Cir"cle (s&etilde;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.
&fist; 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.
&fist;
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.
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.
Cir"cle, v. i. To move
circularly; to form a circle; to circulate.
Thy name shall circle round the gaping
through.
Byron.
