📖 C — The English dictionary · page 33

circumcision — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: the act of cutting off the foreskin of a boy or man.↗ Example: Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.'↗ (Torah EXO.4.26, JPS 1917)↗ · The Covenant of Circumcision was to be an outward and visible sign of the Divine promise made to Abraham and his offspring.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · The Hebrew word for circumcision is Mulah, MULH : note that MLH is also synonymous with DBR, dabar, — verbum or word.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗

circumference — Everyday, meaning 1: (maths) The distance all the way around the edge of a circle; the perimeter of a circle.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The distance around anything round: the circumference of a tree trunk, of the Earth.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: The edge or boundary of a round area.↗ Example: The circumference is the distance around a circle.↗ · A circle with a diameter of 10 cm has a circumference of about 31.4 cm.↗ · Measure the circumference of a tree with a tape measure.↗ · The Earth's circumference is about 40,000 kilometres.↗ · Wrap a string around the tin to find its circumference.↗ · (formal) Calculate the circumference given a radius of 7 cm (about 44 cm).↗ · Its ring was broad, and from its circumference the rays shot like whirling shafts of fire across the whole sky, flashing in changing radiance from green to red.↗

circumflex — Everyday, meaning 1: (language) A small mark like a little roof (^) written over a vowel in some languages, for example French «â, ê, î, ô, û» as in «forêt» or «hôpital».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science, rare) Bending around something, used for some nerves and blood vessels.↗ Example: In French, "forêt" has a circumflex on the e.↗ · The circumflex looks like a tiny roof over the letter.↗ · "Hôpital" has a circumflex where English has an s in "hospital".↗ · We learned three French accents: acute, grave and circumflex.↗ · On a keyboard you can type a circumflex with the ^ key.↗ · The circumflex in "crème brûlée" sits on the u.↗

circumlocution — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Circumlocution is using many words to say something that could be said simply, often to avoid saying it directly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A circumlocution is one such roundabout phrase.↗ Example: «Passed away» is a gentle circumlocution for «died».↗ · The minister's answer was pure circumlocution.↗ · Cut the circumlocution and tell me what happened.↗ · «Experiencing a cash-flow problem» is a circumlocution for «having no money».↗ · Good writers avoid circumlocution.↗ · His speech was full of circumlocution.↗

circumnavigate — Everyday, meaning 1: To sail, fly or travel all the way around something, especially the world or an island.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To find a way around a problem or obstacle.↗ Example: Magellan's crew were the first to circumnavigate the globe.↗ · We circumnavigated the lake on our bikes.↗ · She plans to circumnavigate the world in a small boat.↗ · We circumnavigated the puddle to keep our shoes dry.↗ · Pilots have circumnavigated the Earth in balloons.↗

circumnavigation — Everyday, meaning 1: A journey all the way around something, especially around the world by sea or air.↗ Example: The first circumnavigation of the globe took three years.↗ · Francis Drake completed a circumnavigation in 1580.↗ · Her solo circumnavigation took 72 days.↗ · A circumnavigation of the island takes a day by boat.↗ · Only 18 of Magellan's sailors survived the circumnavigation.↗

circumpolar — Everyday, meaning 1: Found around the North Pole or South Pole, or living in the regions near them.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (astronomy) Describing a star or group of stars that never sets below the horizon from a certain place, but circles around the pole star.↗ Example: From Scotland, the Plough is a circumpolar constellation.↗ · Circumpolar stars never set; they circle the pole star all night.↗ · The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows all around Antarctica.↗ · Inuit and Sami are circumpolar peoples.↗ · Polar bears are circumpolar animals.↗

circumscribed — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Limited or restricted: «a circumscribed life» is one with narrow limits.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (maths) Drawn around a shape so that it touches it: a circumscribed circle passes through every corner of a triangle or polygon.↗ Example: The teacher drew a circle circumscribed about the triangle.↗ · A circumscribed circle touches every corner of the square.↗ · Her freedom was circumscribed by strict rules.↗ · In the old days girls lived very circumscribed lives.↗ · The king's power was circumscribed by the law.↗ · Draw the circle that circumscribes the regular hexagon.↗

circumstance — Everyday, meaning 1: Circumstances are the facts or conditions around an event that affect what happens.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Someone's circumstances are their situation, especially how much money they have.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Under no circumstances» means never, not at all.↗ Example: Under no circumstances should you touch the hot oven.↗ · In the circumstances, you did very well.↗ · Due to circumstances beyond our control, the trip is cancelled.↗ · The detective looked at the circumstances of the crime.↗ · Their circumstances changed when Dad lost his job.↗ · Every circumstance pointed to the cat as the thief.↗ · Lots of the people in the Shi’ learned that song by heart, and they applied it to every kind of circumstance.↗

circumstances — Everyday, meaning 1: The facts or conditions that affect a situation or an event.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The money and living conditions a person has (in difficult circumstances).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Under no circumstances»: never, not at all.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Under/In the circumstances»: because of what has happened.↗ Example: Under no circumstances should you open the door to a stranger.↗ · Due to circumstances beyond our control, the trip is cancelled.↗ · In the circumstances, you did very well.↗ · The police are looking into the circumstances of the crash.↗ · The family lives in difficult circumstances.↗ · In some circumstances, you may need to call 999.↗ · The same measures will not suit all circumstances.↗

circumvent — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To find a clever way to avoid a rule, problem or difficulty, often in a way that is not quite fair.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To go around something that is in the way.↗ Example: He tried to circumvent the rules by using his brother's account.↗ · The engineers circumvented the problem with a new design.↗ · The army circumvented the mountains by marching along the coast.↗ · Circumventing school internet filters is against the rules.↗ · She found a way to circumvent the traffic jam.↗ · Good laws are hard to circumvent.↗ · But the watchful Nephele contrived to circumvent her cruel designs, and succeeded in getting the children out of the palace.↗

circus — Everyday, meaning 1: A circus is a travelling show, often in a big tent, with acrobats, clowns, jugglers and sometimes trained animals.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK) A circus is a round open place where several streets meet, as in Piccadilly Circus in London.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) A circus is a noisy, messy or silly situation: «The kitchen was a circus this morning.».↗ Example: We went to the circus and saw a juggler.↗ · The circus tent holds 400 people; 275 seats are full — how many are empty?↗ · The clown fell over and everyone laughed.↗ · Piccadilly Circus is busy with traffic.↗ · With five kids and a dog, breakfast is a circus.↗ · The circus came to town for a week.↗ · I’d much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again.”↗

cirrus — Everyday, meaning 1: Cirrus is a thin, wispy, white cloud high up in the sky, made of tiny ice crystals.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Cirrus clouds can look like feathers or horses' tails.↗ Example: Thin cirrus clouds streaked across the blue sky.↗ · Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals.↗ · Cirrus clouds are the highest common clouds.↗ · Some people call cirrus clouds «mares' tails».↗ · Draw a cirrus cloud on your weather chart.↗ · Cirrus clouds can mean the weather will change soon.↗

cistern — Everyday, meaning 1: The tank above or behind a toilet that holds water for flushing.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A tank, often in the loft or under the ground, that stores water for a house or building.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In old times and dry places, a large underground pool or tank for collecting rainwater.↗ Example: The toilet will not flush until the cistern fills up again.↗ · Dad lifted the lid of the cistern to fix the chain.↗ · The cold-water cistern is up in the loft.↗ · The ancient city kept rainwater in a great stone cistern.↗ · We visited a huge underground cistern with hundreds of columns.↗ · Water dripped from the cistern all night.↗ · On the farm, a cistern collects rain from the roof.↗ · Nevertheless a fountain or a cistern wherein is a gathering of water shall be clean; but he who toucheth their carcass shall be unclean.↗ (Torah LEV.11.36, JPS 1917)↗ · and houses full of all good things, which thou didst not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which thou the didst not hew, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou didst not plant, and thou shalt eat and be satisfied — (Torah DEU.6.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.↗ (Writings PRO.5.15, JPS 1917)↗ · As a cistern welleth with her waters, so she welleth with her wickedness; violence and spoil is heard in her; before Me continually is sickness and wounds.↗ (Prophets JER.6.7, JPS 1917)↗ · For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.↗ (Prophets JER.2.13, JPS 1917)↗

citadel — Everyday, meaning 1: A strong fortress built on high ground above a town, to guard it against attack.↗ Example: The soldiers climbed up to the citadel.↗ · The king lived high in his citadel.↗ · The knight stormed the citadel at dawn.↗

citation — Everyday, meaning 1: A line of words quoted from a book, speech or writer (a quotation).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A reference that tells the reader exactly where information came from (author, title, page, website).↗ Everyday, meaning 3: An official written statement praising someone, for example for bravery.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (law, US) An official order to appear in court or a ticket for breaking a rule, such as a parking ticket.↗ Example: Every fact in your project needs a citation.↗ · The essay began with a citation from Martin Luther King Jr.↗ · The firefighter received a citation for bravery.↗ · The police officer gave the driver a citation for speeding.↗ · The citation listed the author, the year and the page.↗ · Copying without a citation is called plagiarism.↗ · Scientists count how many citations their papers get.↗

cite — Everyday, meaning 1: To cite something is to mention it as an example or reason.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To cite a book or website is to name it as where you got your information or to quote from it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (law) To cite someone is to name them officially in a court case.↗ Example: Remember to cite the websites you used.↗ · She cited three reasons for wanting a dog.↗ · The judge cited an earlier case.↗ · The report cites a study about sleep.↗ · Can you cite an example from the text?↗ · He was cited for bravery.↗

citizen — Everyday, meaning 1: A citizen is a person who legally belongs to a country and has its rights and duties.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A citizen is a person who lives in a town or city.↗ Example: She became an Australian citizen last year.↗ · Good citizens look after their community.↗ · All citizens over 18 can vote.↗ · Senior citizens get cheaper bus tickets.↗ · The citizens of the town planted trees in the park.↗ · Being a good citizen means helping others.↗ · "You are a citizen of illustrious Athens, are you not?" asked the Dolphin politely.↗

citizenry — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) All the citizens of a country, town or place, thought of as one group.↗ Example: Democracy needs an informed citizenry.↗ · The citizenry of ancient Athens voted in the assembly.↗ · The new law was welcomed by the citizenry.↗ · The mayor spoke to the whole citizenry of the town.↗ · A free press helps the citizenry know the truth.↗ · The citizenry gathered in the square to celebrate.↗

citizenship — Everyday, meaning 1: Citizenship is being a legal member of a country, with its rights and duties: «British citizenship».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Citizenship is how a good member of a community behaves: helping others, voting, obeying laws.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Citizenship is a school subject about laws, rights, democracy and community.↗ Example: She was given Canadian citizenship last year.↗ · In citizenship we learned how laws are made.↗ · Picking up litter shows good citizenship.↗ · Some people have dual citizenship.↗ · You need citizenship to vote in this country.↗ · We wrote about citizenship and kindness.↗

citric — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) To do with or coming from citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Citric acid is a weak acid found in citrus fruits, which gives them their sour taste.↗ Example: Lemons taste sour because of citric acid.↗ · Bath bombs fizz because citric acid reacts with baking soda.↗ · Citric acid is added to sour sweets.↗ · Our class tested citric acid with litmus paper.↗ · Limes contain a lot of citric acid.↗ · The label says «acid: citric acid».↗

citron — Everyday, meaning 1: A large, lemon-like citrus fruit with a very thick, bumpy rind, often candied and used in cakes.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (French) «citron» means «lemon» in French.↗ Example: A citron looks like a big, lumpy lemon.↗ · Candied citron peel goes into fruit cake.↗ · A citron has a very thick rind and little juice.↗ · At Sukkot, Jewish families hold a citron called an etrog.↗ · In Paris I ordered a «citron pressé», which is lemon juice with water.↗ · The citron is one of the ancestors of the lemon.↗ · The great yellow citrons hung down among the dark shining leaves, and covered a part of the old reddish-yellow walls.↗

citrus — Everyday, meaning 1: A group of fruit trees, and their juicy fruits with thick peel, such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.↗ Example: Oranges and lemons are citrus fruits.↗ · Citrus fruits are full of vitamin C.↗ · I love the smell of citrus.↗ · Sailors ate citrus fruit to stop scurvy.↗ · Lemon juice is acidic because it's a citrus.↗ · Citrus trees grow in warm places.↗