circus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cir=cus

CIDE DICTIONARY

circus, n. [L. circus circle, ring, circus (in sense 1). See Circle, and cf. Cirque.].

•  A level oblong space surrounded on three sides by seats of wood, earth, or stone, rising in tiers one above another, and divided lengthwise through the middle by a barrier around which the track or course was laid out. It was used for chariot races, games, and public shows.  [1913 Webster]

  " The Circus Maximus at Rome could contain more than 100,000 spectators."  Harpers' Latin Dict.  [1913 Webster]
•  A circular inclosure for the exhibition of feats of horsemanship, acrobatic displays, etc. Also, the company of performers, with their equipage.  [1913 Webster]
•  Circuit; space; inclosure.  [1913 Webster]

  "The narrow circus of my dungeon wall."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

circus, n. (pl. circuses)
1 a travelling show of performing animals, acrobats, clowns, etc.
2 colloq. a a scene of lively action; a disturbance. b a group of people in a common activity, esp. sport.
3 Brit. an open space in a town, where several streets converge (Piccadilly Circus).
4 a circular hollow surrounded by hills.
5 Rom. Antiq. a a rounded or oval arena with tiers of seats, for equestrian and other sports and games. b a performance given there (bread and circuses).

Etymology

L, = ring

DEVIL DICTIONARY

circus

n. A place where horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool.

THESAURUS

circus

Broadway, O, agora, amphitheater, annular muscle, annulus, arena, areola, athletic field, auditorium, aureole, background, bear garden, bowl, boxing ring, bull ring, burlesque, burlesque show, campus, canvas, carnival, chaplet, circle, circuit, circumference, closed circle, cockpit, coliseum, colosseum, coochie show, corona, coronet, course, crescent, crown, cycle, diadem, discus, disk, drama, entertainment industry, eternal return, fairy ring, fantoccini, field, floor, floor show, forum, galanty show, garland, girly show, glory, ground, gym, gymnasium, hall, halo, hippodrome, hootchy-kootchy show, lasso, leg show, legit, legitimate stage, light show, lists, locale, logical circle, loop, looplet, magic circle, magic show, marketplace, mat, milieu, noose, off Broadway, off-off-Broadway, ombres chinoises, open forum, orbit, palaestra, parade ground, peep show, pit, place, platform, playland, precinct, prize ring, public square, puppet show, purlieu, radius, range, raree-show, rep show, repertory drama, repertory show, ring, rodeo, rondelle, round, roundel, saucer, scene, scene of action, scenery, setting, shadow show, show biz, show business, sideshow, site, sphere, sphincter, squared circle, stadium, stage, stage set, stage setting, stage world, stagedom, stageland, stock, strawhat, strawhat circuit, summer stock, terrain, the big top, the boards, the footlights, the scenes, the stage, the theater, theater, theater world, theatromania, theatrophobia, tilting ground, tiltyard, variety, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vicious circle, walk, wheel, wreath, wrestling ring

ROGET THESAURUS

circus

The Drama

N the drama, the stage, the theater, the play, film the film, movies, motion pictures, cinema, cinematography, theatricals, dramaturgy, histrionic art, buskin, sock, cothurnus, Melpomene and Thalia, Thespis, play, drama, stage play, piece, five-act play, tragedy, comedy, opera, vaudeville, comedietta, lever de rideau, interlude, afterpiece, exode, farce, divertissement, extravaganza, burletta, harlequinade, pantomime, burlesque, opera bouffe, ballet, spectacle, masque, drame comedie drame, melodrama, melodrame, comidie larmoyante, sensation drama, tragicomedy, farcical-comedy, monodrame monologue, duologue trilogy, charade, proverbs, mystery, miracle play, musical, musical comedy, western, horse opera, flick, spy film, love story, adventure film, documentary, nature film, pornographic film, smoker, skin flick, X-rated film, act, scene, tableau, induction, introduction, prologue, epilogue, libretto, performance, representation, mise en scene, stagery, jeu de theatre, acting, gesture, impersonation, stage business, gag, buffoonery, light comedy, genteel comedy, low comedy, theater, playhouse, opera house, house, music hall, amphitheater, circus, hippodrome, theater in the round, puppet show, fantoccini, marionettes, Punch and Judy, auditory, auditorium, front of the house, stalls, boxes, pit, gallery, parquet, greenroom, coulisses, flat, drop, drop scene, wing, screen, side scene, transformation scene, curtain, act drop, proscenium, stage, scene, scenery, the boards, trap, mezzanine floor, flies, floats, footlights, offstage, orchestra, theatrical costume, theatrical properties, movie studio, back lot, on location, part, role, character, dramatis personae, repertoire, actor, thespian, player, method actor, stage player, strolling player, stager, performer, mime, mimer, artists, comedian, tragedian, tragedienne, Roscius, star, movie star, star of stage and screen, superstar, idol, sex symbol, supporting actor, supporting cast, ham, hamfatter, masker, pantomimist, clown harlequin, buffo, buffoon, farceur, grimacer, pantaloon, columbine, punchinello, pulcinello, pulcinella, extra, bit- player, walk-on role, cameo appearance, mute, figurante, general utility, super, supernumerary, company, first tragedian, prima donna, protagonist, jeune premier, debutant, debutante, light comedian, genteel comedian, low comedian, walking gentleman, amoroso, heavy father, ingenue, jeune veuve, mummer, guiser, guisard, gysart, masque, mountebank, Jack Pudding, tumbler, posture master, acrobat, contortionist, ballet dancer, ballet girl, chorus singer, coryphee danseuse, property man, costumier, machinist, prompter, call boy, manager, director, stage manager, acting manager, producer, entrepreneur, impresario, backer, investor, angel, dramatic author, dramatic writer, play writer, playwright, dramatist, mimographer, dramatic, theatric, theatrical, scenic, histrionic, comic, tragic, buskined, farcical, tragicomic, melodramatic, operatic, stagy, on the stage, on the boards, on film, before the floats, before an audience, behind the scenes, fere totus mundus exercet histrionem, suit the action to the word, the word to the action, the play's the thing, to wake the soul by tender strokes of art.

Arena

N arena, field, platform, scene of action, theater, walk, course, hustings, stare, boards, amphitheater, Coliseum, Colosseum, Flavian amphitheater, hippodrome, circus, race course, corso, turf, cockpit, bear garden, playground, gymnasium, palestra, ring, lists, tiltyard, tilting ground, Campus Martins, Champ de Allars, campus, boxing ring, canvas, theater of war, seat of war, battle-field, battle-ground, field of battle, field of slaughter, Aceldama, camp, the enemy's camp, trusting place.

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.