Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To form a circle around; surround.
- transitive verb To move or go around completely; make a circuit of.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To form a circle round; inclose or surround circularly; embrace as in a ring or circle; gird: as, luminous rings encircle Saturn.
- To encompass; surround; environ: as, the army encircled the city.
- To move about in a circular direction; make the circuit of.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To form a circle about; to inclose within a circle or ring; to surround
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb transitive To
surround , form acircle around.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb form a circle around
- verb bind with something round or circular
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Later, the populace again encircle the pole and dance throughout the night.
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Chinese commentators have expressed concerned that the growing relations between India and the United States are an attempt to "encircle" China.
Obama supports adding India as a permanent member of U.N. Security Council Emily Wax 2010
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Chinese commentators have expressed concerned that the growing relations between India and the United States are an attempt to "encircle" China.
Obama supports adding India as a permanent member of U.N. Security Council Emily Wax 2010
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Chinese commentators have expressed concerned that the growing relations between India and the United States are an attempt to "encircle" China.
Obama supports adding India as a permanent member of U.N. Security Council Emily Wax 2010
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They took further measurements over a 24 hour period and two men trekked 4.3 miles (7 km) to "encircle" the pole area.
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Bjaaland, Hassell, and Wisting trek 121/2 miles in three directions to "encircle" the pole area and set up markers (spare sledge runners).
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One should, therefore, be exceedingly careful in avoiding any measures that would convey the impression that we are trying militarily to "encircle" the Russian Federation.
Pride and Power Richard Pipes 2009
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Pakistan believes India is attempting to increase its influence in Afghanistan as a means to "encircle" Pakistan, and India believes that Pakistan's ISI is responsible for supporting the Taliban.
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In October, Karat upped the ante, saying the real problem with the deal was not the technical issues but the U.S. design to "encircle" China.
A Red Scare In Delhi 2007
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Tuesday, the Hour of the Tiger, 4: 30 A.M., to the Hour of the Dragon, 8 a.m. The word Wei-Chi consists of two Chinese words — Wei, which means to "encircle," and Chi, which means "piece."
The Stone Monkey Deaver, Jeffery 2002
bilby commented on the word encircle
Great Powers of falling wave and wind and windy fire,
With your harmonious choir
Encircle her I love and sing her into peace,
That my old care may cease;
Unfold your flaming wings and cover out of sight
The nets of day and night.
- W.B. Yeats, 'Aedh pleads with the Elemental Powers'.
September 18, 2009