around

[ uh-round ]

adverb

1. in a circle, ring, or the like; so as to surround a person, group, thing, etc.:

   The crowd gathered around.

2. on all sides; about:

   His land is fenced all around.

3. in all directions from a center or point of reference:

   He owns the land for miles around.

4. in a region or area neighboring a place:

   all the country around.

5. in circumference:

   The tree was 40 inches around.

6. in a circular or rounded course:

   to fly around and around.

7. through a sequence or series, as of places or persons:

   to show someone around.

8. through a recurring period, as of time, especially to the present or a particular time:

   when spring rolls around again.

9. by a circuitous or roundabout course:

   The driveway to the house goes around past the stables.

10. to a place or point, as by a circuit or circuitous course:

    to get around into the navigable channel.

11. with a rotating course or movement:

    The wheels turned around.

12. in or to another or opposite direction, course, opinion, etc.:

    Sit still and don't turn around.

    After our arguments, she finally came around.

13. back into consciousness:

    The smelling salts brought her around.

14. in circulation, action, etc.:

    He hasn't been around lately.

    The play has been around for years.

    When will she be up and around?

15. somewhere near or about; nearby:

    I'll be around if you need me.

16. to a specific place:

    He came around to see me.

preposition

1. about; on all sides; encircling; encompassing:

   a halo around his head.

2. so as to encircle, surround, or envelop:

   to tie paper around a package.

3. on the edge, border, or outer part of:

   a skirt with fringe around the bottom.

4. from place to place in; about:

   to get around town.

5. in all or various directions from:

   to look around one.

6. in the vicinity of:

   the country around Boston.

7. approximately; about:

   It's around five o'clock.

8. here and there in:

   There are many cafés around the city.

9. somewhere in or near:

   to stay around the house.

10. to all or various parts of:

    to wander around the country.

11. 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.

12. reached by making a turn or partial circuit about:

    the church around the corner.

13. so as to revolve or rotate about a center or axis:

    the earth's motion around its axis.

14. personally close to:

    Only the few advisers around the party leader understood his real motives.

15. so as to get by a difficulty:

    They got around the lack of chairs by sitting on the floor.

16. so as to have a foundation in:

    The novel is built around a little-known historical event.

around

/ əˈraʊnd /

preposition

1. situated at various points in

   a lot of shelves around the house

2. from place to place in

   driving around Ireland

3. somewhere in or near

   to stay around the house

4. approximately in

   it happened around 1957, I think

adverb

1. surrounding, encircling, or enclosing

   a band around her head

2. in all directions from a point of reference

   he owns the land for ten miles around

3. in the vicinity, esp restlessly but idly

   to wait around

   stand around

4. here and there; in no particular place or direction

   dotted around

5. informal.
   (of people) active and prominent in a particular area or profession

   some pop stars are around for only a few years

6. informal.
   present in some place (the exact location being inexact)

   he's around here somewhere

7. informal.
   in circulation; available

   that type of phone has been around for some years now

8. 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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of around¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of around¹

C17 (rare earlier): from a- ² + round

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. 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

Have you looked around the American Dental Association website for an explanation of how fluoridation actually works?

From The Daily Beast

Added to drinking water at concentrations of around one part per million, fluoride ions stick to dental plaque.

From The Daily Beast

Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.

From The Daily Beast

In straight relationships with an age gap, words like ‘gold-digger’ and ‘trophy wife’ get thrown around.

From The Daily Beast

Toomey glides around the room like a Brazilian capoeira dancer.

From The Daily Beast

Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.

From Project Gutenberg

Davy looked around and saw an old man coming toward them across the lawn.

From Project Gutenberg

This, however, did not apply to the waters lying directly around the Poloe and Flatland groups.

From Project Gutenberg

At present, Louis was too self-absorbed by the struggles within him, to look deep into what was passing around him.

From Project Gutenberg

While they were doing this, he assembled the officers around him, and the meaning of our night march was explained to us.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• about
• almost
• approximately
• nearby