I.
noun
1 shape
ADJECTIVE
▪ complete , full
▪
The stones form a complete ~.
▪
How long does it take for the dial to rotate through a full ~?
▪ concentric
▪ widening
▪
The water rippled in widening ~s around the fountain.
▪ overlapping
▪
a design of overlapping ~s
▪ tight
▪
He turned the car in a tight ~.
▪ half
▪ Antarctic , Arctic , polar
VERB + CIRCLE
▪ draw , trace
▪ describe ( technical ), go around in , go round in ( esp. BrE )
▪
If you follow the signs you find yourself going around in a ~.
▪ form , make
▪ cut out
PREPOSITION
▪ in a/the ~
▪
The children stood in a ~.
▪
The planets move in ~s around the sun.
▪ ~ of
PHRASES
▪ the area of a ~ , the circumference of a ~ , the diameter of a ~ , the radius of a ~
▪ the centre/center of a ~ , the middle of a ~
2 group of people
ADJECTIVE
▪ wide
▪
She has a wide ~ of acquaintances.
▪ narrow , small
▪ charmed , close , closed , elite , intimate , magic , select
▪
He invited only a select ~ of friends to the wedding.
▪ exalted , high
▪ immediate
▪
They treat anyone outside their immediate ~ with suspicion.
▪ inner
▪
He's joined the inner ~s of the court early in his career.
▪ academic , aristocratic , artistic , business , court , diplomatic , government , intellectual , literary , official , political , royal , scientific , social , theatrical ~s
▪
She moves in the highest social ~s.
▪ family
VERB + CIRCLE
▪ have
▪ move in
▪
My brother and I move in completely different ~s (= we have very different friends) .
▪ join
▪ expand , widen
▪
You need to widen your ~ of friends.
PREPOSITION
▪ in a/the ~
▪
Talk of religion was forbidden in the family ~.
▪
friends in government ~s
PHRASES
▪ a ~ of acquaintances , a ~ of admirers , a ~ of friends
3 ( BrE ) rows of seats in a theatre/theater
ADJECTIVE
▪ dress , upper
▪
My seat is in the front row of the dress ~.
II.
verb
1 move in a circle
ADVERB
▪ slowly
▪
The helicopter was circling slowly, very low.
▪ overhead
▪
A buzzard was circling overhead.
PREPOSITION
▪ above
▪
Several planes were circling above the airport.
▪ around , round ( esp. BrE )
▪
The vultures were already circling around the dead animal.
2 draw a circle around sth
PHRASES
▪ ~ sth in black, red, etc.
▪
She ~d her birthday in red on the calendar.
Circle is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ arm , ↑ bird , ↑ eagle , ↑ helicopter , ↑ seagull , ↑ shark , ↑ vulture
Circle is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ earth , ↑ globe , ↑ prey