circus

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cir·cus

(sûr′kəs)

a. A public entertainment consisting typically of a variety of performances by acrobats, clowns, and often trained animals.

b. A traveling company that performs such entertainments.

c. A circular arena, surrounded by tiers of seats and often covered by a tent, in which such shows are performed.

2. A roofless oval enclosure surrounded by tiers of seats that was used in antiquity for public spectacles.

3. Chiefly British An open circular place where several streets intersect.

4. Informal Something suggestive of a circus, as in frenetic activity or noisy disorder: "I was amazed at the amount of hubbub in the lobby ... it was a circus. The check-in area brought to mind a mustering station on a foundering cruise ship" (Bill Bryson).

[Middle English, round arena, from Latin, circus, circle; see circle.]

cir′cus·y adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

circus

(ˈsɜːkəs)

n, pl -cuses

1. a travelling company of entertainers such as acrobats, clowns, trapeze artistes, and trained animals

2. a public performance given by such a company

3. an oval or circular arena, usually tented and surrounded by tiers of seats, in which such a performance is held

4. (General Sporting Terms) a travelling group of professional sportsmen: a cricket circus.

5. (Historical Terms) (in ancient Rome)

a. an open-air stadium, usually oval or oblong, for chariot races or public games

b. the games themselves

6. (Human Geography)

a. an open place, usually circular, in a town, where several streets converge

b. (capital when part of a name): Piccadilly Circus.

7. informal noisy or rowdy behaviour

8. informal a person or group of people whose behaviour is wild, disorganized, or (esp unintentionally) comic

[C16: from Latin, from Greek kirkos ring]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cir•cus

(ˈsɜr kəs)

n., pl. -cus•es.

a. a large public show or entertainment featuring performing animals, clowns, feats of skill and daring, pageantry, etc.

b. the physical equipment, personnel, etc., of such a show.

c. the place where such a show is held, usu. a circular arena surrounded by tiers of seats, often in a tent.

2. (in ancient Rome)

a. a large, usu. U-shaped or oval roofless enclosure with tiers of seats on three or all sides, for chariot races, public games, etc.

b. a game or spectacle presented in such an arena.

3. Brit. an open circle or plaza where several streets converge.

4. a display of rowdy sport or wild activity.

[1350–1400; < Latin: circular region of the sky, oval space for games, akin to (or <) Greek kírkos ring]

cir′cus•y, adj.

circus

- Latin for "ring," its first use was for the arena of Roman antiquity, an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent.

circus

1. A hippodrome for horse and chariot racing.

2. A circular arrangement of terraced houses, as in Bath, England.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	circus - a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals; "he ran away from home to join the circus" troupe, company - organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical); "the traveling company all stayed at the same hotel"
	2.	circus - a performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals; "the children always love to go to the circus" three-ring circus - a circus with simultaneous performances in three rings show - the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining; "a remarkable show of skill"
	3.	circus - a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment; "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere" carnival disturbance - the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion
	4.	circus - (antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games sports stadium, stadium, arena, bowl - a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments capital of Italy, Eternal City, Italian capital, Rome, Roma - capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire antiquity - the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe
	5.	circus - an arena consisting of an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent; "they used the elephants to help put up the circus" scene of action, arena - a playing field where sports events take place big top, circus tent, round top, top - a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance; "he was afraid of a fire in the circus tent"; "they had the big top up in less than an hour"
	6.	Circus - a genus of haws comprising the harriers genus Circus bird genus - a genus of birds Accipitridae, family Accipitridae - hawks; Old World vultures; kites; harriers; eagles harrier - hawks that hunt over meadows and marshes and prey on small terrestrial animals Circus Aeruginosus, marsh harrier - Old World harrier frequenting marshy regions Circus pygargus, Montagu's harrier - brownish European harrier Circus cyaneus, hen harrier, marsh hawk, northern harrier - common harrier of North America and Europe; nests in marshes and open land

Translations

سِركسِرْكملتقى مُلْتَقى شَوارع في مَدينه، مَيْدان

cirkuskruhové náměstí

cirkusrunddelcircus

Zirkus Platz

τσίρκο

circo

sirkus

cirque rond-point chapiteau

cirkus

cirkuszkörtér

hringleikahús, sirkushringtorg

circo piazza circolare piazzale

サーカス

서커스

apskrita aikštėcirkas

apaļš laukumscirks

cerc

cirkus

โรงละครสัตว์

sirk meydan

rạp xiếc

十字路口的圆形广场马戏团马戏场

circus

[ˈsɜːkəs] N (circuses (pl))

1. (= entertainment) → circo m

2. (in place names) → plaza f, glorieta f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

circus

[ˈsɜː^rkəs]

n (= entertainment) → cirque m

modif [ring, act, performer, animal] → de cirque

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

circus

n → Zirkus m; (in place names) → Platz m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

circus

[ˈsɜːkəs] n (entertainment) → circo usu Circus: street name → piazza (di forma circolare)

circus

(ˈsəːkəs) – plural ˈcircuses – noun

1. a travelling show with performances by horsemen, acrobats, animals etc. The children went to the circus.

2. an open space in a town etc where several roads meet. Piccadilly Circus.

circus

→ سِرْك cirkus cirkus Zirkus τσίρκο circo sirkus cirque cirkus circo サーカス 서커스 circus sirkus cyrk circo цирк cirkus โรงละครสัตว์ sirk rạp xiếc 马戏场

References in classic literature ?

I ain't opposed to spending money on circuses when there ain't no other way, but there ain't no use in WASTING it on them.

I don't know; there may be bullier circuses than what that one was, but I never struck them yet.

View in context

'As if, with my head in its present throbbing state, you couldn't go and look at the shells and minerals and things provided for you, instead of circuses!' said Mrs.

View in context

A Bill banning the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Wales is expected to be laid before the National Assembly today.

Parliament looks at circus animals ban; STAR BRIEFING

We have learned about what circuses were like in the past and what they are like now.

P1 Joins THE circus; clowning around and learning!

Circuses have been described as some of the greatest shows on earth and in the past were very popular.

Roll up, roll up: The circus comes to town in 1920 (part one)

Tickets for visiting circuses were sold through the Fenwick store on Northumberland Street, and Mr Arthur, as he was known, would arrange for staff visits to circus performances.

Roll up, roll up as store celebrates its circus links

The future of the circus - one of only two travelling circuses with wild animals in the UK - has been confirmed by the Welsh Governement.

Circus criticised by protesters after footage shows horse displaying 'stressful behaviour'; RSPCA Cymru says the video indicates "poor welfare" - but the ringmistress has defended the circus

Boycott circuses with animals IN human societies, animal-based circus acts have no place.

Boycott circuses with animals; LETTERS

Judkins took over after the previous owner, John Ringling North II the last Ringling still working with circuses was forced to sell the business amid declining ticket sales and the public's outrage over cruel animal acts.

There Is Still Work To Be Done On Circuses

The book focuses on business practices of traveling circus shows, especially the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses. It simultaneously looks at circus employees in the larger context of the history of US workers, and places circus owners in the context of the history of corporate America, demonstrating that the circus was a modern workplace impacted by the same factors that affected other industries during the period, such as the growth of railroads and monopolies.

Circus Life: Performing and Laboring Under America's Big Top Shows, 1830-1920

A decade ago, just a handful of countries had banned the use of wild animals in circuses. Today, more than 40 countries have passed some sort of legislation against the use of wild animals for entertainment, including roughly three-fourths of the European Union.

The Show Cannot Go On

CITE

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