a circular journey or one beginning and ending at the same place; a round.
3.
a roundabout journey or course.
4.
a periodical journey from place to place, to perform certain duties, as by judges to hold court, ministers to preach, or salespeople covering a route.
5.
the persons making such a journey.
6.
the route followed, places visited, or district covered by such a journey.
7.
the line going around or bounding any area or object; the distance about an area or object.
8.
the space within a bounding line; district: the circuit of the valley.
9.
Electricity.
a.
Also called electric circuit.the complete path of an electric current, including the generating apparatus, intervening resistors, or capacitors.
b.
any well-defined segment of a complete circuit.
10.
Telecommunications. a means of transmitting communication signals or messages, usually comprising two channels for interactive communication. Compare channel1(def. 12).
11.
a number of theaters, nightclubs, etc., controlled by the same owner or manager or visited in turn by the same entertainers or acting companies.
12.
a league or association: He used to play baseball for the Texas circuit.
–verb (used with object)
13.
to go or move around; make the circuit of.
–verb (used without object)
14.
to go or move in a circuit.
—Idiom
15.
ride circuit, Law. (of a judge) to travel a judicial county or district in order to conduct judicial proceedings.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < L circuitus, var. of circumitus circular motion, cycle, equiv. to circu(m)i-, var. s. of circu(m)īre to go round, circle (circum-circum-+ īre to go) + -tus suffix of v. action; cf. ambit, exit]
A closed, usually circular line that goes around an object or area.
The region enclosed by such a line. See Synonyms at circumference.
A path or route the complete traversal of which without local change of direction requires returning to the starting point.
The act of following such a path or route.
A journey made on such a path or route.
A closed path followed or capable of being followed by an electric current.
A configuration of electrically or electromagnetically connected components or devices.
A regular or accustomed course from place to place; a round: a salesperson on the Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago circuit; a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
The area or district thus covered, especially a territory under the jurisdiction of a judge in which periodic court sessions are held.
An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation.
A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn.
An association of teams or clubs.
A series of competitions held in different places.
A path or route the complete traversal of which without local change of direction requires returning to the starting point.
The act of following such a path or route.
A journey made on such a path or route.
A closed path followed or capable of being followed by an electric current.
A configuration of electrically or electromagnetically connected components or devices.
A regular or accustomed course from place to place; a round: a salesperson on the Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago circuit; a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
The area or district thus covered, especially a territory under the jurisdiction of a judge in which periodic court sessions are held.
An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation.
A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn.
An association of teams or clubs.
A series of competitions held in different places.
Electronics
A closed path followed or capable of being followed by an electric current.
A configuration of electrically or electromagnetically connected components or devices.
A regular or accustomed course from place to place; a round: a salesperson on the Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago circuit; a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
The area or district thus covered, especially a territory under the jurisdiction of a judge in which periodic court sessions are held.
An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation.
A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn.
An association of teams or clubs.
A series of competitions held in different places.
A regular or accustomed course from place to place; a round: a salesperson on the Detroit-Minneapolis-Chicago circuit; a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.
The area or district thus covered, especially a territory under the jurisdiction of a judge in which periodic court sessions are held.
An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation.
A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn.
An association of teams or clubs.
A series of competitions held in different places.
An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation.
A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn.
An association of teams or clubs.
A series of competitions held in different places.
intr. & tr.v.
cir·cuit·ed, cir·cuit·ing, cir·cuits
To make a circuit or circuit of.
[Middle English, circumference, from Old French, from Latin circuitus, a going around, from past participle of circumīre, to go around : circum-, circum- + īre, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
1382, from O.Fr. circuit, from L. circuitus "a going around," from stem of circuire, circumire "go around," from circum "around" + -ire "to go." Electrical sense is from 1800; circuitry is from 1946. Circuitous is from 1664.
an electrical device that provides a path for electrical current to flow
2.
a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area; "they took an extended tour of Europe"; "we took a quick circuit of the park"; "a ten-day coach circuit of the island" [syn: tour]
3.
an established itinerary of venues or events that a particular group of people travel to; "she's a familiar name on the club circuit"; "on the lecture circuit"; "the judge makes a circuit of the courts in his district"; "the international tennis circuit"
4.
the boundary line encompassing an area or object; "he had walked the full circumference of his land"; "a danger to all races over the whole circumference of the globe" [syn: circumference]
5.
(law) a judicial division of a state or the United States (so-called because originally judges traveled and held court in different locations); one of the twelve groups of states in the United States that is covered by a particular circuit court of appeals
A closed path through which an electric current flows or may flow. ◇ Circuits in which a power source is connected to two or more components (such as light bulbs, or logic gates in a computer circuit), one after the other, are called series circuits. If the circuit is broken, none of the components receives a current. Circuits in which a power source is directly connected to two or more components are called parallel circuits. If a break occurs in the circuit, only the component along whose path the break occurs stops receiving a current.
A system of electrically connected parts or devices.
Main Entry: cir·cuit Function: noun 1 a: a route formerly taken by traveling judges b: a district established within a state or the federal
judicial system —see also the JUDICIAL SYSTEM in the back matter 2cap: the court of
appeals for a circuit in the federal judicial system <after the 9th Circuit's ruling —V. M. Sher>
circuit 1. A communications path in a circuit switching network. 2. A complete path through which an electric current can flow. The term is used loosely for any device or subsystem using electrical or electronic components. E.g. "That lightning bolt fried the circuits in my GPS receiver". An integrated circuit (IC) contains components built on a Silicon die. (2002-07-15)
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. Voltaiccircle or circuit. See under Circuit. To square the circle. See under Square. Syn: Ring; circlet; compass; circuit; inclosure.
Cir"cuit\, n. [F. circuit, fr. L. circuitus, fr. circuire or circumire to go around; circum around + ire to go.]1. The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution; as, the periodical circuit of the earth round the sun. --Watts. 2. The circumference of, or distance round, any space; the measure of a line round an area. The circuit or compass of Ireland is 1,800 miles. --J. Stow. 3. That which encircles anything, as a ring or crown. The golden circuit on my head. --Shak. 4. The space inclosed within a circle, or within limits. A circuit wide inclosed with goodliest trees. --Milton. 5. A regular or appointed journeying from place to place in the exercise of one's calling, as of a judge, or a preacher. 6. (a) (Law) A certain division of a state or country, established by law for a judge or judges to visit, for the administration of justice. --Bouvier. (b) (Methodist Church) A district in which an itinerant preacher labors. 7. Circumlocution. [Obs.] "Thou hast used no circuit of words." --Huloet. Circuit court (Law), a court which sits successively in different places in its circuit (see Circuit, 6). In the United States, the federal circuit courts are commonly presided over by a judge of the supreme court, or a special circuit judge, together with the judge of the district court. They have jurisdiction within statutory limits, both in law and equity, in matters of federal cognizance. Some of the individual States also have circuit courts, which have general statutory jurisdiction of the same class, in matters of State cognizance. Circuit or Circuityof action (Law), a longer course of proceedings than is necessary to attain the object in view. To make a circuit, to go around; to go a roundabout way. Voltaic or Galvaniccircuit or circle, a continous electrical communication between the two poles of a battery; an arrangement of voltaic elements or couples with proper conductors, by which a continuous current of electricity is established.
Cir"cuit\, n. [F. circuit, fr. L. circuitus, fr. circuire or circumire to go around; circum around + ire to go.]1. The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution; as, the periodical circuit of the earth round the sun. --Watts. 2. The circumference of, or distance round, any space; the measure of a line round an area. The circuit or compass of Ireland is 1,800 miles. --J. Stow. 3. That which encircles anything, as a ring or crown. The golden circuit on my head. --Shak. 4. The space inclosed within a circle, or within limits. A circuit wide inclosed with goodliest trees. --Milton. 5. A regular or appointed journeying from place to place in the exercise of one's calling, as of a judge, or a preacher. 6. (a) (Law) A certain division of a state or country, established by law for a judge or judges to visit, for the administration of justice. --Bouvier. (b) (Methodist Church) A district in which an itinerant preacher labors. 7. Circumlocution. [Obs.] "Thou hast used no circuit of words." --Huloet. Circuit court (Law), a court which sits successively in different places in its circuit (see Circuit, 6). In the United States, the federal circuit courts are commonly presided over by a judge of the supreme court, or a special circuit judge, together with the judge of the district court. They have jurisdiction within statutory limits, both in law and equity, in matters of federal cognizance. Some of the individual States also have circuit courts, which have general statutory jurisdiction of the same class, in matters of State cognizance. Circuit or Circuityof action (Law), a longer course of proceedings than is necessary to attain the object in view. To make a circuit, to go around; to go a roundabout way. Voltaic or Galvaniccircuit or circle, a continous electrical communication between the two poles of a battery; an arrangement of voltaic elements or couples with proper conductors, by which a continuous current of electricity is established.
the apparent diurnal revolution of the sun round the earth (Ps. 19:6), and the changes of the wind (Eccl. 1:6). In Job 22:14, "in the circuit of heaven" (R.V. marg., "on the vault of heaven") means the "arch of heaven," which seems to be bent over our heads.