circuit: Meaning and Definition of

cir•cuit

Pronunciation: (sûr'kit), [key]
— n.
  1. an act or instance of going or moving around.
  2. a circular journey or one beginning and ending at the same place; a round.
  3. a roundabout journey or course.
  4. 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.
  5. the persons making such a journey.
  6. the route followed, places visited, or district covered by such a journey.
  7. the line going around or bounding any area or object; the distance about an area or object.
  8. the space within a bounding line; district: the circuit of the valley.
    1. Also calledelectric circuit.the complete path of an electric current, including the generating apparatus, intervening resistors, or capacitors.
    2. any well-defined segment of a complete circuit.
  9. a means of transmitting communication signals or messages, usually comprising two channels for interactive communication. Cf. channel (def. 12).
  10. a number of theaters, nightclubs, etc., controlled by the same owner or manager or visited in turn by the same entertainers or acting companies.
  11. a league or association: He used to play baseball for the Texas circuit.
  12. (of a judge) to travel a judicial county or district in order to conduct judicial proceedings.
—v.t.
  1. to go or move around; make the circuit of.
—v.i.
  1. to go or move in a circuit.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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