Part 248

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.

Cir"cled (?), a. Having the form of a circle; round. "Monthly changes in her circled orb." Shak.

Cir"cler (?), n. A mean or inferior poet, perhaps from his habit of wandering around as a stroller; an itinerant poet. Also, a name given to the cyclic poets. See under Cyclic, a. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Cir"clet (?), n. 1. A little circle; esp., an ornament for the person, having the form of a circle; that which encircles, as a ring, a bracelet, or a headband.

Her fair locks in circlet be enrolled. Spenser.

2. A round body; an orb. Pope.

Fairest of stars . . . that crown'st the smiling morn With thy bright circlet. Milton.

3. A circular piece of wood put under a dish at table. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Cir"co*cele (?), n. See Cirsocele.

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.