From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcircuscir‧cus /ˈsɜːkəs $ ˈsɜːr-/ ●●○ noun 1 [countable] a group of people and animals who travel to different places performing skilful tricks as entertainmentcircus act (=a trick performed in a circus)circus ring (=a large circular area where tricks are performed)2 [singular] informalBUSY PLACE a situation in which there is too much excitement or noise The first day of school is always such a circus. The trial has turned into a media circus.3 [countable usually singular] British EnglishTTR a round open area where several streets join together, often used in place names Piccadilly Circus4 [countable]SHDL a place in ancient Rome where fights, races etc took place, with seats built in a circle
Examples from the Corpus
circus• circus performers• Their walk advertised a circus whose posters had adorned walls and lampposts for the past week.• Now it became a circus of doubles: double nurses, double pram, double bassinet.• The media turned the trial into a circus.• A few of the students here quite like the idea of running away with a circus.• He was the ringmaster against the former circus act.• The next circus I attended, still before the war started, was Bertram Mills at Darlington.• Also patron of circus people, ferrymen, hotel employees, and innkeepers.circus act• The shimmering cascade became a mere backdrop for a circus act.• I recently saw a circus act with contortionists folding themselves in amazing ways.• This is the basis for many complex circus acts performed by animals.• He was the ringmaster against the former circus act.• He was more than prepared to trade blows with the former circus act Benichou.• This is the ultimate sustainable city in terms of jokes and governmental circus acts.• Balloons float, a high-wire circus act teeters.media circus• November's by-election was to a large extent a media circus.• He said it would turn the inquiry into a media circus.• A media circus of expected proportions ensues.• Predictably, the international media circus, with its Olympian disdain for the parochial, has long since moved on.• Both players have spent the week in the Valley, working a couple of the central rings in the media circus.Origin circus (1300-1400) Latin “circle, circus”, perhaps from Greek kirkos “ring” 