circuit
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the complete path that an electric current flows through.
a closed loop or path through which an electric current flows, typically including a power source and various components.
Simple“The lights went out because there was a problem with the electrical circuit.”
In context“The engineer identified a faulty capacitor that was causing the entire integrated circuit to overheat during high-speed processing.”
UsageOften used with 'short' to describe a fault where the current takes an unintended path.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a track used for racing cars, motorcycles, or bicycles.
a track or course, typically circular or looping, used for competitive racing.
Simple“The drivers completed fifty laps of the circuit before the rain started.”
In context“The Silverstone circuit is renowned among Formula One drivers for its high-speed corners and challenging technical sections.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a regular journey from place to place to do a job, like a judge or a performer.
a regular journey or series of visits made by a professional, such as a judge, preacher, or entertainer, to specific locations within a territory.
Simple“The comedian spent three months on the comedy club circuit across the country.”
In context“Before the establishment of permanent courts, judges traveled a fixed circuit to hear cases in rural districts twice a year.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrases 'judicial circuit' or 'lecture circuit'.
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a series of different exercises that you do one after another.
a form of conditioning or resistance training using high-intensity aerobics and several different exercises performed in a sequence.
Simple“Our gym instructor designed a difficult circuit that includes jumping jacks and weights.”
In context“To improve her cardiovascular endurance, she incorporated a twenty-minute circuit into her morning training regime three times a week.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
the act of moving all the way around something in a circle.
the act of moving or revolving around a central point or along a boundary; a single complete revolution.
Simple“The moon makes a slow circuit around the earth every month.”
In context“The hikers completed a full circuit of the lake, returning to their starting point just as the sun began to set.”
Synonyms
“Surface currents then carry some of this water back north, completing the circuit.”
“This allowed the scientists to test whether the signals involved in caregiving were still connected to the ancient feeding circuits from which they may have evolved.”
From Middle English circuit, from Old French circuit, from Latin circuitus (“a going round”), from circuire (“go round”), from circum (“around”) + ire.
A calque of Chinese 道 (dào) or 路 (lù).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.