[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

meridian \merid"ian\, n. f. m'eridien. see meridian, a.
   1913 webster
   1. midday; noon.
      1913 webster

   2. hence: the highest point, as of success, prosperity, or
      the like; culmination.
      1913 webster

            i have touched the highest point of all my
            greatness,
            and from that full meridian of my glory
            i haste now to my setting.            --shak.
      1913 webster

   3. astron. a great circle of the sphere passing through the
      poles of the heavens and the zenith of a given place. it
      is crossed by the sun at midday.
      1913 webster

   4. geog. a great circle on the surface of the earth,
      passing through the poles and any given place; also, the
      half of such a circle included between the poles.
      1913 webster

   note: the planes of the geographical and astronomical
         meridians coincide. meridians, on a map or globe, are
         lines drawn at certain intervals due north and south,
         or in the direction of the poles.
         1913 webster

   calculated for the meridian of, or fitted to the meridian
   of, or adapted to the meridian of, suited to the local
      circumstances, capabilities, or special requirements of.
      1913 webster

            all other knowledge merely serves the concerns of
            this life, and is fitted to the meridian thereof.
                                                  --sir m. hale.
      1913 webster

   first meridian or prime meridian, the meridian from which
      longitudes are reckoned. the meridian of greenwich is the
      one commonly employed in calculations of longitude by
      geographers, and in actual practice, although in various
      countries other and different meridians, chiefly those
      which pass through the capitals of the countries, are
      occasionally used; as, in france, the meridian of paris;
      in the united states, the meridian of washington, etc.

   guide meridian public land survey, a line, marked by
      monuments, running north and south through a section of
      country between other more carefully established meridians
      called principal meridians, used for reference in
      surveying. u.s.

   magnetic meridian, a great circle, passing through the
      zenith and coinciding in direction with the magnetic
      needle, or a line on the earth's surface having the same
      direction.

   meridian circle astron., an instrument consisting of a
      telescope attached to a large graduated circle and so
      mounted that the telescope revolves like the transit
      instrument in a meridian plane. by it the right ascension
      and the declination of a star may be measured in a single
      observation.

   meridian instrument astron., any astronomical instrument
      having a telescope that rotates in a meridian plane.

   meridian of a globe, or brass meridian, a graduated
      circular ring of brass, in which the artificial globe is
      suspended and revolves.
      1913 webster
see also:
meridian calculated for the meridian of fitted to the meridian of adapted to the meridian of first meridian prime meridian 
guide meridian magnetic meridian meridian circle meridian instrument meridian of a globe 
brass meridian 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

circle \cir"cle\ s~er"k'l, n. oe. cercle, f. cercle, fr. l.
   circulus whence also as. circul, dim. of circus circle,
   akin to gr. kri`kos, ki`rkos, circle, ring. cf. circus,
   circum-.
   1913 webster
   1. a plane figure, bounded by a single curve line called its
      circumference, every part of which is equally distant from
      a point within it, called the center.
      1913 webster

   2. the line that bounds such a figure; a circumference; a
      ring.
      1913 webster

   3. astron. an instrument of observation, the graduated limb
      of which consists of an entire circle.
      1913 webster

   note: when it is fixed to a wall in an observatory, it is
         called a mural circle; when mounted with a telescope
         on an axis and in y's, in the plane of the meridian, a
         meridian circle or transit circle; when involving
         the principle of reflection, like the sextant, a
         reflecting circle; and when that of repeating an
         angle several times continuously along the graduated
         limb, a repeating circle.
         1913 webster

   4. a round body; a sphere; an orb.
      1913 webster

            it is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth.
                                                  --is. xi. 22.
      1913 webster

   5. compass; circuit; inclosure.
      1913 webster

            in the circle of this forest.         --shak.
      1913 webster

   6. a company assembled, or conceived to assemble, about a
      central point of interest, or bound by a common tie; a
      class or division of society; a coterie; a set.
      1913 webster

            as his name gradually became known, the circle of
            his acquaintance widened.             --macaulay.
      1913 webster

   7. a circular group of persons; a ring.
      1913 webster

   8. a series ending where it begins, and repeating itself.
      1913 webster

            thus in a circle runs the peasant's pain. --dryden.
      1913 webster

   9. logic a form of argument in which two or more unproved
      statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive
      reasoning.
      1913 webster

            that heavy bodies descend by gravity; and, again,
            that gravity is a quality whereby a heavy body
            descends, is an impertinent circle and teaches
            nothing.                              --glanvill.
      1913 webster

   10. indirect form of words; circumlocution. r.
       1913 webster

             has he given the lie,
             in circle, or oblique, or semicircle. --j.
                                                  fletcher.
       1913 webster

   11. a territorial division or district.
       1913 webster

   note:

   the circles of the holy roman empire, ten in number, were
      those principalities or provinces which had seats in the
      german diet.
      1913 webster

   azimuth circle. see under azimuth.

   circle of altitude astron., a circle parallel to the
      horizon, having its pole in the zenith; an almucantar.

   circle of curvature. see osculating circle of a curve
      below.

   circle of declination. see under declination.

   circle of latitude.
       a astron. a great circle perpendicular to the plane
           of the ecliptic, passing through its poles.
       b spherical projection a small circle of the sphere
           whose plane is perpendicular to the axis.

   circles of longitude, lesser circles parallel to the
      ecliptic, diminishing as they recede from it.

   circle of perpetual apparition, at any given place, the
      boundary of that space around the elevated pole, within
      which the stars never set. its distance from the pole is
      equal to the latitude of the place.

   circle of perpetual occultation, at any given place, the
      boundary of the space around the depressed pole, within
      which the stars never rise.

   circle of the sphere, a circle upon the surface of the
      sphere, called a great circle when its plane passes
      through the center of the sphere; in all other cases, a
      small circle.

   diurnal circle. see under diurnal.

   dress circle, a gallery in a theater, generally the one
      containing the prominent and more expensive seats.

   druidical circles eng. antiq., a popular name for certain
      ancient inclosures formed by rude stones circularly
      arranged, as at stonehenge, near salisbury.

   family circle, a gallery in a theater, usually one
      containing inexpensive seats.

   horary circles dialing, the lines on dials which show the
      hours.

   osculating circle of a curve geom., the circle which
      touches the curve at some point in the curve, and close to
      the point more nearly coincides with the curve than any
      other circle. this circle is used as a measure of the
      curvature of the curve at the point, and hence is called
      circle of curvature.

   pitch circle. see under pitch.

   vertical circle, an azimuth circle.

   voltaic circuit or voltaic circle. see under circuit.
      

   to square the circle. see under square.

   syn: ring; circlet; compass; circuit; inclosure.
        1913 webster
see also:
circus circum- mural circle meridian circle transit circle reflecting circle 
repeating circle the circles of the holy roman empire azimuth circle azimuth circle of altitude 
circle of curvature osculating circle of a curve circle of declination declination circle of latitude 
circles of longitude circle of perpetual apparition circle of perpetual occultation circle of the sphere diurnal circle 
diurnal dress circle druidical circles family circle horary circles 
pitch circle pitch vertical circle voltaic circuit voltaic circle 
circuit to square the circle square 

Circle >> C Words
Circle, definition of term: Circle
circle_pag1.html

Meridian >> M Words
Meridian, definition of term: Meridian
meridian_pag1.html

Circle Round >> C Words
Circle Round, definition of term: Circle Round
circle+round_pag1.html

Prime Meridian >> P Words
Prime Meridian, definition of term: Prime Meridian
prime+meridian_pag1.html

Traffic Circle >> T Words
Traffic Circle, definition of term: Traffic Circle
traffic+circle_pag1.html

Vicious Circle >> V Words
Vicious Circle, definition of term: Vicious Circle
vicious+circle_pag1.html

Great Circle >> G Words
Great Circle, definition of term: Great Circle
great+circle_pag1.html

Family Circle >> F Words
Family Circle, definition of term: Family Circle
family+circle_pag1.html

Arctic Circle >> A Words
Arctic Circle, definition of term: Arctic Circle
arctic+circle_pag1.html

Pitch Circle >> P Words
Pitch Circle, definition of term: Pitch Circle
pitch+circle_pag1.html