/ ˈsɜːkjəleɪt; NAmE ˈsɜːrk-/ verb
1.
when a liquid, gas, or air circulates or is circulated , it moves continuously around a place or system :
[ v ]
The condition prevents the blood from circulating freely.
[ vn ]
Cooled air is circulated throughout the building.
2.
if a story, an idea, information, etc. circulates or if you circulate it, it spreads or it is passed from one person to another :
[ v ]
Rumours began to circulate about his financial problems.
[also vn ]
3.
[ vn ] circulate sth (to sb) to send goods or information to all the people in a group :
The document will be circulated to all members.
4.
[ v ] to move around a group, especially at a party, talking to different people
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WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (as an alchemical term meaning distil something in a closed container, allowing condensed vapour to return to the original liquid ): from Latin circulat- moved in a circular path, from the verb circulare , from circulus small ring, diminutive of circus ring.Sense 1 dates from the mid 17th cent.