Circumvolution

"circumvolution," "presentifick circularity," struggle and sprawl within the narrow room of the Spenserian stanza. ❋ Walter Alexander Raleigh (1891)

Heaven makes in one day and one night one complete circumvolution of 365 degrees. ❋ Unknown (1962)

Well, I felt queerer and queerer, and Southsea Castle began to spin round and round, and the kickers went dancing up and down, and the ships in the harbour were all turning summersets, and every sort of circumvolution and devilment you could think of took place. ❋ William Henry Giles Kingston (1847)

Never did a monarch hold so steadfastly to a deadly purpose, or proceed so languidly and with so much circumvolution to his goal. ❋ John Lothrop Motley (1845)

Its motion is one of rapid circumvolution, rather than of straightforward impulse by rapid and direct effort; it extends its orbit by small continual and hasty movements, but it does not suddenly alter its position. ❋ Unknown (1838)

Tell me, then, for you can, in what periphrasis of language, in what circumvolution of phrase, I shall envelope, yet not conceal, the plain story. ❋ Robert Burns (1777)

Tell me then, for you can, in what periphrasis of language, in what circumvolution of phrase, I shall envelope, yet not conceal this plain story. ❋ Robert Burns (1777)

Reason was too often prevailed upon so far by these promises, as to venture her charge within the eddy of the gulph of Intemperance, where, indeed, the circumvolution was weak, but yet interrupted the course of the vessel, and drew it, by insensible rotations, towards the centre. ❋ Unknown (1750)

And indeed all humane Affairs, wheresoever reported by several persons, though all were present at the same times and places of their circumvolution, are necessarily subject to some diversity in the rehearsal; one person observing, omitting, contracting, dilating, understanding, or mistaking, one particular point or part of any transaction more than another. ❋ Unknown (1685)

These changes in title mark the work more as a decentered network of passages inscribing a kaleidoscopic welter of images than as a polymorphic circumvolution of words as ‘conducting bodies’ — the difference erected by the change in title is exactly that between Simon’s geometric composition and Silliman’s spiraling Tjanting. ❋ Unknown (2007)

I love that someone can say ‘circumvolution’ and I can jump on the internet and find out it’s just another word for hoop! ❋ Unknown (2007)

The beginning of its circumvolution is at the breast; and when it has gone often round, it is there tied, and hangs loosely there down to the ankles: I mean this, all the time the priest is not about any laborious service, for in this position it appears in the most agreeable manner to the spectators; but when he is obliged to assist at the offering sacrifices, and to do the appointed service, that he may not be hindered in his operations by its motion, he throws it to the left, and bears it on his shoulder. ❋ Flavius Josephus (1709)