Definition of circus | Bee Dictionary of English

n a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
he ran away from home to join the circus
n a performance given by a traveling company of acrobats, clowns, and trained animals
the children always love to go to the circus
n a frenetic disorganized (and often comic) disturbance suggestive of a large public entertainment
it was so funny it was a circus
n (antiquity) an open-air stadium for chariot races and gladiatorial games
n 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
n a genus of haws comprising the harriers

Circus elephant traveling, 2 months after shooting
A circus elephant is traveling but not yet performing, two months after being injured in a drive-by shooting in Mississippi.
June 20, 2013 - WAPT Jackson
Circus bringing three-ring fun to Cajundome
As circus ringmaster, David Shipman keeps the audience engaged and involved. / Submitted photo • What: Fully Charged, Gold Edition — knife throwing, high-wires, strength, aerial gymnastics, acrobatics, animal performances, comedians, fire juggling, tap dancing and more.
June 20, 2013 - The Journal News
Circus elephant traveling, 2 months after shooting - KALB-TV News Channel 5 & CBS 2
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - A circus elephant is traveling but not yet performing, two months after being injured in a drive-by shooting in Mississippi. Carol, a 39-year-old Asian elephant, spent several weeks recovering at a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus farm in Springfield, Mo.
June 20, 2013 - KALB Alexandria

John Boehner in International Herald Tribune
Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the bill was "a political circus" diverting attention from why the administration hadn't done more to block the bonuses before they were paid.
Brett Favre in International Herald Tribune
It's tempting just to, as everyone said, you know, call their bluff or whatever,Favre said. "I think it's going to be a circus in itself already, whether I go there, whatever."
Barack Obama in ABC News
See, this is part of what happens. I mean, it just- it becomes a big circus instead of us focusing on health care,a laughing Obama told CBS' "60 Minutes."