Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CIR-CUM-DUCT', v.t. [L. circumduco; circum, round, and duco, to lead.]

To contravene; to nullify; a term of civil law. [Little used.] – Ayliffe.

CIR-CUM-DUC'TION, n.

1. A leading about. [Little used.] – Hooker.
2. An annulling; cancellation. [Little used.] – Ayliffe.

CIR'CUM-FER, v.t. [L. circumfero.]

To bear or carry round. [Not in use.] – Bacon.

CIR-CUM'FER-ENCE, n. [L. circumferentia, from circum, round, and fero, to carry.]

1. The line that bounds a circle; the exterior line of a circular body; the whole exterior surface of a round body; a periphery. – Newton. Milton.
2. The space included in a circle. – Milton. Dryden.
3. An orb; a circle; any thing circular or orbicular; as in Milton, speaking of a shield, The broad circumference / Hung on his shoulders like the moon.

CIR-CUM'FER-ENCE, v.t.

To include in a circular space. [Not used.] – Brown.

CIR-CUM-FE-REN'TIAL, a.

Pertaining to the circumference. – Parkhurst.

CIR-CUM-FE-REN'TOR, n.

An instrument used by surveyors for taking angles. It consists of a brass index, and circle, all of a piece; on the circle is a chart, divided into 360 degrees. There are also two sights to screw on and slide up and down the index; also a spangle and socket screwed on the back side of the circle to put the head of the staff in. – Encyc.

CIR'CUM-FLECT, v.t.

To place the circumflex on a word.

CIR'CUM-FLECT-ED, pp.

Having the circumflex.

CIR'CUM-FLECT-ING, ppr.

Placing the circumflex on a word.

CIR'CUM-FLEX, n. [L. circumflexus; circum, round, and flecto, to bend.]

In grammar, an accent serving to note or distinguish a syllable of an intermediate sound between acute and grave; marked in Greek thus ˆ . It is a kind of undulation in the voice, but not used in English.

CIR'CUM-FLEX, v.t.

To mark or pronounce with the accent called a circumflex. – Walker.

CIR-CUM'FLU-ENCE, n. [L. circumfluens; circum, round, and fluo, to flow.]

A flowing round on all sides; an inclosure of waters.

CIR-CUM'FLU-ENT, a.

Flowing round; surrounding as a fluid; as, circumfluent waves. – Pope.

CIR-CUM'FLU-OUS, a. [L. circumfluus. See Circumfluence.]

Flowing round; encompassing as a fluid; circumfluent. – Milton. Pope.

CIR-CUM-FO-RA'NE-AN, or CIR-CUM-FO-RA'NE-OUS, a. [L. circumforaneus; circum, around, and foris, a door, or abroad.]

Going about; walking or wandering from house to house; as, a circumforaneous fiddler or piper; circumforaneous wits. Addison, Spect. 47. Circumforaneous musicians, male and female, are daily seen at the doors of hotels, in France; and sometimes they enter the room, where a company is dining, and entertain them with music; expecting a franc or a few sous as a reward. – W.

CIR-CUM-FUSE', v.t. [s. as z. L. circumfusus; circum and fundo, fusus, to pour.]

1. To pour round; to spread round, as a fluid. – Bacon.
2. To spread round; to surround. – Milton.

CIR-CUM-FU'SILE, a. [L. circum, and fusilis, that may be melted.]

That may be poured or spread round; as, circumfusile gold. – Pope.

CIR-CUM-FU'SION, n. [See Circumfuse.]

The act of pouring or spreading round; the state of being poured round. – Johnson.

CIR-CUM-GES-TA'TION, n. [L. circum and gestatio.]

A carrying about. – Taylor.

CIR-CUM'GY-RATE, or CIR-CUM-GYRE', n. [L. circum, and gyrus, a turning round.]

To roll or turn round. [Little used.] – Ray.

CIR-CUM-GY-RA'TION, n.

The act of turning, rolling, or whirling round; the turning of a limb in its socket. – Quincy. Cheyne.

CIR-CUM-JA'CENT, a. [L. circumjacens; circum and jaceo, to lie.]

Lying round; bordering on every side. – Johnson.

CIR-CUM-LI-GA'TION, n. [L. circumligo, to bind round; circum and ligo, to bind.]

The act of binding round; the bond with which any thing is encompassed. – Johnson.

CIR-CUM-LO-CU'TION, n. [L, circumlocutio; circum and locutio, a speaking, loquor, to speak.]

A circuit or compass of words; a periphrase; the use of a number of words to express an idea, when a suitable term is not at hand, or when a speaker chooses to avoid the use of a single term, either from delicacy or respect, or with a view to soften the force of a direct expression, or for other reason.