circular

Word family

cir·cu·lar1 /ˈsɜːkjələ $ ˈsɜːrkjələr/ adjectiveadj

1 CIRCLEshaped like a circle 圆形的，环形的

a circular table

圆桌

2 AROUND/ROUNDmoving around in a circle 循环的；环行的

a circular bus route

环行公共汽车路线

3. circular argument/logic/reasoning THINK something/HAVE A THOUGHTan argument or way of thinking that is not right because the statement it uses to prove that the argument is true can only be true if the original argument is already true 循环论证/逻辑/推理

Examples from the Corpus

circular argument/logic/reasoning• Clearly the more elaborate the dress, the more dress-fasteners required, although there is here the danger of a circular argument.• Failure to recognize this leads to circular arguments.• The Court refused to allow itself to be caught in a circular argument as to which State needed to waive immunity first.• The irony in all this is the circular logic of what appears to be the new strategic competition.• Pupils can often fall back on a circular argument such as: Why is the relationship linear?• We start by talking about a problem of circular reasoning to motivate the diagram.• This appears to be a circular argument, typical of closed-belief systems.

—circularity /ˌsɜːkjəˈlærəti $ ˌsɜːr-/ noun [uncountableU]

Examples from the Corpus

circular• The level I have in mind is circular.• Attached to one side was an enormous circular blade; a startling silver against the gloom.• The interior of the circular cella is a masterpiece of construction and lighting effect.• The villa has a circular courtyard with rooms leading off it in all directions.• The cattle are kept in a large circular enclosure.• The frigidarium is small and circular in plan.• Rather, I think the measure should be circular, like the face of a clock.• With shoes off, make a circular motion with the feet to the count of 10, Levi suggested.• the moon's circular orbit• The planets follow almost circular orbits around the sun.• The procession follows a circular route through the town, and finishes back in the park.• Hold up the circular strip and ask the students how many sides it has.

Related topics: Newspapers, printing, publishing

circular2 noun [countableC]

TCNa printed advertisement, notice etc that is sent to lots of people at the same time 〔同时发送给很多人的〕广告印刷品；通告

Examples from the Corpus

circular• It is not a circular slipped under your door to which you may or may not respond with a pre-paid envelope.• Central Government publish general advice on a wide range of planning issues through planning policy guidance notes and circulars.• Publishers often distribute, in addition to catalogues, circulars about individual books or series.• The Patten plan, detailed in a Government draft circular, risks further heightening confrontation with teachers already boycotting national curriculum tests.• Still, make sure that it's mentioned in the next circular, lad.• Robotic bureaucrats do not look through the Sunday shopping circulars to find the lowest prices.• In view of the threat of expulsions contained in these circulars, Labour supporters of Unity had to reconsider their position.

From Longman Business Dictionary

circularcir·cu·lar /ˈsɜːkələˈsɜːrkjələr/ noun [countableC]MARKETING

an official letter or advertisement sent to a lot of people

The government’s instructions were issued to local authorities via circulars.

a circular letter sent out by one insurance company, urging people to ‘Act Now And Beat The Tax Man’

Origin circular1

(1300-1400) Old French circuler, from Late Latin circularis, from Latin circulus; → CIRCLE1

cir·cu·lar1 adjectiveadjcircular2 noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus