Circuitous - English meaning

adjective

Of language, writing, or thought: characterized by (verbose) indirectness; circumlocutory, roundabout; (formerly also) †deceptive (obsolete). also of a person: that uses such language.

adjective

Of a path, way, or course: winding, circuitous. chiefly figurative and in figurative contexts.

adjective

Sinuous or circuitous.

Usage examples:

The line of gold extends and becomes anfractuous

adjective

Having a lot of bends or curves

adjective

Using many words where fewer would do, especially in a deliberate attempt to be vague or evasive; long-winded.

Usage examples:

He has a meandering, circumlocutory speaking style

adjective

Relating to something said in an indirect way

Usage examples:

He began in a circumlocutory way, but eventually had to be fairly blunt., it was a difficult interv…

adjective

Characterized by digression; tending to depart from the subject.

Usage examples:

A digressive account

adjective

Digressive speech or writing moves away from the main subject

Usage examples:

His interview style is often wildly digressive, and frequently mischievous., the plot is digressive…

adjective

Digressing from subject to subject.

Usage examples:

Students often write dull, second-hand, discursive prose

adjective

Involving discussion

Usage examples:

A discursive essay, a discursive writer/speech

adjective

Tending to avoid commitment or self-revelation, especially by responding only indirectly.

Usage examples:

She was evasive about her phone number

adjective

Not directly caused by or resulting from something.

Usage examples:

Full employment would have an indirect effect on wage levels

adjective

Happening in addition to an intended result

Usage examples:

Several other people were hurt as an indirect result of his carelessness., an indirect route, ranso…

adjective

Not done or communicated in a direct way

Usage examples:

We decided to take an indirect approach to tackling the problem of absenteeism., he made only an in…

idiom

Using or containing too many words

adjective

(of speech or writing) continuing at tedious length.

Usage examples:

A long-winded question

adjective

Capable of doing something for a long time without becoming breathless.

adjective

Following a winding course.

Usage examples:

Meandering rivers flow at vastly different rates

noun

An act of following a winding course.

Usage examples:

Ox-bow lagoons left by the river's meanderings

verb

(of a river or road) follow a winding course.

Usage examples:

A river that meandered gently through a meadow

adjective

Neither parallel nor at right angles to a specified or implied line; slanting.

Usage examples:

We sat on the settee oblique to the fireplace

noun

Another term for slash1 (sense 2 of the noun).

adjective

(of speech or writing) indirect and circumlocutory.

Usage examples:

The periphrastic nature of legal syntax

noun

A road junction at which traffic moves in one direction round a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it.

Usage examples:

Turn right at the next roundabout

adjective

Not following a short direct route; circuitous.

Usage examples:

We need to take a roundabout route to throw off any pursuit

adjective

Not simple, direct, or quick

Usage examples:

You took the roundabout way to get here.

adjective

Of or like a serpent or snake.

Usage examples:

Serpentine coils

noun

A dark green mineral consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate, sometimes mottled or spotted like a snake's skin.

Usage examples:

The metamorphic mineral serpentine - or magnesium silicate hydroxide - is composed of magnesium, si…

verb

Move or lie in a winding path or line.

Usage examples:

Fresh tyre tracks serpentined back towards the hopper

adjective

Full of twists and turns.

Usage examples:

The route is remote and tortuous

adjective

Full of twists and turns; not straight or direct

Usage examples:

His so-called shortcut turned out to be tortuous and slow.

verb

Form into a bent, curling, or distorted shape.

Usage examples:

A strip of metal is twisted to form a hollow tube

noun

An act of twisting something around a stationary point.

Usage examples:

The taps needed a single twist to turn them on

noun

A thing with a spiral shape.

Usage examples:

A barley sugar twist

noun

A twisting movement or course.

Usage examples:

The windings of the stream

adjective

Following a twisting or spiral course.

Usage examples:

Our bedroom was at the top of a winding staircase

verb

Cause (someone) to have difficulty breathing because of exertion or a blow to the stomach.

Usage examples:

The fall nearly winded him