circus

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

An undertaking or arrangement.

Register: dated, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

"Right you are; I'll put him wise," undertook Nickle briskly. "After all, it's entirely your circus. Shall we stay here and—"

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “circus” mean?

An undertaking or arrangement.

Is “circus” formal or informal?

circus is generally dated, slang.