around

[ uh-round ]

/ əˈraʊnd /

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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.

approximately; about: 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.

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Idioms about around

been around, having had much worldly experience: He's been around and isn't likely to be taken in.

Origin of around

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English around(e); see a-¹, round¹

Words nearby around

Aron, Aron Kodesh, roof over one's head, a, Aroostook, arose, around, around the bend, around-the-clock, around the corner, Around the World in Eighty Days, arousal

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use around in a sentence

Have you looked around the American Dental Association website for an explanation of how fluoridation actually works?
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Added to drinking water at concentrations of around one part per million, fluoride ions stick to dental plaque.
Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-Vaxxers|Michael Schulson|July 27, 2016|DAILY BEAST
Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.
Sia and Shia LaBeouf’s Pedophilia Nontroversy Over ‘Elastic Heart’|Marlow Stern|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In straight relationships with an age gap, words like ‘gold-digger’ and ‘trophy wife’ get thrown around.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Toomey glides around the room like a Brazilian capoeira dancer.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
Davy looked around and saw an old man coming toward them across the lawn.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
This, however, did not apply to the waters lying directly around the Poloe and Flatland groups.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
At present, Louis was too self-absorbed by the struggles within him, to look deep into what was passing around him.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
While they were doing this, he assembled the officers around him, and the meaning of our night march was explained to us.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various

British Dictionary definitions for around

around

/ (əˈraʊnd) /

preposition

situated at various points ina lot of shelves around the house

from place to place indriving around Ireland

somewhere in or nearto stay around the house

approximately init happened around 1957, I think

adverb

surrounding, encircling, or enclosinga band around her head

in all directions from a point of referencehe owns the land for ten miles around

in the vicinity, esp restlessly but idlyto wait around; stand around

here and there; in no particular place or directiondotted around

informal (of people) active and prominent in a particular area or professionsome 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; availablethat 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 naturehe gets around; I've been around

Word Origin for around

C17 (rare earlier): from a- ² + round

usage for around

In American English, around is usually used instead of round in adverbial and prepositional senses, except in a few fixed phrases such as all year round. The use of around in adverbial senses is less common in British English

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with around

around

In addition to the idioms beginning with around

around the bend
around the corner

also see:

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)

Also see underround.

around

Idioms about around

Origin of around

Words nearby around

Words related to around

How to use around in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for around

Word Origin for around

usage for around

Other Idioms and Phrases with around