Also 6 circo-. Pa. pple 5–6 circulat(e. [f. L. circulāt- ppl. stem of circulāre to make circular, to encircle; deponent circulāri to gather in a circle, to collect people about one; in med.L. and Romanic to move in a circle, etc.; f. circulus CIRCLE: see also -ATE3.]
† 1. Old Chem. trans. To subject a substance to continuous distillation in a closed vessel (CIRCULATORY, sb.), in which the vapor was caused to condense at the top of the apparatus and to flow back into the original liquid, the whole thus undergoing repeated vaporization and condensation. Obs.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch. Ep., in Ashm., Theatr. (1652), 116. In Balneo of Mary togeather let them be circulat.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 23. The artire blud, whorlid, circulat, & coagitat together, [etc.].
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., II. 21. Some doo vse to circulate the same in Balneo, til it clarifie.
1599. Greene, Orpharion, 40. Women as the purest quintissence circolated from all other liuing things, are therefore the most beautifull and faire.
1641. French, Distill., i. (1653), 26. Circulate this in a Pelican with a moderate heat for the space of a month.
1696. Phillips, To circulate … in a Vessel call’d a Pelican: wherein the same Vapour which is elevated into the Air by the Fire, falls down again to remount and be distill’d several times.
† 2. To gather into a circle.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. viii. 2. Onto Eneas left syde and rycht hand The saulis flokkis circulate [v.r. circulit] in a rout.
† 3. trans. To go or run round; to encircle, encompass, surround. Obs.
1571. Digges, Pantom., II. xxi. P j. Thus proceeding till ye haue circulate the figure … ye shall in the ende departe the whole figure into as many equall portions as ye determined.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. xlvi. 160. He circulated seuen hils with a Wall. Ibid. (1611), Theat. Gt. Brit., xxv. (1614), 49/1. Herefordshire … lyeth circulated upon the North with Worcester and Shropshire.
1685. Bp. Croft, Animadv. Burnet’s Th. Earth, Pref. May I not conclude for certain that this man hath been in the moon, where his head hath been intoxicated with circulating the earth?
4. intr. To move round, turn round, revolve, formerly round an axis (obs.), or in an orbit (arch.); now round a circuit, circuitous course, system of pipes, or the like. (Influenced by 5.)
1672. Newton, in Phil. Trans., VII. 5099. A Top … made to circulate by whipping it.
1718. J. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos., Pref. (1730), 51. Balls, which like Planets circulate about it.
1830. Sir J. Herschel, Stud. Nat. Phil., 193. The moon circulates about the earth.
1852. Conybeare & H., St. Paul (1862), I. iv. 106. These movements begin to circulate more and more round a new centre of activity.
1854. Ronalds & Richardson, Chem. Technol. (ed. 2), I. 224. The air … entering at the bottom of the stove … circulates round the flues.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 74. The circuit in which every drop of water is compelled to circulate.
1882. Mrs. H. Reeve, Cookery & Housek., ii. (ed. 2), 9. The claret decanters should circulate two or three times round the table.
5. intr. spec. Of the blood: To flow from the heart through the arteries and veins back to the heart again. Extended to the continuous motion of other fluids in the vessels of animals and plants.
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos. (1839), 407. The blood, perpetually circulating (as hath been shown from many infallible signs and marks by Doctor Harvey) in the veins and arteries.
a. 1691. Boyle, Wks., II. 69 (R.). Blood [of vipers], even whilst it circulates, we have always found, as to sense, actually cold.
1746–7. Hervey, Medit. (1758), I. 122. This, attracted by the Root, and circulating through invisible Canals … clothes the Forest, with all its verdant Honours.
1847. Emerson, Poems, Threnody, Wks. (Bohn), I. 492. Blood is blood which circulates.
b. intr. Of persons: To go about in a social circle, ‘go the round.’
1863. Mrs. Oliphant, Salem Chapel, i. 8. He came … by no means prepared to circulate among his flock.
1870. Hawthorne, Eng. Note-Bks. (1879), II. 96. Who, at the age of ninety, is still circulating in society.
6. intr. (with extended sense). To pass from place to place freely and continuously so as to visit every part; to pass from hand to hand or from mouth to mouth. Also, of a newspaper or periodical: to pass into the hands of readers, to be extensively taken and read.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 231. The Air … circulates through … to the Grate of the Stove.
1691. Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. 92. If our Money and Trade were to circulate only amongst our selves.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 144, ¶ 10. Secret history … is for the most part believed only while it circulates in whispers.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 372. That ether which is continually circulating through all things.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, I. iii. 42. The money circulating in this neighbourhood.
1885. Act 48 Vict., c. 16 § 9. Newspapers published or circulating in the County.
7. trans. To put into circulation, put about, promulgate, give currency to, diffuse; put into the hands of readers, etc.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., I. i. Did you circulate the report of Lady Brittle’s intrigue with Captain Boastall?
1815. Scribbleomania, 268, note. To print and circulate the Bible.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 104. A little tract … had been actively circulated through the ranks.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. vii. 110. The news of the enemy’s preparations were circulated, by order of the Council, throughout the country.
b. lit. To hand or pass round.
1884. Law Times, 14 June, 121/1. After the loving cup had been circulated, the Lord Mayor submitted the loyal toasts.
8. Math. Of decimal fractions: To recur, repeat in periods of several figures (see CIRCULATING).
1768. Robertson, Circ. Decimals, in Phil. Trans., LVIII. 209. Some of them [decimal fractions] recur, or circulate; that is, the same figure or figures run over again and again ad infinitum.
1827. Hutton, Course Math., I. 75, note. The decimal circulates in a complete period of 28 figures.
† 9. To beat out, emboss (metal). Obs.
