The Collaborative International Dictionary
Circuit \Cir"cuit\, n. [F. circuit, fr. L. circuitus, fr. circuire or circumire to go around; circum around + ire to go.]
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.-
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. -
That which encircles anything, as a ring or crown.
The golden circuit on my head.
--Shak. -
The space inclosed within a circle, or within limits.
A circuit wide inclosed with goodliest trees.
--Milton. A regular or appointed journeying from place to place in the exercise of one's calling, as of a judge, or a preacher.
(Law) A certain division of a state or country, established by law for a judge or judges to visit, for the administration of justice.
--Bouvier.(Methodist Church) A district in which an itinerant preacher labors.
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Circumlocution. [Obs.] ``Thou hast used no circuit of words.''
--Huloet.Circuit court (Law), a court which sits successively in different places in its circuit (see Circuit, 6). In the United States, the federal circuit courts are commonly presided over by a judge of the supreme court, or a special circuit judge, together with the judge of the district court. They have jurisdiction within statutory limits, both in law and equity, in matters of federal cognizance. Some of the individual States also have circuit courts, which have general statutory jurisdiction of the same class, in matters of State cognizance.
Circuit of action or Circuity of action (Law), a longer course of proceedings than is necessary to attain the object in view.
To make a circuit, to go around; to go a roundabout way.
Voltaic circle or Galvanic circle or Voltaic circuit or Galvanic circuit, a continous electrical communication between the two poles of a battery; an arrangement of voltaic elements or couples with proper conductors, by which a continuous current of electricity is established.
Usage examples of "to make a circuit".
He rose from his seat, and started to make a circuit of Auriga's little control room.
Cub gestured irritably, though for a moment he was tempted to challenge OX to make a circuit for the attempt.
Gerlock, eerily suspended between deck and ceiling, was starting to make a circuit of the port, starboard and stern walls of the cabin, using his flashlight to study every square foot of wall space.
Sean spread out their wet clothing and equipment to dry while Matatu slipped away to make a circuit of the island.
Then the thing turned to make a circuit of the valley, presenting its broadside to the human observers.
The place was horribly haunted by clouds of mosquitoes and every form of flying pest, so we were glad to find solid ground again and to make a circuit among the trees, which enabled us to outflank this pestilent morass, which droned like an organ in the distance, so loud was it with insect life.
Insigna said, If its a circular orbit, it would take Nemesis just over fifty million years to make a circuit about the Sun, or, more properly, about the center of gravity of the system, with the Sun making a similar circuit.