cipherer 
cipherer (si'f er-i>r), 1. One who ciphers; one 
who performs arithmetical processes. 2. One 
skilled in writing in cipher. 
The Chancellor sallied forth with his Sovereign to do the 
diplomatic work of the campaign at the head of a devoted 
hand of privy-councillors, secretaries, cipherers, newspaper- 
harks, couriers, and cooks. l.mre, Bismarck, I. 526. 
cipherhood (si'fer-hud), . [< cipher + -hood.'] 
The state of being a cipher; insignificance; 
nothingness. [Rare.] 
Therefore God, to confute him and bring him to his na- 
tive ciiilii'i-lmul, threatened to hriiiK a sword against him. 
Goodwin, Works, V. 443. 
ciphering (si'fer-ing), n. [Verbal n. of di/lin: 
r.] 1. The act, of using figures, as in arith- 
metic. 2. The sounding of an organ-pipe, in 
consequence of some mechanical derangement 
or misadjustment, independently of the action 
of the player. 
ciphering-book (sl'fer-ing-buk), n. A book in 
which to solve arithmetical problems or enter 
them when worked. 
ciphering-slate (si'fer-ing-slat), . A slate on 
which to work arithmetical problems. 
cipher-key (si'fer-ke), n. A key to a system of 
writing in cipher. 
cipher-tunnel (si'fer-tun"el), n. A mock chim- 
ney ; a chimney built merely for outward show. 
The device of ofi'hfr-tunnels or mock chimneys merely 
for uniformity of building. Fuller, Ch. Hist., V. iii. 40. 
ciphus, H. See scyplms. 
cipolin (sip'o-lin), n. [= P. cipolin, < It. cipol- 
liiin, a granular limestone (so called from its 
being veined or stratified like an onion), < ci- 
polla, an onion : see cibol.] Same as cipolliiio. 
cipollino (sip-o-le'no; It. pron. che-pol-le'no). 
n. [It. : see * cipolin.'] In geol., a granular lime- 
stone containing mica Italian cipollino, marble 
or gypsum having a thinly laminated and concretionary 
structure, resembling that of the onion. 
cippus (sip'us), n. ; pi. cippi (-1). [L. (>F. eippe), 
also cipus, a stake, post, pillar, perhaps akin 
to scipio, a staff, and 
that prob. to Or. o;ir- 
rpov, a scepter: see 
scepter.'] 1. In Rom. 
antiq.,& post or pillar, 
or even a large stake, 
of wood or stone, used 
for forming a palisade 
(for which purpose 
tree-trunks stripped 
of their branches were 
commonly used), or 
as a mark or monu- 
ment ; specifically, 
such a monument 
marking a grave or a 
sacred place. The cip- 
pus was either cylindrical 
or square, and sometimes 
had a base and a capital, 
and more or less sculptured 
ornament. Many cippi 
bear the inscription S. T. 
T. L. (Sit tibi terrn levis, 
May the earth be light to thee) ; but many other forms 
of inscription appear. Cippi were also used to display 
decrees of the senate and other public notices. 
2. In Rom. milit. hist., a palisade for military 
purposes. 
circ (serk), n. [< L. circus, a circle : see circus, 
cirque.] A prehistoric stone circle. 
CircH of the same sort are still to be seen in Cornwall. 
T. fl'artnn. Hist. Eng. Poetry, I. i. 
Circ. An abbreviation of circa. 
circa (ser'ka), tulr. [L., adv. and prep., about, 
around, equiv. to circum, about: see circum-.] 
About ; at or near a date given, when the ex- 
act time is not known : as, circa A. D. 500. Ab- 
breviated circ., co., or c. 
Circaean, n. See Circean. 
Circaetus (ser-ka'e-tus), . [NL. (Vieillot, 
1816), < G-r. Kip/cof, a kind of hawk flying in cir- 
cles (see circus), + an-Af, an eagle.] A genus 
of small eagles or large hawks with the tarsi 
partly feathered, the nostrils oval and perpen- 
dicular, the head crested with lanceolate fea- 
thers, and the wing more than half as long again 
as the tail. The type is C. f/allicus, a European 
species, otherwise known as Aqulla brachydac- 
ti/la. 
circar, >< See sircar. 
Circassian (ser-kash'ian), a. and n. [= F. Cir- 
cassien, < Circassia, a IJatinized form (F. Circas- 
sie) of the Russian name Zemlya Cherkesovu, lit. 
the land of the Circassians : zemlya, land ; Cher- 
kesovu, gen. pi. of Cherkesu, a Circassian, > G. 
Tscherkesse, a Circassian, Tscherkessien, Circas- 
sia, E. also Chwkesses, pi. The Circassians call 
1006 
themselves Adiglie.] I. a. Pertaining to or in- 
habiting Circassia, a district of Russia (until 
1864 an independent territory) situated on the 
northern slope of the Caucasus, and bordering 
on the Black Sea. 
II. 11. 1. A native or an inhabitant of Cir- 
cassia; specifically, one of the native race of 
Circassia, distinguished for the fine physical 
formation of its members, especially its women. 
2. [/. o.] Same as circcissicnitc. 
circassienne (ser-kas-i-en'), n. [F., fern. (sc. 
etoffe = E. stuff) of Circassien : see Circassian. 
But the name is arbitrarily given.] A variety 
of light cashmere made of silk and mohair. 
Circe (ser'se), n. [A NL. use of L. Circe, < Gr. 
Kipiai, Circe, a sorceress. See Cimiui.] 1. In 
ornitli., a genus of humming-birds, the type 
of which is C. latirostris of Mexico. ./. Goiilil, 
1861. 2. In conch., a ge- 
nus of siphonate bivalves, 
of the family Cyprinidce, 
containing such species as 
C. corrugata. Schumacher, 
1817. 3. A genus of Tra- 
cliymedusa: : synonymous 
with Trachynema (which 
see). Circe's cup. See cup. 
Circeadae, . i>l. See Cir- 
ceidce. 
Circean, Circaean (ser- 
se'an), a. [< L. dreams, 
< fir. KtpKaiof, pertaining to Circe, < Kipnq, L. 
Circe : see def.] Pertaining to Circe, in Greek 
mythology a beautiful sorceress, who is repre- 
sented by Homer as having converted the com- 
panions of Ulysses into swine by means of an 
enchanted beverage; hence, fascinating but 
brutifying; infatuating and depraving: as, a 
Circean draught. 
Many sober English men not sufficiently awake to con- 
sider this, like men inchanted with the Circcean cup of ser- 
vitude, will not be held back from running thir heads into 
the Yoke of Bondage. Milton, Eikonoklastes, xiii. 
Circeidae, Circeadae (ser-se'i-de, -a-de), n. pi. 
[NL., prop. *Circid(B, < Circe, 3, + -idai, -ad<e.] 
A family of Trachymedusa", represented by and 
taking name from the genus Circe. See Tracliy- 
nemid<e. 
circensial (ser-sen'shial), a. Same as circex- 
sian. 
circensian (ser-sen'shian), a. [< L. eircenses 
(sc. ludi), games of the circus, pi. of circensis, 
a., <, circus: see circus.] Pertaining to or taking 
place in the circus in Rome, where athletic 
games of various kinds were practised, as char- 
iot-races, running, wrestling, combats, etc. Cir- 
censian games took place in connection with 
the frequent public festivals. 
Circinae (ser-si'ne), . pi [NL., < Circus, 4, + 
-ince.~\ A subfamily of hawks, of the family 
Falconida!, the harriers, having an incomplete 
inflorescence of forget-me-not ; 6, young 
fronds of a fern. 
Circe corrttgata. 
an Funeral Cippus, British 
Museum. 
Marsh-hawk, or Harrier (Circus ttndsonws}. 
facial disk and large ear-parts, as in some owls, 
a weak toothless bill, and lengthened wings, 
tail, and legs: a small group represented by 
the genus Circus and its subdivisions, con- 
taining 15 or 20 species, of various parts of the 
world. 
circinal (ser'si-nal), a, [< L. circinus (see eirei- 
nate, r.) + -al.~] 1. In bot., rolled spirally down- 
ward. See circinate, a. 2. In cntom., rolled 
spirally backward and inward : applied to the 
proboscis of a haustellate insect, as a butterfly. 
circinatet (ser'si-nat), r. t. or i. [< L. circinatus, 
pp. of drcinare, make round, < circinus, < Gr. 
KipKtvoc, a pair of compasses, < K/pxof = L. circus, 
a circle, nng: see circle, circus, and (ult. < L. 
circinus) cerne.] To make a circle (upon) with 
a pair of compasses. Bailey. 
circle 
circinate (ser'si-uat), . [< L. circinatus, pp.: 
see the verb.] Circular or ring-shaped : as, a cir- 
cinate eruption: 
specifically, in 
bot., applied to 
that mode of ver- 
nation or folia- 
tion in which the 
leaf is rolled up 
on its axis from 
the apex toward 
the base, like 
a shepherd's 
crook, as in the 
fronds of ferns 
and the leaves 
of the sundew ; 
but the term is 
also sometimes 
used when the coil simply forms a ring. 
The vernation ... of the ferns and cycads is circulate. 
Lirulley, Introtl. to Botany. 
circinately (ser'si-nat-li), adv. In a circinate 
manner, form, or arrangement. 
Circinately or fasciately convolute. 
//. C. Wood, Fresh-water Algtc, p. 40. 
circulation (ser-si-na'shon), n. [< L. circina- 
tio(n-), circumference, orbit, < drcinare, pp. cir- 
cinatus, make round: see circinate, v.~\ 1. The 
state of being circinate. 2f. A circling or 
turning round. Bailey. 
circinglet, A misspelling of surcingle. 
Circinus (ser'si-nus), n. [NL., < L. circimis, a 
pair of compasses: see circinate, v."] The Com- 
passes, a small southern constellation made by 
Lacaille in 1752. 
circle (ser'kl), n. [The spelling with i is due to 
mod. imitation of the Latin ; < ME. cercle, sercle, 
< OF. cercle, F. cercle = Pr. cercle, sercle Sp. 
cireulo = Pg. circulo = It. circolo, also cerchio, = 
AS. circul, circol = D. Sw. Dan. cirkel = OHG-. 
zirkil, MHO. G. zirkel, < L. circulus, a circle (in 
nearly all senses), dim. of circus = Gr. KipKof, 
usually uplKof, a circle, a ring (perhaps = AS. 
liring, E. ring 1 , q. v.): see circus.] 1. In ele- 
mentary geom., a plane figure whose periphery 
is everywhere equally distant from a point 
within it, the center; in modern geom., the pe- 
riphery of such a figure; a circumference. 2. 
A circular formation or arrangement ; a circlet ; 
a ring : as, a circle of stones or of lights. 
On hir heed she hadde a cercle of goolde bright shyn- 
ynge. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 430. 
3. A round body ; a sphere ; an orb. 
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth. 
Isa. xl. 2-2. 
4f. Circuit; course. 
The sun in his sercle sette vpo lofte ; 
All clerit the course, clensit the aire. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 7638. 
I went my winter circle thro' my district, Rochester & 
other places. Evelyn, Diary, Nov. 14, 1666. 
5. Compass ; inclosure. 
In the circle of this forest. Sliak.. As you Like it, v. 4. 
Certainly there is no happiness within this circle of flesh. 
Sir T. Broime, Rligio Medici, i. 44. 
6. Something conceived as analogous to a 
circle ; specifically, a number of persons inti- 
mately related to a central interest, person, or 
event ; hence, a number of persons associated 
by any tie; a coterie; a set: as, acircteofideas; 
to move in the higher circles of society ; the cir- 
cles of fashion ; the family circle. 
As his name gradually became known the circle of his 
acquaintance widened. Macaulay. 
In private circles, indeed, he [Sunderland] was in the 
habit of talking with profane contempt of the most sacred 
things. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. 
7. A series ending where it begins, and per- 
petually repeated. 
Thus in a circle runs the peasant's pain, 
And the year rolls within itself again. 
Dryden, tr. of Virgil's Georgics, ii. 556. 
8. A complete system, involving several sub- 
ordinate divisions : as, the circle of the sciences. 
When'he has gone thus far, he has shown you the whole 
circle ol his accomplishments. 
Mdimn, The Man of the Town. 
9. Circumlocution; indirect form of speech. 
[Rare.] 
Has he given the lye 
In circle or oblique, or semi-circle, 
Or direct parallel ? You must challenge him. 
Fletcher (and another), Queen of Corinth, iv. 1. 
10. In logic, an inconclusive form of argument, 
in which two or more unproved statements, or 
their equivalents, are used to prove each other : 
often called a vicious circle, or argument in n 
