circumventv.
/səːkəmˈvɛnt/ 1. transitive. To surround or encompass by hostile stratagem, esp. so as to cut off or capture. Now chiefly of hunted animals, etc., in which use it is often taken as a humorous application of sense 2.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > attack > attack [verb (transitive)] > surround or beset
umbelaya1300
umclipa1300
umgivea1300
umsetc1340
umbracec1350
umbeseta1400
umclapa1400
umbewaltc1400
umbesiege1422
circumvene1526
umbcastc1540
umclosec1540
circumvent1553
to grasp up1609
surround1637
contain1899
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > entrap, ensnare [verb (transitive)]
shrenchc897
beswike971
betrapa1000
bewindOE
undernimc1175
undertakec1175
bisayc1200
beguile?c1225
catchc1225
beginc1250
biwilea1275
tele?a1300
enginec1300
lime13..
umwrithea1340
engrin1340
oblige1340
belimec1350
enlacec1374
girnc1375
encumber138.
gnarec1380
enwrap1382
briguea1387
snarl1387
upbroid1387
trap1390
entrikea1393
englue1393
gildera1400
aguilec1400
betraisec1400
embrygec1400
snare1401
lacea1425
maska1425
begluec1430
marl1440
supprise?c1450
to prey ona1500
attrap1524
circumvene1526
entangle1526
tangle1526
entrap1531
mesh1532
embrake1542
crawl1548
illaqueate1548
intricate1548
inveigle1551
circumvent1553
felter1567
besnare1571
in trick1572
ensnare1576
overcatch1577
underfong1579
salt1580
entoil1581
comprehend1584
windlassa1586
folda1592
solicit1592
toil1592
bait1600
beset1600
engage1603
benet1604
imbrier1605
ambush1611
inknot1611
enmesha1616
trammela1616
fool1620
pinion1621
aucupate1630
fang1637
surprise1642
underreacha1652
trepan1656
ensnarl1658
stalk1659
irretiate1660
coil1748
nail1766
net1803
to rope in1840
mousetrap1870
spider1891
the world > food and drink > hunting > hunt [verb (transitive)] > surround
ring1835
circumvent1837
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Bijv The gouernour..so by crafte circumuented him, that he toke him priesoner.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 636 The Erle perceyuing..that he was circumuented and likely to be trapped wyth the Queenes power.
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 157 Being on euery side circumuented and hardly charged, most of them there fell.
1779 T. Forrest Voy. New Guinea 147 Whose husband had lately been circumvented by the Dutch, and sent to the Cape of Good Hope.
1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville (1849) 133 These simple animals were easily circumvented and destroyed.
2. To encompass with evils, with malice, or enmity; to try to entrap in conduct or speech.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > surrounding > surround or lie around [verb (transitive)] > surround with > with something evil
circumvent1581
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > entrap, ensnare [verb (transitive)] > attempt
circumvent1853
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 478 b Being circumvented by the malitious practizes of all men almost, he [Luther] was forced to maintayne his cause..with most manifest scriptures.
1592 A. Day 2nd Pt. Eng. Secretorie sig. O1, in Eng. Secretorie (rev. ed.) Circumuented as I am with so many euils.
1623 J. Bingham tr. Xenophon Hist. 36 Circumvented with distresse.
1853 F. W. Robertson Serm. 3rd Ser. vii. 94 We did not..circumvent Him like the Scribes and lawyers.
3.
a. To get the better of by craft or fraud; to overreach, outwit, cheat, ‘get round’, ‘take in’. Also, to evade or find a way around (a difficulty, obstacle, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > treat cunningly [verb (transitive)] > circumvent or overreach
overgoc1275
circumvene1526
circumvent1564
undercreep1592
overreach1594
circuit1614
out-juggle1620
outwit?1630
out-plot1648
overwit1671
Cretizea1673
outjockey1714
to steal a march1771
to get over ——1784
Jew1825
outfox1872
outsmart1926
blindside1968
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)] > outwit, get the better of
undergoa1325
circumvene1526
crossbitec1555
circumvent1564
gleek1577
outreach1579
fob1583
overreach1594
fub1600
encompassa1616
out-craftya1616
out-knave1648
mump1649
jockey1708
come1721
nail1735
slew1813
Jew1825
to sew up1837
to play (it) low down (on)1864
outfox1872
beat1873
outcraft1879
to get a beat on1889
old soldier1892
to put one over1905
to get one over on1912
to get one over1921
outsmart1926
shaft1959
the world > action or operation > easiness > find no difficulty in [verb (transitive)] > surmount (difficulty or disaster) > evade (a difficulty or obstacle)
circumvent1855
1564 T. Becon New Catech. in Catech. & Other Pieces (1844) 104 Suche as in biyinge and sellinge begyle and circumuent their neighbour.
1568 Bible (Bishops') 2 Cor. ii. 11 Lest we should be circumuented [L. circumveniamur] of Satan.
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost iii. 152 Should Man..Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though joynd With his own folly? View more context for this quotation
1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic I. ii. ii. 301 If he could overcome or circumvent the scruples of the Landgrave.
1885 Sir W. V. Field in Law Times' Rep. 52 652/1 I do not charge that the vendor was in any way circumvented.
1946 E. O'Neill Iceman Cometh p. vii This food provision was generally circumvented by putting a property sandwich in the middle of each table.
1964 C. V. Wedgwood Trial of Charles I (1967) iv. 73 He trusted to his own and his soldiers' vigilance to circumvent any plan of escape that might be attempted either by Newburgh or, more probably, by his wife.
1979 W. Golding Darkness Visible (1980) ii. 30 He set about devising a scheme by which he could circumvent any attempt on the part of the headmaster to get rid of him.
1986 N.Y. Times 19 Feb. b6/3 He..expressed concern that someone had somehow managed to circumvent the safeguards.
b. absol.
ΚΠ
1585 Abp. E. Sandys Serm. vi. 102 Let no man defraude or circumuent.
a1839 W. M. Praed Poems (1864) I. 38 She had no hand at argument, And so she tried to circumvent.
4. To encompass, enclose (literally).
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > surrounding > surround or lie around [verb (transitive)]
befong971
beclipc1000
begoc1000
belieOE
bestandc1000
to go about ——OE
umbegangc1200
behema1250
befallc1275
berunc1275
girdc1290
bihalvena1300
umlapa1300
umlaya1300
umlouka1300
umbegoc1300
belayc1320
halsea1340
enclose1340
umbelapa1350
embracec1360
betrendc1374
circlec1374
umbecasta1375
to give about1382
environa1393
umbeclipa1395
compassa1400
encircle?a1400
enourle?a1400
umbegivea1400
umbeseta1400
umbeliec1400
umbetighc1400
enroundc1420
measurec1425
umbsteadc1450
adviron?1473
purprise1481
umbeviron1489
belta1500
girtha1500
overgirda1500
engirt15..
envirea1513
round?a1513
brace1513
umbereach1513
becompass1520
circuea1533
girtc1540
umbsetc1540
circule1553
encompass1555
circulate?a1560
ingyre1568
to do about1571
engird1573
circumdate1578
succinge1578
employ1579
circuate1581
girdle1582
wheel1582
circumgyre1583
enring1589
ringa1592
embail1593
enfold1596
invier1596
stem1596
circumcingle1599
ingert1599
engirdle1602
circulize1603
circumscribe1605
begirt1608
to go round1610
enwheela1616
surround1616
shingle1621
encirculize1624
circumviron1632
beround1643
orba1644
circumference1646
becircle1648
incircuitc1650
circumcinge1657
circumtend1684
besiege1686
cincture1789
zone1795
cravat1814
encincture1820
circumvent1824
begirdle1837
perambulate1863
cordon1891
1824 T. F. Dibdin Libr. Compan. 466 The breakers that circumvent those Islands.
1850 ‘Bat’ Cricketer's Man. (rev. ed.) 81 Nearly circumvented by houses.
5. To go round, make the circuit of.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > aspects of travel > travel in specific course or direction > direct (one's course, steps, etc.) [verb (transitive)] > make circuit of
viron1382
compassc1384
umbecastc1400
circuea1450
circuitc1550
circle1582
circum-pass1588
round1591
surround1638
encompass1640
circumvent1840
circuitize1846
to make or go the circuit ofa1876
girdle1901
orbit1946
1840 T. Hood Up Rhine 215 To circumvent the town by water.
1863 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. Resid. Georgian Plantation 257 I passed the new house, and again circumvented it.
Derivatives
circumˈventing n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [adjective] > circumventing or overreaching
overreaching1579
advantageous1590
circumventing1603
outwitting1649
circumambaging1750
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > [noun] > action or practice of deceiving
swikingc1000
blindfolding?c1225
deceivancec1330
trechettingc1330
jugglingc1380
beguilingc1400
deceivingc1400
fagec1400
delusionc1420
sophisticationc1450
circumvention1534
illudinga1547
cheateryc1555
cheatingc1555
crossing1592
tricking1595
wiling?a1600
circumventing1603
practice1622
cheat1641
deluding1645
underdealing1649
amusement1658
conveyancing1676
bubbling1700
jockeyshipa1763
overreachinga1774
jockeying1779
beguilement1805
gaggery1819
trickstering1821
Jewing1842
wool-pulling1843
rigging1846
hoodwinking1858
old soldierism1866
old soldiering1867
fiddling1884
gold-bricking1901
wangling1911
finagling1926
hyping1968
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > crafty dealing > circumventing or overreaching
circumvention1534
circumventing1603
outwitting1649
overreachinga1774
Jewing1842
outwittal1875
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > [adjective] > cheating
trifling?a1400
cogging1542
cheatingc1555
flim-flam1577
overreaching1579
cozening1583
fogging1585
circumventing1603
gulling1614
imposturing1618
chicaning1698
crimping1699
bilking1732
humbugging1752
imposinga1754
nailing1819
1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 7 For the circumuenting of the Patriarch.
1618 S. Rowlands Sacred Memorie 39 The circumuenting hollow-hearted friend.
1847 J. Martineau Endeavours Christian Life II. vii. 118 A sly and circumventing gaze.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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