circle
- Top 3000
Sense 1
- noun
- A1
A round flat shape whose edge is the same distance from the middle point all the way round.
The children sat in a circle and passed a ball around.
A wet glass left a dark circle on the wooden table.
She cut circles out of the dough with a small cup.
The moon looked like an almost perfect circle last night.
Common collocations: a perfect circle · draw a circle · sit in a circle · the centre of the circle
Part of: Shapes and sizes
Sense 2 · less common
- noun
- B2
A group of people who know each other well and often meet, work or talk together.
She has a small circle of close friends from her student years.
His name is well known in scientific circles around the world.
The news spread quickly through our circle of neighbours.
Common collocations: a circle of friends · a close circle · in business circles · widen your circle
Part of: Relationships, Talking to people
Sense 3 · less common
- verb
- B1
To draw a round line around something written on paper so that other people notice it.
Circle every word in the text that you do not know.
He circled the date of the concert on the calendar.
The doctor circled two results and asked me to come back.
Common collocations: circle the correct answer · circle in red · circle a date · circle the mistakes
Part of: School and teaching, Writing
Sense 4 · less common
- verb
- B2
To move all the way round something, often again and again, ending up where you began.
The plane circled the airport twice before it was allowed to land.
Two large birds circled slowly high above the quiet valley.
We circled the building three times looking for a parking space.
Common collocations: circle overhead · circle the airport · circle above something · keep circling
Part of: Directions, Exercise and fitness