Lewis & Short

2. circŭĭtus (circŭmĭtus, Cic. N. D. 1, 12, 29; 2, 62, 155; 2, 19, 49; id. Rep. 1, 29, 45; Quint. 1, 10, 42 al.; cf. circumeo, and v. Neue, Formenl. 2, p. 737), ūs, m. [circumeo] (class. in prose and poetry).

  1. I. A going round, a circling, revolving, a revolution: solis, Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49; cf. Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 86; Cic. Rep. 6, 12, 12: nox et dies unum circumitum orbis efflcit, id. Univ. 9 prope med.: Asiae Syriaeque circuitu Aegyptum petit, Suet. Aug. 17: mundi, Plin. 2, 5, 4, § 11.
    1. B. In medic. lang., the periodical return of a disease, Cels. 3, 5; Ser. Samm. 95.
      Far more freq.,
  2. II. Meton.
    1. A. (Abstr. pro concr.). A circuit, compass, a way around: plurimum refert, cujus sit formae ille circuitus, Quint. 1, 10, 40; cf. id. 1, 10, 42; 1, 5, 26; Augur. ap. Gell. 13, 14, 1: collis, quem propter magnitudinem circuitus opere circumplecti non poterant, Caes. B. G. 7, 83: illi operibus vincebant, quod interiore spatio minorem circuitum habebant, id. B. C. 3, 44: XV milia passuum circuitu amplexus, id. ib.; so id B G. 1, 41; Plin. 4, 12, 19, § 54: brevi per mon tes circuitu praemissis, qui munirent viam, Liv. 34, 28, 2; 4, 27, 8; Curt. 3, 11, 19: qualis esset natura montis et qualis in circuitu ascensus, Caes. B. G. 1, 21; 2, 29; 2, 30: longo circuitu petere regiones, id. ib. 7, 45; Verg. A. 11, 767: saevaque circuitu curvantem bracchia longo, Ov M. 2, 82: circumitus Siciliae quid tibi novi ostenderit, Sen. Ep. 79, 1.
    2. B. = ambitus, an open space left around a building, Varr. L. L. 5, § 22; cf. Paul. ex Fest. p 5, 4 Müll.; Inscr Marin. Fratr. Arval. p. 369.
  3. III. Trop
    1. A. In rhet., a period: in toto circuitu illo orationis, quem Graeci περιοδον, nos tum ambitum, tum circuitum, tum comprehensionem, aut continuationem aut circumscriptionem dicimus, Cic. Or. 61, 204; cf. Quint 9, 4, 124: modo ne circuitus ipse verborum sit aut brevior quam aures exspectent, aut longior, etc., Cic. de Or 3, 49, 191; 3, 51, 198; id. Or. 23, 78; Quint. 8, 6, 59; 11, 1, 6.
      In plur.: oratio longiores habet saepe circuitus, Quint. 9, 4, 60.
    2. B. In the postAug. per., a circumlocution, periphrasis, a roundabout way in speech or action; an indirect procedure.
      1. 1. Of speech, ea, quae proprie signari poterant, circuitu coeperint enuntiare, Quint. 12, 10, 16; 12, 10, 41; 5, 7, 16; 10, 1, 12: loqui per circuitus, Mart. 11, 15, 8.
      2. 2. Of action: cur circuitu petis gloriam, quae ad manum posita est? Curt. 9, 3, 14: negavi circuitu agendum, sed plane jure civili dimicandum, Petr 13 fin.