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

Other Word Forms

• surrounding adjective
• presurround 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

A senior official in the Hamas-run interior ministry said security units surrounded them and engaged in heavy fighting to detain them.

Read more on BBC

The competition places rapidly filled for the 2025 competition - which organisers put down to the publicity surrounding last year's King Conker, who was accused of cheating with a steel nut.

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Many mysteries surrounding the moon's earliest history still remain, and once astronauts bring samples back to Earth, researchers hope to find more pieces to the puzzle.

Read more on Science Daily

That small blur marks the heart of the comet, made up of its icy, rocky nucleus surrounded by a glowing cloud called the coma.

Read more on Science Daily

These jets move super fast and interact with the surrounding gas as they travel, creating massive shockwaves, known as bow shocks.

Read more on Space Scoop

Related Words

• besiege 
• circle 
• envelop 
• inundate 
• ring