circle
gb/sˈɚkəl/ us/sˈɚkəl/
A2
Anglais
~ 1900
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
entity
1
perfectly round flat shape
A flat round shape where every point is the same distance from the middle.
Schéma d’usage :
a [adjective] circle
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'circle' with 'sphere'; a sphere is 3D, a circle is flat.
Synonymes
ring (Often used for circular objects with empty centers, but not always strictly geometric.)
Antonymes
line (A straight one-dimensional figure, unlike a curved closed shape.)
Collocations
draw a circle
|perfect circle
|small circle
|circle shape
|circle diagram
Thèmes
geometry
|math
|daily life
|science
|education
Exemples
- She drew a large circle on the paper.
- The coins were arranged in a perfect circle.
- The children sat in a circle on the floor.
- A red circle marks the spot on the map.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I can draw a big circle.
- We sit in a circle to talk.
- The sun looks like a circle in the sky.
Nom
B1
entity
2
group with shared interests
A group of people who know each other and share the same interests.
Schéma d’usage :
a circle of [people/friends/colleagues]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse 'circle' here with physical shape; context shows it means group of people.
Synonymes
group (More general; does not imply shared interest or exclusivity as strongly as 'circle'.)
Antonymes
outsider (Someone not part of a group or circle.)
Collocations
close circle
|social circle
|inner circle
|professional circle
Thèmes
social
|relationships
|communication
Exemples
- He quickly became part of her social circle.
- Writers often move in literary circles.
- Her inner circle advised her to take the job.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I have a small circle of friends.
- He joined a new social circle at work.
- They are in the same music circle.
Verbe
B1
action
3
move around something
To go around someone or something in a round path.
Schéma d’usage :
to circle [something/someone]
Erreur fréquente :
Some learners confuse 'circle' as verb with 'cycle'; 'cycle' means to ride a bicycle or go through stages.
Synonymes
encircle (More formal and often implies surrounding completely.)
Antonymes
approach directly (To move straight toward without going around.)
Collocations
circle around
|circle overhead
|circle back
Thèmes
movement
|navigation
|space
|travel
Exemples
- The plane circled over the airport before landing.
- Sharks were circling the boat.
- She circled the block looking for parking.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The bird circles in the sky.
- We circled the park on our bikes.
- The plane circles before it lands.
Nom
B2
event
4
repeating route or process
A set of events that goes back to the start and happens again.
Synonymes
cycle ('Cycle' is more common in technical or scientific contexts; 'circle' can be figurative.)
Antonymes
breakthrough (An event that changes a repeating situation.)
Collocations
vicious circle
|full circle
Thèmes
processes
|patterns
|core_vocabulary
|time
Exemples
- They were caught in a vicious circle of debt and borrowing.
- The conversation went in circles without resolution.
- History often moves in circles.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We are in a vicious circle of problems.
- The talk went in circles and did not end well.
- Life can feel like a circle sometimes.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
circle
API
GB/sˈɚkəl/
US/sˈɚkəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
circle (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (circle)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: circle
- Plural: circles
Verb
- Base: circle
- 3rd Person Singular: circles
- Present Participle: circling
- Past: circled
Famille de mots
Forms
circles
noun
circling
verb
circled
verb
Core family
Related words
semicircle
noun
encircle
verb
Advanced or less common
circularly
adverb
circulatory
adjective
Expressions
come full circle
1/kˈʌm fˈʊl sˈɚkəl/
idiom
return to original state
To end up back where you started after changes or events.
Exemples
- After years abroad, he has come full circle and is living in his hometown again.
- The company came full circle, returning to its original business model.
run circles around (someone)
1/ɹˈʌn sˈɚkəlz ɚˈaʊnd sˈʌmwˌʌn/
idiom
informal
perform much better than someone else
To be much better or faster at doing something than another person.
Exemples
- She can run circles around the other players on the team.
- The new software runs circles around its competitors.
square the circle
1/skwˈɛɹ ðə sˈɚkəl/
idiom
attempt impossible task
To try to do something that is impossible or very hard to do.
Exemples
- Trying to make everyone happy is like trying to square the circle.
- They attempted to square the circle by cutting costs without reducing quality.
inner circle
1/ˈɪnɚ sˈɚkəl/
fixed phrase
Close group around leader
A small group of people who are very close to and trusted by a leader.
Exemples
- Only members of the inner circle knew about the plan.
- Only members of the president's inner circle knew about the plan.
- He was part of the president's inner circle.
- She was part of his inner circle of advisors.
vicious circle
1/vˈɪʃəs sˈɚkəl/
idiom
self-worsening problem loop
A bad situation in which one problem causes another problem, and together they keep making the whole situation worse again and again.
Exemples
- Poverty and poor health can create a vicious circle.
- Many families are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty and poor education.
- They are trapped in a vicious circle of debt.
- Stress can create a vicious circle: you sleep badly, feel worse, and then worry even more.
- The more he drank, the more depressed he felt, and he couldn’t escape the vicious circle.