circulating
/ˈsɜː.kjə.leɪt/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈɚkjəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈsɝː.kjə.leɪt/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈɚkjəlˌetɪŋ] /ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt/ (ame, mw)
circulating — verb
- circulatingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- circulatings3rd person singular
- circulatinging-ing form
- circulatingedpast simple
1. to move or cause something to move steadily along a closed path or through a sys
to move or cause something to move steadily along a closed path or through a system, returning to where it started — for example, blood flowing through the body, air moving around a room, or water travelling through pipes.
A ceiling fan helps keep the air circulating in a hot room.
intransitive: keep + noun + circulating + in [place]
After a short run, your heart pumps faster so blood circulates through your whole body.
intransitive: blood circulates + through [body part]
A plumber installed a new pump to circulate hot water through the radiators.
Banknotes in good condition circulate more freely than worn-out ones.
Cool air circulates around the server room to stop the computers from overheating.
- stagnate
to stop moving and become still or stale
文法句型
circulate + through/around [system/space]
circulate + noun + through [system]
something circulates
用法筆記
Frequently used with prepositions such as 'through', 'around', and 'throughout' to describe the path or system. Can be transitive (someone circulates something) or intransitive (something circulates by itself).
常見錯誤
2. to move around a social gathering, going from one person or group to another in
to move around a social gathering, going from one person or group to another in order to talk and interact with many different people.
At the wedding reception, Samir circulated among the tables, shaking hands and greeting distant relatives.
circulate + among [group/people]
Mira spent most of the evening circulating through the crowd, introducing herself to new colleagues.
A good host circulates regularly so that no guest feels ignored or left out.
Piotr circulated around the conference hall, collecting business cards from potential clients.
- hide
to stay in one spot and avoid social interaction
文法句型
circulate + among [group]
circulate + at [event]
用法筆記
Used only as an intransitive verb. The subject is always a person at a social event. Common in descriptions of conferences, parties, and other networking occasions. Unlike sense 1, this sense does NOT take a direct object.
常見錯誤
3. to pass or be passed from one person to another, so that information, documents,
to pass or be passed from one person to another, so that information, documents, news, or opinions become known to many people — for example, a rumour spreading at a school, a newsletter being emailed to subscribers, or a video being shared online.
A false rumour about the school closing started circulating among worried parents.
rumour + circulate + among [group]
The charity circulated a letter to donors explaining how the money was spent.
transitive: circulate + noun + to [recipients]
A photo of the rare bird has been circulating on wildlife forums since last spring.
The manager asked the team to circulate the draft report for comments by Friday.
News of the sudden resignation circulated quickly through the whole company within an hour.
- spread
more general and can apply to physical or non-physical things; less formal
- distribute
more deliberate and organised, usually by an authority
- disseminate
formal, used mainly in academic or official contexts
- suppress
to stop information from becoming known
文法句型
something circulates
circulate + noun
something is circulated + through/by [medium]
rumours circulate that…
用法筆記
Common in passive constructions ('was circulated') and with that-clauses ('rumours circulated that…'). Often used for unverified information (rumours, gossip) as well as formal documents (memos, reports, newsletters). The subject can be the information itself (intransitive) or the person/organisation spreading it (transitive).