circuit

plural circuits

1. The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle or orbit; a revolution

   In the future, he says, a focus on the hate circuit may open new avenues for treatment – including new drugs and psychotherapies – that target this and other specific circuits in the brain.

   2011 October 4, Amanda MacMillan, “Depressed brains may hate differently”, in CNN

   1 more example

   After 27 days the moon has made one circuit among the stars, moving from west to east. But in those 27 days the sun has likewise moved eastwardly, about 27 degrees. The moon, then, has to make one circuit and a little more in order to be again in the line joining the earth and sun, in order to be again 'new.'

   1904, Popular Science Monthly Volume 64, page 33

2. The circumference of, or distance around, any space; the measure of a line around an area.

   Circuit of the wall from the east to the West

   1598, John Stow, A Survay of London

   Synonyms: periplus

3. That which encircles anything, as a ring or crown.

   And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage Until the golden circuit on my head, Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams, Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.

   1590, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II, Act III, Scene I, line 351

4. The space enclosed within a circle, or within limits.

   A circuit wide enclosed with goodliest trees.

   1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

   1 more example

   "Fondling," she saith, "since I have hemm'd thee here Within the circuit of this ivory pale, I'll be a park, and thou shalt be my deer: Feed where thou wilt, on mountain, or in dale; Graze on my lips; and if those hills be dry, Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie."

   1592, William Shakespeare, Venus and Adonis, Stanza 39, line 229

5. businessEnclosed path of an electric current, usually designed for a certain function.

   The parts within these series and parallel sub-circuits may be arranged in different ways without changing what the circuit does. Large circuits are made of combinations of smaller series and parallel circuits.

   2017 October 28, “Snap Circuits Light”, in Snap Circuits, Elenco, page 9

6. A regular or appointed trip from place to place as part of one's job

   Having cut his teeth on London's take-no-prisoners comedy circuit he can handle hecklers too, sometimes with musical accompaniment; recent shows see him armed with a veritable chamber orchestra's worth of instruments, all of which he plays.

   2016 November 25, Jane Cornwell, “Bill Bailey: bird loving joker at the peak of his career”, in The Age

7. lawThe jurisdiction of certain judges within a state or country, whether itinerant or not.
8. abbreviationlawAbbreviation of circuit court.
9. MethodismThe basic grouping of local Methodist churches.
10. entertainmentA set of theaters among which the same acts circulate; especially common in the heyday of vaudeville.
11. hobbiesA track on which a race is held; a racetrack

    Interlagos is the 24th track Hamilton has won at in F1, which is more than any other driver in history. The only circuit on the current calendar that Hamilton hasn’t won at is Baku, which only joined the schedule this year.

    November 13 2016, Formula 1

12. obsoletecircumlocution

    circuite of words.

    1572, Richard Huloet, Huloets Dictionarie

13. ScientologyA thought that unconsciously goes round and round in a person's mind and controls that person.
14. graph theoryA closed trail.
15. A chain of cinemas/movie theaters.

    It again featured Edgar Simmons (the architect and chairman), John Ray (the builder), L. E. Agar (managing director) and J. G. Wainwright (head of a separate circuit of cinemas).

    2002, Allen Eyles, Keith Skone, Cinemas of Hertfordshire, page 61

    1 more example

    Mike Patrick commented on a theater chain he was considering buying and converting to 99 ¢ theaters with multiplex screens: I'm looking at a circuit of theaters in a major metropolitan area. Now the owner hasn't told me that it is for sale yet.

    1990, Arthur A. Thompson, Alonzo J. Strickland, Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, page 341

16. A single completion of all of the exercises in a circuit training regime.

present singular third person circuits · participle present circuiting · participle past circuited · past circuited

1. intransitiveobsoleteTo move in a circle; to go round; to circulate.

   perpetual Motion keep, / Quick circuiting ; nor dare they close their Eyes

   1708, [John Philips], “Book II”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 65

2. obsoletetransitiveTo travel around.

   Having circuited the air.

plural circuits

1. Various administrative divisions of imperial and early Republican China, including:
   1. historicalThe counties at the fringes of the empire, usually with a non-Chinese population, from the Han to the Western Jin.
   2. historicalThe 10 or so major provinces of the empire from the Tang to the early Yuan.
   3. historicalMajor provincial divisions from the Yuan to early Republican China.