to make some decisions instead of seeing the issue go round in circles. run around in circles informal Be fussily busy with little result. Example sentencesExamples We have to book pantomimes and plays yearly in advance but the uncertainty over the town hall's future means we are running around in circles. For the moment the government is running around in circles. You're just tiring yourself out, draining emotional energy, while making no progress running around in circles. It seems like the show just runs around in circles constantly, and the characters are stagnant. Pundits, columnists and community spokesmen are running around in circles as they theorise, condemn and then proceed to pat each other on the back. You two are never going to get anywhere if you keep running around in circles like this. Industrious, we run around in circles, squeaking. We're running around in circles and wasting our time. And officials in this country, as elsewhere in the region, are running round in circles. the wheel has turned (or come) full circle The situation has returned to what it was in the past, as if completing a cycle. Example sentencesExamples The wheel comes full circle and he is back where his own history began. Now the wheel has come full circle, and those who smuggled food into the camp are also honoured in the exhibition hall. But the wheel has turned full circle, and the actor is once again a big deal. Now the wheel has turned full circle and films set in Scotland are more likely to embrace urban realism. Forty years ago it all seemed most unlikely, but today the wheel has turned full circle. The wheel of fashion turned full circle, with designers convincing audiences to swoon over collections they would have balked at last year. But, as happens so often in history, the wheel has turned full circle. Origin Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus ‘small ring’, diminutive of circus ‘ring’. noun.1 phr.
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