Circumnavigator Cir`cum·nav"iga`tor noun One who sails round. W. Guthrie.
Circumnutate Cir`cum·nu"tate intransitive verb [ Prefix
circum- +
nutate .]
To pass through the stages of circumnutation.
Circumnutation Cir`cum·nu·ta"tion noun (Botany) The successive bowing or bending in different directions of the growing tip of the stems of many plants, especially seen in climbing plants.
Circumpolar Cir`cum·po"lar adjective [ Prefix
circum- +
polar .]
About the pole; -- applied to stars that revolve around the pole without setting; as, circumpolar stars.
Circumposition Cir`cum·po·si"tion noun [ Latin
circumpositio , from
circumponere , -
positium , to place around.]
The act of placing in a circle, or round about, or the state of being so placed. Evelyn.
Circumrotary, Circumrotatory Cir`cum·ro"tary, Cir`cum·ro"ta·to·ry adjective [ Prefix
circum- +
rotary ,
rotatory .]
turning, rolling, or whirling round.
Circumrotate Cir`cum·ro"tate transitive verb & i. [ Latin
circumrotare ;
circum + rotare to turn round.]
To rotate about. [ R.]
Circumrotation Cir`cum·ro·ta"tion noun The act of rolling or revolving round, as a wheel; circumvolution; the state of being whirled round. J. Gregory.
Circumscissile Cir`cum·scis"sile adjective [ Prefix
circum- +
scissle .]
(Botany) Dehiscing or opening by a transverse fissure extending around (a capsule or pod). See Illust. of Pyxidium .
Circumscribable Cir`cum·scrib"a·ble adjective Capable of being circumscribed.
Circumscribe Cir`cum·scribe" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Circumscribed ;
present participle & verbal noun Circumscribing .] [ Latin
circumscribere ,
-scriptum ;
circum + scribere to write, draw. See
Soribe .]
1. to write or engrave around. [ R.]
Thereon is circumscribed this epitaph.
Ashmole.
2. To inclose within a certain limit; to hem in; to surround; to bound; to confine; to restrain. To circumscribe royal power.
Bancroft.
3. (Geom.) To draw a line around so as to touch at certain points without cutting. See Inscribe , 5. Syn. -- To bound; limit; restrict; confine; abridge; restrain; environ; encircle; inclose; encompass.
Circumscriber Cir`cum·scrib"er noun One who, or that which, circumscribes.
Circumscriptible Cir`cum·scrip"ti·ble adjective Capable of being circumscribed or limited by bounds.
Circumscription Cir`cum·scrip"tion noun [ Latin
circumscriptio . See
Circumscribe .]
1. An inscription written around anything. [ R.]
Ashmole. 2. The exterior line which determines the form or magnitude of a body; outline; periphery. Ray. 3. The act of limiting, or the state of being limited, by conditions or restraints; bound; confinement; limit. The circumscriptions of terrestrial nature.
Johnson.
I would not my unhoused, free condition
Put into circumscription and confine.
Shak.
Circumscriptive Cir`cum·scrip"tive adjective Circumscribing or tending to circumscribe; marcing the limits or form of.
Circumscriptively Cir`cum·scrip"tive·ly adverb In a limited manner.
Circumscriptly Cir"cum·script`ly adverb In a literal, limited, or narrow manner. [ R.]
Milton.
Circumspect Cir"cum·spect adjective [ Latin
circumspectus , past participle of
circumspicere to look about one's self, to observe;
circum + spicere ,
specere , to look. See
Spy .]
Attentive to all the circumstances of a case or the probable consequences of an action; cautious; prudent; wary. Syn. -- See
Cautious .
Circumspection Cir`cum·spec"tion noun [ Latin
circumspectio .]
Attention to all the facts and circumstances of a case; caution; watchfulness. With silent circumspection , unespied.
Milton.
Syn. -- Caution; prudence; watchfulness; deliberation; thoughtfulness; wariness; forecast.
Circumspective Cir`cum·spec"tive (sẽr`kŭm*spĕk"tĭv)
adjective Looking around every way; cautious; careful of consequences; watchful of danger. "
Circumspective eyes."
Pope.
Circumspectively Cir`cum·spec"tive·ly adverb Circumspectly.
Circumspectly Cir"cum·spect"ly (-spĕkt"l> ycr/)
adverb In a circumspect manner; cautiously; warily.
Circumspectness Cir"cum·spect"ness noun Vigilance in guarding against evil from every quarter; caution. [ Travel] forces circumspectness on those abroad, who at home are nursed in security.
Sir H. Wotton.
Circumstance Cir"cum·stance noun [ Latin
circumstantia , from
circumstans ,
-antis , present participle of
circumstare to stand around;
circum + stare to stand. See
Stand .]
1. That which attends, or relates to, or in some way affects, a fact or event; an attendant thing or state of things. The circumstances are well known in the country where they happened.
W. Irving.
2. An event; a fact; a particular incident. The sculptor had in his thoughts the conqueror weeping for new worlds, or the like circumstances in history.
Addison.
3. Circumlocution; detail. [ Obsolete]
So without more circumstance at all
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part.
Shak.
4. plural Condition in regard to worldly estate; state of property; situation; surroundings. When men are easy in their circumstances , they are naturally enemies to innovations.
Addison.
Not a circumstance ,
of no account. [ Colloq.] --
Under the circumstances ,
taking all things into consideration. Syn. -- Event; occurrence; incident; situation; condition; position; fact; detail; item. See
Event .
Circumstance Cir"cum·stance transitive verb To place in a particular situation; to supply relative incidents. The poet took the matters of fact as they came down to him and circumstanced them, after his own manner.
Addison.
Circumstanced Cir"cum·stanced p. adjective 1. Placed in a particular position or condition; situated. The proposition is, that two bodies so circumstanced will balance each other.
Whewell.
2. Governed by events or circumstances. [ Poetic & R.] "I must be
circumstanced ."
Shak.
Circumstant Cir"cum·stant adjective [ Latin
circumstans . See
Circumstance .]
Standing or placed around; surrounding. [ R.] "
Circumstant bodies."
Sir K. Digby.
Circumstantiable Cir`cum·stan"tia·ble adjective Capable of being circumstantiated. [ Obsolete]
Jer Taylor.
Circumstantial Cir`cum·stan"tial adjective [ Confer French
circonstanciel .]
1. Consisting in, or pertaining to, circumstances or particular incidents. The usual character of human testimony is substantial truth under circumstantial variety.
Paley.
2. Incidental; relating to, but not essential. We must therefore distinguish between the essentials in religious worship . . . and what is merely circumstantial .
Sharp.
3. Abounding with circumstances; detailing or exhibiting all the circumstances; minute; particular. Tedious and circumstantial recitals.
Prior.
Circumstantial evidence (Law) ,
evidence obtained from circumstances, which necessarily or usually attend facts of a particular nature, from which arises presumption. According to some authorities circumstantial is distinguished from positive evidence in that the latter is the testimony of eyewitnesses to a fact or the admission of a party; but the prevalent opinion now is that all such testimony is dependent on circumstances for its support. All testimony is more or less circumstantial . Wharton .
Syn. -- See
Minute .
Circumstantial Cir`cum·stan"tial noun Something incidental to the main subject, but of less importance; opposed to an essential ; -- generally in the plural; as, the circumstantials of religion. Addison.
Circumstantiality Cir`cum·stan`ti·al"i·ty noun The state, characteristic, or quality of being circumstantial; particularity or minuteness of detail. "I will endeavor to describe with sufficient
circumstantiality ."
De Quincey.
Circumstantially Cir`cum·stan"tial·ly adverb 1. In respect to circumstances; not essentially; accidentally. Of the fancy and intellect, the powers are only circumstantially different.
Glanvill.
2. In every circumstance or particular; minutely. To set down somewhat circumstantially , not only the events, but the manner of my trials.
Boyle.
Circumstantiate Cir`cum·stan"ti·ate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Circumstantiated ;
present participle & verbal noun Circumstantiating .] [ See
Circumstantiating ]
1. To place in particular circumstances; to invest with particular accidents or adjuncts. [ R.]
If the act were otherwise circumstantiated , it might will that freely which now it wills reluctantly.
Bramhall.
2. To prove or confirm by circumstances; to enter into details concerning. Neither will time permint to circumstantiate these particulars, which I have only touched in the general.
State Trials (1661).
Circumterraneous Cir`cum·ter·ra"ne·ous adjective [ Prefix
circum- + Latin
terra earth.]
Being or dwelling around the earth. "
Circumterraneous demouns."
H. Hallywell.
Circumundulate Cir`cum·un"du·late v. t. [ Prefix
circum- +
undulate .]
To flow round, as waves. [ R.]
Circumvallate Cir`cum·val"late transitive verb [ Latin
circumvallatus , past participle of
circumvallare to surround with a wall;
circum +
vallare to wall, from
vallum rampart.]
To surround with a rampart or wall. Johnson.
Circumvallate Cir`cum·val"late adjective 1. Surrounded with a wall; inclosed with a rampart. 2. (Anat.) Surrounded by a ridge or elevation; as, the circumvallate papillæ, near the base of the tongue.
Circumvallation Cir`cum·val·la"tion noun (Mil.) (a) The act of surrounding with a wall or rampart. (b) A line of field works made around a besieged place and the besieging army, to protect the camp of the besiegers against the attack of an enemy from without.
Circumvection Cir`cum·vec"tion noun [ Latin
circumvectio ;
circum +
vehere to carry.]
The act of carrying anything around, or the state of being so carried.
Circumvent Cir`cum·vent" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Circumvented ;
present participle verbal noun Circumventing .] [ Latin
circumventis , past participle of
circumvenire , to come around, encompass, deceive;
circum +
venire to come, akin to English
come. ]
To gain advantage over by arts, stratagem, or deception; to decieve; to delude; to get around. I circumvented whom I could not gain.
Dryden.
Circumvention Cir`cum·ven"tion noun [ Latin
circumventio .]
The act of prevailing over another by arts, address, or fraud; deception; fraud; imposture; delusion. A school in which he learns sly circumvention .
Cowper.
Circumventive Cir`cum·vent"ive adjective Tending to circumvent; deceiving by artifices; deluding.
Circumventor Cir`cum·vent"or noun [ Latin ]
One who circumvents; one who gains his purpose by cunning.
Circumvest Cir`cum·vest" transitive verb [ Latin
circumvestire ;
circum + vestire to clothe.]
To cover round, as with a garment; to invest. [ Obsolete]
Circumvested with much prejudice.
Sir H. Wotton.
Circumvolant Cir·cum"vo·lant adjective [ Latin
circumvolans , present participle See
Circumvolation .]
Flying around. The circumvolant troubles of humanity.
G. Macdonald.
Circumvolation Cir`cum·vo·la"tion noun [ Latin
circumvolate .
-volatum , to fly around;
circum + volare to fly.]
The act of flying round. [ R.]
Circumvolution Cir`cum·vo·lu"tion noun [ See
Circumvolve .]
1. The act of rolling round; the state of being rolled. 2. A thing rolled round another. Arbuthnot. 3. A roundabout procedure; a circumlocution. He had neither time nor temper for sentimental circumvolutions .
Beaconsfield.
Circumvolve Cir`cum·volve" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Circumvolved ;
present participle verbal noun Circumvolving .] [ Latin
circumvolvere ,
-volutum ;
circum + volvere to roll.]
To roll round; to cause to revolve; to put into a circular motion. Herrick.
Circumvolve Cir`cum·volve" intransitive verb To roll round; to revolve.
Circus Cir"cus noun ;
plural Circuses . [ Latin
circus circle, ring, circus (in sense 1). See
Circle , and confer
Cirque .]
1. (Roman Antiq.) A level oblong space surrounded on three sides by seats of wood, earth, or stone, rising in tiers one above another, and divided lengthwise through the middle by a barrier around which the track or course was laid out. It was used for chariot races, games, and public shows. » The
Circus Maximus at Rome could contain more than 100,000 spectators.
Harpers' Latin Dict. 2. A circular inclosure for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship, acrobatic displays, etc. Also, the company of performers, with their equipage. 3. Circuit; space; inclosure. [ R.]
The narrow circus of my dungeon wall.
Byron.
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