Circus: Some Agree It Is the 'Greatest Show on Earth'

 
Circus is a word with a long, interesting history.  It is a Latin word that means "ring" or "circle."
 
One of the most famous places in ancient Rome was the Circus Maximus.  It was a kind of round stadium with rows of seats all around the inside of it.  Roman citizens gathered there to watch races, games and violent, bloody fights.
 
The modern circus developed in the nineteenth century.  It was a travelling show of animals and people working under a large tent, later known as the Big Top. 
 
Travelling circuses were popular in the United States and Britain before eighteen thirty.  A circus moved from town to town, putting on shows with trained animals, acrobats doing difficult tricks, and funny, colorful clowns.
 
Circuses still travel from place to place.  And they still have trained animal acts, acrobats and clowns.
 
Today's circuses usually have three rings.  Something different takes place in each of the three rings at the same time.  The heads of people watching a circus turn back and forth as they try to see every exciting act in each ring.
 
The circus has been popular for so long that it is not surprising that words and expressions connected with it are part of everyday speech.

circus is used to describe any noisy place with a lot of activities going on.

three ring circus.

to clown around when we talk about someone playing tricks and making jokes.  Usually, a person is clowning around if he is being funny when he should be serious. In that case, you may get angry and say, "Stop clowning around. This is a serious situation."

jumbo.

 
(MUSIC)
 
This Special English WORDS AND THEIR STORIES program was written by Marilyn Rice Christiano. This is Bob Doughty.