The circle of learning; a general course of instruction.

The circle of learning; the whole body of arts and sciences; = encyclopaedia, n. 1. Obsolete.

Universal or encyclopedic knowledge; a scheme, work, or programme attempting to embrace the whole body of human knowledge. Also: belief in or…

A survey or systematic view of all branches of knowledge; universal knowledge. Also: a compendium of information of every kind; an encyclopaedia.

(a) loosely used as = tree of liberty n.; (b) a figurative or symbolic expression for knowledge in general, comprising all its ‘branches’.

transferred and figurative; esp. used to denote. a great mass of learning or knowledge;