circus

Everyday

1. A circus is a travelling show, often in a big tent, with acrobats, clowns, jugglers and sometimes trained animals. tree →
2. (UK) A circus is a round open place where several streets meet, as in Piccadilly Circus in London. tree →
3. (informal) A circus is a noisy, messy or silly situation: «The kitchen was a circus this morning.» tree →

In the lessons

In stories the circus brings excitement and colourful characters; maths problems count tickets, seats and acts. In everyday speech, calling something a circus means it is chaotic. Phrases: «go to the circus», «circus tent», «circus act», «a media circus».

Examples

• We went to the circus and saw a juggler. tree →
• The circus tent holds 400 people; 275 seats are full — how many are empty? tree →
• The clown fell over and everyone laughed. tree →
• Piccadilly Circus is busy with traffic. tree →
• With five kids and a dog, breakfast is a circus. tree →
• The circus came to town for a week. tree →
• I’d much rather go back to Kansas with you and be in a circus again.” tree →

Note

Plural: circuses. Countable. From Latin for «circle», so a road circus is round. Many circuses today have no animals.