circle vs loop

circle

noun
  • A curve that more or less forms part or all of a circle. 

  • An instrument of observation, whose graduated limb consists of an entire circle. When fixed to a wall in an observatory, it is called a mural circle; when mounted with a telescope on an axis and in Y's, in the plane of the meridian, a meridian or transit circle; when involving the principle of reflection, like the sextant, a reflecting circle; and when that of repeating an angle several times continuously along the graduated limb, a repeating circle. 

  • A two-dimensional geometric figure, a disk, consisting of the set of all those points of a plane at a distance less than or equal to a fixed distance (radius) from a given point. 

  • A form of argument in which two or more unproved statements are used to prove each other; inconclusive reasoning. 

  • A line comprising two semicircles of 30 yards radius centred on the wickets joined by straight lines parallel to the pitch used to enforce field restrictions in a one-day match. 

  • A bagginess of the skin below the eyes from lack of sleep. 

  • A series ending where it begins, and repeating itself. 

  • A territorial division or district. 

  • Any thin three-dimensional equivalent of the geometric figures. 

  • Any shape, curve or arrangement of objects that approximates to or resembles the geometric figures. 

  • A two-dimensional geometric figure, a line, consisting of the set of all those points in a plane that are equally distant from a given point (center). 

  • A specific group of persons; especially one who shares a common interest. 

  • The orbit of an astronomical body. 

  • A ritual circle that is cast three times deosil and closes three times widdershins either in the air with a wand or literally with stones or other items used for worship. 

  • A traffic circle or roundabout. 

verb
  • To travel around along a curved path. 

  • To travel in circles. 

  • To place or mark a circle around. 

  • To surround. 

loop

noun
  • A shape produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself. 

  • A complete circuit for an electric current. 

  • A quasigroup with an identity element. 

  • A ring road or beltway. 

  • The opening so formed. 

  • A loop-shaped intrauterine device. 

  • A small, narrow opening; a loophole. 

  • A flexible region in a protein's secondary structure. 

  • A place at a terminus where trains or trams can turn round and go back the other way without having to reverse; a balloon loop, turning loop, or reversing loop. 

  • An aerobatic maneuver in which an aircraft flies a circular path in a vertical plane. 

  • An endless strip of tape or film allowing continuous repetition. 

  • A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening. 

  • An edge that begins and ends on the same vertex. 

  • A programmed sequence of instructions that is repeated until or while a particular condition is satisfied. 

  • A path that starts and ends at the same point. 

  • A bus or rail route, walking route, etc. that starts and ends at the same point. 

verb
  • To move in a loop. 

  • To move something in a loop. 

  • To place in a loop. 

  • To join electrical components to complete a circuit. 

  • To fly an aircraft in a loop. 

  • To duplicate the route of a pipeline. 

  • To form something into a loop. 

  • To create an error in a computer program so that it runs in an endless loop and the computer freezes up. 

  • To fasten or encircle something with a loop. 

  • To form a loop. 

How often have the words circle and loop occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )