Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Circus"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Circus \Cir"cus\, n.; pl. {Circuses}. [L. circus circle, ring,
circus (in sense 1). See {Circle}, and cf. {Cirque}.]
1. (Roman Antiq.) 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.
Note: The Circus Maximus at Rome could contain more than
100,000 spectators. --Harpers' Latin Dict.
2. A circular inclosure for the exhibition of feats of
horsemanship, acrobatic displays, etc. Also, the company
of performers, with their equipage.
3. Circuit; space; inclosure. [R.]
The narrow circus of my dungeon wall. --Byron.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
circus
n 1: a travelling company of entertainers; including trained
animals; "he ran away from home to join the circus"
2: performance given by a traveling company of acrobats clowns
and trained animals; "the children always love to go to
the circus"
3: a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance
suggestive of a circus or carnival; "it was so funny it
was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival
atmosphere" [syn: {carnival}]
4: (ancient Rome) an open-air stadium for chariot races and
gladiatorial games
5: an arena consisting of an oval or circular area enclosed by
tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent; "they used
the elephants to help put up the circus"
6: a genus of haws comprising the harriers [syn: {Circus}, {genus
Circus}]
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