the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true; "he gave credence to the gossip"; "acceptance of Newtonian mechanics was unquestioned for 200 years"
a primitive method of determining a person's guilt or innocence by subjecting the accused person to dangerous or painful tests believed to be under divine control; escape was usually taken as a sign of innocence
an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading; "he hoped his claims would have a semblance of authenticity"; "he tried to give his falsehood the gloss of moral sanction"; "the situation soon took on a different color"
displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses; "an epicurean banquet"; "enjoyed a luxurious suite with a crystal chandelier and thick oriental rugs"; "Lucullus spent the remainder of his days in voluptuous magnificence"; "a chinchilla robe of sybaritic lavishness"
of Epicurus or epicureanism; "Epicurean philosophy"
deliberately arranged for effect; "one of those artfully staged photographs"
planned in advance; "an arranged marriage"
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order; "the carefully arranged chessmen"; "haphazardly arranged interlobular septa"; "comfortable chairs arranged around the fireplace"
performance given by a traveling company of acrobats clowns and trained animals; "the children always love to go to the circus"
a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment; "it was so funny it was a circus"; "the whole occasion had a carnival atmosphere"
a genus of haws comprising the harriers
an arena consisting of an oval or circular area enclosed by tiers of seats and usually covered by a tent; "they used the elephants to help put up the circus"
(antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals; "he ran away from home to join the circus"
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort); "a shaped handgrip"; "the molded steel plates"; "the wrought silver bracelet"
having the shape of; "a square shaped playing field"
highly important to or an integral part of a strategy or plan of action especially in war; "a strategic chess move"; "strategic withdrawal"; "strategic bombing missions"
relating to or concerned with strategy; "strategic weapon"; "the islands are of strategic importance"; "strategic considerations"
the work of making something smooth and shiny by rubbing or waxing it; "the shining of shoes provided a meager living"; "rbry Dunday he gave his car a good polishing"
marked by exceptional merit; "had shining virtues and few faults"; "a shining example"