Word Study
circulate
CIDE DICTIONARY
circulate, v. i. [L. circulatus, p. p. of circulare, v. t., to surround, make round, circulari, v. i., to gather into a circle. See Circle.].
- To move in a circle or circuitously; to move round and return to the same point; as, the blood circulates in the body. Boyle. [1913 Webster]
- To pass from place to place, from person to person, or from hand to hand; to be diffused; as, money circulates; a story circulates. [1913 Webster]
circulate, v. t.
To cause to pass from place to place, or from person to person; to spread; as, to circulate a report; to circulate bills of credit. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To spread; diffuse; propagate; disseminate.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
circulate, v.
1 intr. go round from one place or person etc. to the next and so on; be in circulation.
2 tr. a cause to go round; put into circulation. b give currency to (a report etc.). c circularize.
3 intr. be actively sociable at a party, gathering, etc.
1 intr. go round from one place or person etc. to the next and so on; be in circulation.
2 tr. a cause to go round; put into circulation. b give currency to (a report etc.). c circularize.
3 intr. be actively sociable at a party, gathering, etc.
Idiom
circulating library a small library with books lent to a group of subscribers in turn. circulating medium notes or gold etc. used in exchange.
Derivative
circulative adj. circulator n.
Etymology
L circulare circulat- f. circulus CIRCLE
THESAURUS
circulate
advertise, air, announce, become public, break, bring out, broadcast, bruit about, buzz about, circle, circuit, circuiteer, circumambulate, circummigrate, circumnavigate, circumrotate, circumvent, circumvolute, close the circle, come across with, come forth, come full circle, come out, compass, course, crank, cycle, deliver, deliver over, demonetize, describe a circle, devaluate, devalue, disseminate, distribute, divulge, encircle, encompass, find vent, flank, flow, fly about, fork over, forward, get about, get abroad, get afloat, get around, get exposure, girdle, girdle the globe, give in, give out, give over, go about, go around, go forth, go round, go the round, go the rounds, gyrate, gyre, hand, hand in, hand out, hand over, have currency, issue, lap, make a circuit, make known, noise abroad, orbit, pass, pass out, pass over, pirouette, pivot, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, put about, put out, reach, reissue, remonetize, render, report, resign, revalue, reveal, revolve, rotate, round, run, screw, see the light, skirt, spin, spiral, spread, spread about, spread like wildfire, surrender, surround, swing, swivel, transfer, turn, turn a pirouette, turn around, turn over, turn round, twist, utter, wamble, wheel, windROGET THESAURUS
circulate
Money
VB amount to, come to, mount up to, touch the pocket, draw, draw upon, indorse, issue, utter, discount, back, demonetize, remonetize, fiscalize, monetize, circulate, be in circulation, be out of circulation, mint (coins), coin, print (paper currency), inflate, deflate, debase, devalue, revalue, circulate, put in circulation, withdraw from circulation, exchange currencies, change money, charge interest, pay interest, lose interest, amount to, come to, mount up to, touch the pocket, draw, draw upon, indorse, issue, utter, discount, back, demonetize, remonetize, fiscalize, monetize, circulate, be in circulation, be out of circulation, mint (coins), coin, print (paper currency), inflate, deflate, debase, devalue, revalue, circulate, put in circulation, withdraw from circulation, exchange currencies, change money, charge interest, pay interest, lose interest.Circuition
VB turn, bend, wheel, go about, put about, heel, go round to the right about, turn round to the right about, turn on one's heel, make a circle, make a complete circle, describe a circle, describe a complete circle, go through 180 degrees, go through 360 degrees, pass through 180 degrees, pass through 360 degrees, circumnavigate, circumambulate, circumvent, put a girdle round about the earth, go the round, make the round of, wind, circulate, meander, whisk, twirl, twist, make a detour.Rotation
VB rotate, roll along, revolve, spin, turn round, circumvolve, circulate, gyre, gyrate, wheel, whirl, pirouette, twirl, trundle, troll, bowl, roll up, furl, wallow, welter, box the compass, spin like a top, spin like a teetotum, spin out.Publication
VB publish, make public, make known, speak of, talk of, broach, utter, put forward, circulate, propagate, promulgate, spread, spread abroad, rumor, diffuse, disseminate, evulugate, put forth, give forth, send forth, emit, edit, get out, issue, bring before the public, lay before the public, drag before the public, give out, give to the world, put about, bandy about, hawk about, buzz about, whisper about, bruit about, blaze about, drag into the open day, voice, proclaim, herald, blazon, blaze abroad, noise abroad, sound a trumpet, trumpet forth, thunder forth, give tongue, announce with beat of drum, announce with flourish of trumpets, proclaim from the housetops, proclaim at Charing Cross, advertise, placard, post, post up afficher, publish in the Gazette, send round the crier, raise a cry, raise a hue and cry, raise a report, set news afloat, be published, be public, become public, come out, go about, fly about, buzz about, blow about, get about, get abroad, get afloat, get wind, find vent, see the light, go forth, take air, acquire currency, pass current, go the rounds, go the round of the newspapers, go through the length and breadth of the land, virum volitare per ora, pass from mouth to mouth, spread, run like wildfire, spread like wildfire.For further exploring for "circulate" in Webster Dictionary Online