English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Come full circle
Meaning
The idiom "come full circle" means to return to the same point or position after completing a journey or process. It can also mean to complete a cycle or pattern that started at one end and came back to its beginning.
Usage
- After years of traveling around the world, she finally decided to come full circle and settle down in her hometown.
- The company's stock price reached an all-time high, only to come full circle and crash again.
- He was born in China, studied in the United States, and then returned home to pursue his career, completing a cycle that came full circle.
- The new CEO's policies brought about significant changes that eventually led to the company's downfall, as if they were part of a cycle that came full circle.
- After years of research and experimentation, the scientists finally discovered a way to harness the power of the atom, completing a cycle that had started in the early 20th century.
Roots and History
The idiom "come full circle" can be traced back to ancient times when people believed in cycles and patterns in nature and life. The ancient Greeks used the word "perascopein" (περασκόπην) to describe a cycle or pattern that repeated itself, and this word eventually evolved into the modern-day idiom "come full circle." In medieval times, the concept of the cycle of life and death was central to many religious beliefs, and the idea of coming full circle became associated with the cyclical nature of existence.
Synonyms in English
- Return to the same place or position
- Completing a journey or process
- Finishing a cycle or pattern
- Reaching a destination
- Going back to the starting point
Synonyms in other languages
- In Spanish, "volver a la misma raíz" means to return to the same place or position, while "cerrar el cíclo" means to complete a cycle or pattern.
- In French, "rentrer dans le même tour" means to return to the same place or position, while "fermer le cercle" means to complete a cycle or pattern.
- In Italian, "tornare al punto di partenza" means to return to the starting point, while "chiudere il ciclo" means to complete a cycle or pattern.
- In German, "zurückkehren auf den Ausgangspunkt" means to return to the starting point, while "schließen den Kreislauf" means to complete a cycle or pattern.
- In Japanese, "帰りは先からの環境を返す" means to return to the same place or position, while "回路を閉める" means to complete a cycle or pattern.