circusnoun
uk/ˈsɜː.kəs/us/ˈsɝː.kəs/circus noun (ENTERTAINMENT)
B1 [ C or S ] a group of travelling performers including acrobats (= people skilled in difficult physical movements) or those who work with trained animals, or a performance by such people usually in a large tent:
She ran away to join the circus.
The horses trotted into the circus ring (= the large circle, with seats all around, in which a circus performs).
The children loved being taken to the circus.
More examples
- Mummy and Daddy are taking me to the circus on Saturday.
- We noticed a poster advertising a circus.
- We managed to get ringside seats for the circus.
- The children wanted to see the circus.
- One of the acrobats who walked the tightrope at the circus did it blindfolded.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Carnival, fairground & circus
- acrobatics
- amusement arcade
- amusement park
- big dipper
- big top
- big wheel
- contortionist
- custard pie
- Dodgem (car)
- fairground
- Ferris wheel
- foam pie
- juggle
- juggler
- merry-go-round
- midway
- Punch and Judy show
- ringmaster
- trapeze
- unicycle
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circus noun (ATTENTION)
[ S ] disapproving a lot of activity and interest caused by an event or situation:
the media circus surrounding the case
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Busy and active
- a hive of activity/industry idiom
- arena
- be (as) busy as a bee idiom
- be all go idiom
- be at work idiom
- be back in harness idiom
- buzz
- foot
- hard-working
- harness
- have (got) sth on
- have sth on your plate idiom
- have your hands full idiom
- hurly-burly
- knee-deep
- mad
- spread
- stimulating
- tie sb up
- well away idiom
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circus noun (ROAD)
[ C ] UK an open circular area where several roads join:
Piccadilly Circus
Oxford Circus
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Road junctions
- box
- box junction
- cloverleaf
- corner
- crossing
- crossroad
- crossroads
- fork
- interchange
- intersect
- intersection
- junction
- roundabout
- spaghetti junction
- staggered junction
- T-junction
- traffic circle
- turn-off
- turning