surround

[ suh-round ]

verb (used with object)

1. to enclose on all sides; encompass:

   She was surrounded by reporters.

2. to form an enclosure around; encircle:

   A stone wall surrounds the estate.

3. to enclose (a body of troops, a fort or town, etc.) so as to cut off communication or retreat.

noun

1. something that surrounds, as the area, border, etc., around an object or central space:

   a tile surround for the shower stall.

2. environment or setting:

   The designer created a Persian surround for the new restaurant.

3. Hunting.
   1. a means of hunting in which wild animals are encircled and chased into a special spot that makes their escape impossible.
   2. the act of hunting by this means.
   3. the location encircled by hunters using this means.

surround

/ səˈraʊnd /

verb

1. to encircle or enclose or cause to be encircled or enclosed
2. to deploy forces on all sides of (a place or military formation), so preventing access or retreat
3. to exist around

   I dislike the people who surround her

noun

1. a border, esp the area of uncovered floor between the walls of a room and the carpet or around an opening or panel
2. 1. a method of capturing wild beasts by encircling the area in which they are believed to be
   2. the area so encircled

Derived Forms

• surˈrounding, adjective

Other Words From

• pre·sur·round verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of surround¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English surounden “to inundate, submerge,” from Anglo-French surounder, Middle French s(o)ronder, from Late Latin superundāre “to overflow,” equivalent to Latin super- super- + undāre “to flood,” derivative of unda “wave” ( undulate ); current spelling by analysis as sur- ¹ + round ¹ (verb)

Word History and Origins

Origin of surround¹

C15 surrounden to overflow, from Old French suronder, from Late Latin superundāre, from Latin super- + undāre to abound, from unda a wave

Example Sentences

“He knows that he needs to surround himself with people who have expertise that he doesn’t,” says retired Brig.

From Los Angeles Times

The fellow-traveler organizations surround the totalitarian movements with a mist of normality and respectability that fools the membership about the true character of the outside world as much as it does the outside world about the true character of the movement.

From Salon

"Trump is looking to surround himself with loyalists in his new administration, and there’s no one who’s been more loyal than Musk since he announced his endorsement for Trump," says Prof Gift.

From BBC

Police tape continued to surround the market area on Monday, with debris scattered across the road.

From BBC

Unlike the deep blue congressional districts that surround the Bay Area and Los Angeles, the Central Valley is often purple.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• besiege
• circle
• envelop
• hem in
• inundate
• ring