circulation
Related to circulation: circulatory system, Blood circulation, JACC
back in(to) circulation
1. Engaging in social activities, typically after an absence. Now that my exams are done, I'm excited to get back in circulation and see my friends again. Jill wants to get back into circulation after her hospital stay.
2. Dating again after the end of a relationship. I hope to spend some time with Matt now that he's single again and back in circulation. She has mourned her husband and is ready to get back into circulation.
See also: back, circulation
in(to) circulation
1. Engaging in social activities, typically after an absence. Now that my exams are done, I'm excited to get back in circulation and see my friends again. Jill wants to get into circulation after her hospital stay.
2. Dating again after the end of a relationship. I hope to spend some time with Matt now that he's single again and in circulation. She has mourned her husband and is ready to get back into circulation.
See also: circulation
out of circulation
1. No longer being printed for public use or purchase. I'm sorry, that magazine has been out of circulation for a few years. The government's aim is to have the 1 cent coin completely out of circulation by 2020.
2. Not participating in social activities. I was out of circulation for months while I recovered from surgery, but I'm back, baby!
See also: circulation, of, out
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
*back in(to) circulation
1. Fig. back enjoying one's social contacts; back continuing to make new friends and develop a social life. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) After her illness, Kristine looked forward to getting back into circulation. I want to get back in circulation and have some fun.
2. Fig. becoming available for dating again. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) Now that Fred and Amy are through, Amy is getting back into circulation. Now that you're divorced, are you going to get back into circulation?
See also: back, circulation
out of circulation
1. Lit. no longer available for use or lending. (Usually said of library materials, certain kinds of currency, etc.) I'm sorry, but the book you want is temporarily out of circulation. How long will it be out of circulation?
2. Fig. not interacting socially with other people. I don't know what's happening because I've been out of circulation for a while. My cold has kept me out of circulation for a few weeks.
See also: circulation, of, out
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
in circulation
Also, into circulation. In business or social life, especially after a period of absence. For example, After a month in the hospital Bill was eager to get back in circulation. The antonym is out of circulation, as in Since we had twins we've been out of circulation, but we're hoping to get out more often soon . These expressions, dating from the first half of the 1900s, employ circulation in the sense of "making the rounds among people," a usage dating from the 1600s.
See also: circulation
out of circulation
see under in circulation.
See also: circulation, of, out
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- back in circulation
- back in(to) circulation
- in circulation
- in(to) circulation
- killjoy
- be running around in circles
- be done in
- bed down
- bed down (some place)
- bedding