catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Galvanic \Gal*van"ic\, a. [From Galvani, a professor of
     physiology at Bologna, on account of his connection (about
     1780) with the discovery of dynamical or current electricity:
     cf. F. galvanique.]
     Of or pertaining to, or exhibiting the phenomena of,
     galvanism; employing or producing electrical currents.
  
     Galvanic battery (Elec.), an apparatus for generating
        electrical currents by the mutual action of certain
        liquids and metals; -- now usually called voltaic
        battery. See Battery.
  
     Galvanic circuit or circle. (Elec.) See under Circuit.
        
  
     Galvanic pile (Elec.), the voltaic pile. See under
        Voltaic.

  Circuit \Cir"cuit\, n. [F. circuit, fr. L. circuitus, fr.
     circuire or circumire to go around; circum around + ire to
     go.]
     1. The act of moving or revolving around, or as in a circle
        or orbit; a revolution; as, the periodical circuit of the
        earth round the sun. --Watts.
  
     2. The circumference of, or distance round, any space; the
        measure of a line round an area.
  
              The circuit or compass of Ireland is 1,800 miles.
                                                    --J. Stow.
  
     3. That which encircles anything, as a ring or crown.
  
              The golden circuit on my head.        --Shak.
  
     4. The space inclosed within a circle, or within limits.
  
              A circuit wide inclosed with goodliest trees.
                                                    --Milton.
  
     5. A regular or appointed journeying from place to place in
        the exercise of one's calling, as of a judge, or a
        preacher.
  
     6.
        (a) (Law) A certain division of a state or country,
            established by law for a judge or judges to visit, for
            the administration of justice. --Bouvier.
        (b) (Methodist Church) A district in which an itinerant
            preacher labors.
  
     7. Circumlocution. [Obs.] ``Thou hast used no circuit of
        words.'' --Huloet.
  
     Circuit court (Law), a court which sits successively in
        different places in its circuit (see Circuit, 6). In the
        United States, the federal circuit courts are commonly
        presided over by a judge of the supreme court, or a
        special circuit judge, together with the judge of the
        district court. They have jurisdiction within statutory
        limits, both in law and equity, in matters of federal
        cognizance. Some of the individual States also have
        circuit courts, which have general statutory jurisdiction
        of the same class, in matters of State cognizance.
  
     Circuit or Circuity of action (Law), a longer course of
        proceedings than is necessary to attain the object in
        view.
  
     To make a circuit, to go around; to go a roundabout way.
  
     Voltaic or Galvanic circuit or circle, a continous
        electrical communication between the two poles of a
        battery; an arrangement of voltaic elements or couples
        with proper conductors, by which a continuous current of
        electricity is established.