Also 6 circuitee, cyrcuity. [a. OF. circuité circuit, ambit, precinct, etc., f. L. circuit-us app. after words like gratuité, vacuité, etc.] = CIRCUIT, in various senses.
† 1. Ambit, enclosure, compass, area. Obs.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph. (1877), 220 (D.). A dominion of muche more large and ample circuitee then the same whiche he was Lorde of before.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, VI. lxx. 749. In the circutie or shadowe of the same.
1580. Baret, Alv., C. 536. Within the Circuitie of reason.
2. Circuitous quality; roundabout process.
a. 1626. Bp. Andrewes, Serm. (1856), I. 157. Without all circuity, noting, naming, and in a manner pointing to it.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 43. It prevents the circuity and delay of justice.
1801. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), III. 473. The correspondence must involve circuities.
1837–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. ii. § 71. His vehemence loses its effect by the circuity of his pleonastic language.
1845. Campbell, Chancellors (1857), I. Introd. 8. To avoid the circuity of applying to Parliament.
b. Law. (See quot. and cf. CIRCUIT 8 c.)
1641. Termes de la Ley, 39. When an action is rightfully brought for a duty but yet about the bush, as it were … it is called Circuity of action.
3. Circular motion.
1770. T. Whately, Observ. Mod. Gardening, 63 (L.). The characteristic property of running water is progress; of stagnanted, is circuity.
