2. (Naut.) The art of managing a vessel; seamanship;
navigation; as, globular sailing; oblique sailing.
Note: For the several methods of sailing, see under
{Circular}, {Globular}, {Oblique}, {Parallel}, etc.
{Sailing master} (U. S. Navy), formerly, a warrant officer,
ranking next below a lieutenant, whose duties were to
navigate the vessel; and under the direction of the
executive officer, to attend to the stowage of the hold,
to the cables, rigging, etc. The grade was merged in that
of master in 1862.
2. To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a
water fowl.
3. To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water; as,
they sailed from London to Canton.
4. To set sail; to begin a voyage.
5. To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air
without apparent exertion, as a bird.
As is a winged messenger of heaven, . . . When he
bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, And sails upon the
bosom of the air. --Shak.
2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point
of beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular
reasoning.
3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence,
mean; inferior. See {Cyclic poets}, under {Cyclic}.
Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered
to history, how could the Romans have had Dido?
--Dennis.
4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a
common interest; circulated, or intended for circulation;
as, a circular letter.
A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless
circular throughout England. --Hallam.
A man so absolute and circular In all those
wished-for rarities that may take A virgin captive.
--Massinger.
{Circular are}, any portion of the circumference of a circle.
{Circular cubics} (Math.), curves of the third order which
are imagined to pass through the two circular points at
infinity.
{Circular functions}. (Math.) See under {Function}.
{Circular instruments}, mathematical instruments employed for
measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round
the whole circumference of a circle, or 360[deg].
{Circular lines}, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as
sines, tangents, secants, etc.
{Circular} {note or letter}.
(a) (Com.) See under {Credit}.
(b) (Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a
number of persons.
{Circular numbers} (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in
the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose
squares are 25 and 36. --Bailey. --Barlow.
{Circular points at infinity} (Geom.), two imaginary points
at infinite distance through which every circle in the
plane is, in the theory of curves, imagined to pass.
{Circular polarization}. (Min.) See under {Polarization}.
{Circular or Globular} {sailing} (Naut.), the method of
sailing by the arc of a great circle.
{Circular saw}. See under {Saw}.