| / English Dictionary |
CIRCUS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals
Example:
the children always love to go to the circus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("circus" is a kind of...):
show (the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "circus"):
three-ring circus (a circus with simultaneous performances in three rings)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment
Example:
the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere
Synonyms:
carnival; circus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("circus" is a kind of...):
disturbance (the act of disturbing something or someone; setting something in motion)
Sense 3
Meaning:
A genus of haws comprising the harriers
Synonyms:
Circus; genus Circus
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("Circus" is a kind of...):
bird genus (a genus of birds)
Meronyms (members of "Circus"):
harrier (hawks that hunt over meadows and marshes and prey on small terrestrial animals)
Circus Aeruginosus; marsh harrier (Old World harrier frequenting marshy regions)
Circus pygargus; Montagu's harrier (brownish European harrier)
Circus cyaneus; hen harrier; marsh hawk; northern harrier (common harrier of North America and Europe; nests in marshes and open land)
Holonyms ("Circus" is a member of...):
Accipitridae; family Accipitridae (hawks; Old World vultures; kites; harriers; eagles)
Sense 4
Meaning:
An arena consisting of an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent
Example:
they used the elephants to help put up the circus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("circus" is a kind of...):
arena; scene of action (a playing field where sports events take place)
Meronyms (parts of "circus"):
big top; circus tent; round top; top (a canvas tent to house the audience at a circus performance)
Sense 5
Meaning:
(antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("circus" is a kind of...):
arena; bowl; sports stadium; stadium (a large structure for open-air sports or entertainments)
Domain category:
antiquity (the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe)
Domain region:
capital of Italy; Eternal City; Italian capital; Roma; Rome (capital and largest city of Italy; on the Tiber; seat of the Roman Catholic Church; formerly the capital of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
Example:
he ran away from home to join the circus
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Hypernyms ("circus" is a kind of...):
company; troupe (organization of performers and associated personnel (especially theatrical))
Context examples:
"Come on, Daisy," said Tom, pressing her with his hand toward Gatsby's car. "I'll take you in this circus wagon."
(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
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