INDEX:
1. a circle
2. shaped like a circle
3. shaped like a circle but with two slightly flat sides
4. something that is shaped like a circle
5. to draw a circle around something
6. half a circle
RELATED WORDS
go around, move in a circle : ↑ AROUND/ROUND
shaped like a ball : ↑ ROUND
see also
↑ SHAPE
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1. a circle
▷ circle /ˈsɜːʳk ə l/ [countable noun]
an area or line that is in the shape of a circle :
▪ The teacher drew a circle on the blackboard.
▪ The circle of stones at Stonehenge is thought to have originally been a temple.
▪ The flashlight threw a dim circle of light onto the wall.
in a circle
in a shape like a circle
▪ We all stood in a circle and tossed the ball to each other.
form a circle
to make a group of people or things in the shape of a circle
▪ I want you to form two circles, one inside the other. Boys on the outside, girls on the inside.
▷ ring /rɪŋ/ [countable noun]
a line that is in the shape of a circle, especially of people or things surrounding something :
▪ The cottage was surrounded by a ring of trees.
▪ The cup left a dark ring on the table.
▪ The hostage’s wrists had red rings on them where the ropes had been pulled tight.
in a ring
in a shape like a circle
▪ The children sat around him in a ring, eager to hear his story.
▷ loop /luːp/ [countable noun]
a shape like a curve or a circle made by a line curving back towards itself :
▪ The road goes round in a loop and rejoins the main road about 2 kilometres past the town.
2. shaped like a circle
▷ round /raʊnd/ [adjective]
shaped like a circle :
▪ In the kitchen there was a round table with a vase of flowers on it.
▪ Violet stared at him with her huge round eyes.
▪ The moon was perfectly round that night.
▷ circular /ˈsɜːʳkjɑləʳ/ [adjective]
shaped like a circle, or moving in the shape of a circle :
▪ The cattle are kept in a large enclosure surrounded by a circular fence.
▪ The villa has a circular courtyard with rooms leading off it in all directions.
▪ The procession follows a circular route through the town, and finishes back in the park.
3. shaped like a circle but with two slightly flat sides
▷ oval /ˈəʊv ə l/ [adjective]
▪ In the dining room is a highly polished oval table with matching chairs.
▪ She was a pretty woman with an oval face.
▷ egg-shaped /ˈeg ʃeɪpt/ [adjective]
shaped like an egg, slightly wider at one end :
▪ The chocolates are egg-shaped and full of nuts.
▷ elliptical /ɪˈlɪptɪk ə l/ [adjective]
shaped like a circle but with two slightly flat sides :
▪ The earth moves around the sun in an elliptical orbit.
▪ A striking feature of this architectural style is the elliptical windows.
4. something that is shaped like a circle
▷ ring /rɪŋ/ [countable noun]
an object that is in the shape of a circle with a large round space in the middle :
▪ Cut the onion into rings and fry in a little oil.
▪ You have to throw the wooden rings so that they land around the bottles.
▪ He sat in a corner blowing smoke rings.
▷ disk also disc British /dɪsk/ [countable noun]
an object that is in the shape of a flat circle :
▪ He gazed up at the pale yellow disk of the moon.
▪ Each player chooses a coloured disk and places it on the board in the space marked ‘go’.
▷ loop /luːp/ [countable noun]
something such as a piece of string or wire that is curved round to make a shape almost like a circle :
▪ The gate was attached to the post by a loop of rusty wire.
▪ Pull the end of the string through the loop and tighten.
5. to draw a circle around something
▷ circle/ring /ˈsɜːʳk ə l, rɪŋ/ [transitive verb]
to draw a circle around something that is written or drawn on a page, especially in order to make it easier to see or notice :
▪ Two of the advertisements in the paper had been circled.
▪ Someone had ringed all the important landmarks on the map in pencil.
6. half a circle
▷ semicircle /ˈsemɪˌsɜːʳk ə l/ [countable noun]
▪ Behind the beach is a huge semicircle of limestone cliffs.
in a semicircle
▪ The teacher had arranged the desks in a semicircle.
semicircular /ˌsemɪˈsɜːʳkjɑləʳ◂/ [adjective]
▪ We ate at a small semicircular table which stood against the wall.