circuit: Meaning and Definition of
cir•cuit
Pronunciation: (sûr'kit), [key]
— n.
- an act or instance of going or moving around.
- a circular journey or one beginning and ending at the same place; a round.
- a roundabout journey or course.
- a periodical journey from place to place, to perform certain duties, as by judges to hold court, ministers to preach, or salespeople covering a route.
- the persons making such a journey.
- the route followed, places visited, or district covered by such a journey.
- the line going around or bounding any area or object; the distance about an area or object.
- the space within a bounding line; district: the circuit of the valley.
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- Also calledelectric circuit.the complete path of an electric current, including the generating apparatus, intervening resistors, or capacitors.
- any well-defined segment of a complete circuit.
- a means of transmitting communication signals or messages, usually comprising two channels for interactive communication. Cf. channel (def. 12).
- a number of theaters, nightclubs, etc., controlled by the same owner or manager or visited in turn by the same entertainers or acting companies.
- a league or association: He used to play baseball for the Texas circuit.
- (of a judge) to travel a judicial county or district in order to conduct judicial proceedings.
—v.t.
- to go or move around; make the circuit of.
—v.i.
- to go or move in a circuit.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.