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around
[ uh-round ]
adverb
- in a circle, ring, or the like; so as to surround a person, group, thing, etc.:
The crowd gathered around.
- on all sides; about:
His land is fenced all around.
- in all directions from a center or point of reference:
He owns the land for miles around.
- in a region or area neighboring a place:
all the country around.
- in circumference:
The tree was 40 inches around.
- in a circular or rounded course:
to fly around and around.
- through a sequence or series, as of places or persons:
to show someone around.
- through a recurring period, as of time, especially to the present or a particular time:
when spring rolls around again.
- by a circuitous or roundabout course:
The driveway to the house goes around past the stables.
- to a place or point, as by a circuit or circuitous course:
to get around into the navigable channel.
- with a rotating course or movement:
The wheels turned around.
- in or to another or opposite direction, course, opinion, etc.:
Sit still and don't turn around.
After our arguments, she finally came around.
- back into consciousness:
The smelling salts brought her around.
- in circulation, action, etc.:
He hasn't been around lately.
The play has been around for years.
When will she be up and around?
- somewhere near or about; nearby:
I'll be around if you need me.
- to a specific place:
He came around to see me.
preposition
- about; on all sides; encircling; encompassing:
a halo around his head.
- so as to encircle, surround, or envelop:
to tie paper around a package.
- on the edge, border, or outer part of:
a skirt with fringe around the bottom.
- from place to place in; about:
to get around town.
- in all or various directions from:
to look around one.
- in the vicinity of:
the country around Boston.
It's around five o'clock.
- here and there in:
There are many cafés around the city.
- somewhere in or near:
to stay around the house.
- to all or various parts of:
to wander around the country.
- so as to make a circuit about or partial circuit to the other side of:
to go around the lake;
to sail around the cape.
- reached by making a turn or partial circuit about:
the church around the corner.
- so as to revolve or rotate about a center or axis:
the earth's motion around its axis.
- personally close to:
Only the few advisers around the party leader understood his real motives.
- so as to get by a difficulty:
They got around the lack of chairs by sitting on the floor.
- so as to have a foundation in:
The novel is built around a little-known historical event.
around
/ əˈraʊnd /
preposition
- situated at various points in
a lot of shelves around the house
- from place to place in
driving around Ireland
- somewhere in or near
to stay around the house
- approximately in
it happened around 1957, I think
adverb
- surrounding, encircling, or enclosing
a band around her head
- in all directions from a point of reference
he owns the land for ten miles around
- in the vicinity, esp restlessly but idly
to wait around
stand around
- here and there; in no particular place or direction
dotted around
- informal.(of people) active and prominent in a particular area or profession
some pop stars are around for only a few years
- informal.present in some place (the exact location being inexact)
he's around here somewhere
- informal.in circulation; available
that type of phone has been around for some years now
- informal.to many places, so as to have gained considerable experience, often of a worldly or social nature
he gets around
I've been around
Usage
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of around1
Idioms and Phrases
- been around, having had much worldly experience:
He's been around and isn't likely to be taken in.
More idioms and phrases containing around
- beat about (around) the bush
- been around
- boss someone around
- bring around
- cast about (around)
- come around
- enough to go around
- every time one turns around
- fool around
- fuck around
- full circle (what goes around comes around)
- get around
- get around to
- go around in circles
- hang around
- horse around
- kick around
- kid around
- knock about (around)
- know one's way around
- mess around
- nose about (around)
- pal around with
- play around
- poke around
- push around
- rally around
- roll around
- run around in circles
- run around like a chicken
- run around with
- run rings around
- screw around
- scrounge around
- shop around
- sleep around
- stick around
- talk around
- tear around
- throw one's weight around
- turn around
- twist around one's finger
- up and about (around)
- round
Example Sentences
Lord Prescott lived in Sutton and was a familiar face around the area.
On Holderness Road, the area's main shopping street, people were taking a walk around East Park in the autumn sunshine, despite freezing temperatures.
"We believe that if someone is thinking it is possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to strike our territory and create problems for us,” he said, “why can’t we supply our weapons of the same class to those regions around the world where they will target sensitive facilities of the countries that are doing this to Russia?"
They say the actor was punched in the face, had an "unknown chemical substance" poured on him and a rope wrapped around his neck.
Taken from a police officer's bodycam in Jussie Smollett's apartment, it shows the actor with a rope still around his neck.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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