circle

Definition of circle

1a round plane figure whose boundary (the circumference) consists of points equidistant from a fixed point (the centre): draw a circle with a compass
something in the shape of a circle:the lamp spread a circle of light they all sat round in a circle
a dark circular mark below each eye caused by illness or tiredness: she was pale and rather beautiful, with dark circles around deep, exhausted eyes
British a curved upper tier of seats in a theatre or cinema: she sat in the front row of the circle
Hockeyshort for striking circle.

2a group of people with a shared profession, interests, or acquaintances:she did not normally move in such exalted circles

[with object]

move all the way around (someone or something), especially more than once:they were circling Athens airport (as adjective circling)a circling helicopter [no object]:we circled round the island
[no object] (circle back) move in a wide loop back towards one’s starting point:he paced away from her, then circled back
form a ring around:the abbey was circled by a huge wall
draw a line around:circle the correct answers

Phrases

circle the wagons: North American informal unite in defence of a common interest: the Lakers quickly circled the wagons, against the Spurs and the crowd
[with reference to the defensive position of a wagon train under attack]
come (or turn) full circle: return to a past position or situation, especially in a way considered to be inevitable: the region is being forced to come full circle and repeat the errors of its tragic past now it seems the wheel has turned full circle—the western is being revived
[with reference to Shakespeare's King Lear v. iii. 165, ‘The Wheele is come full circle’: by association with the wheel represented in mythology and literature as turned by Fortune and symbolizing mutability]
go (or run) round in circles: informal do something for a long time without achieving anything but purposeless repetition:the discussion went round and round in circles

Old English, from Old French cercle, from Latin circulus 'small ring', diminutive of circus 'ring'

Definition of circle in the US English dictionary