around

[ uh-round ]
See synonyms for around on Thesaurus.com
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.

  1. in all directions from a center or point of reference: He owns the land for miles around.

  2. in a region or area neighboring a place: all the country around.

  3. in circumference: The tree was 40 inches around.

  4. in a circular or rounded course: to fly around and around.

  5. through a sequence or series, as of places or persons: to show someone around.

  6. through a recurring period, as of time, especially to the present or a particular time: when spring rolls around again.

  7. by a circuitous or roundabout course: The driveway to the house goes around past the stables.

  8. to a place or point, as by a circuit or circuitous course: to get around into the navigable channel.

  9. with a rotating course or movement: The wheels turned around.

  10. in or to another or opposite direction, course, opinion, etc.: Sit still and don't turn around.After our arguments, she finally came around.

  11. back into consciousness: The smelling salts brought her around.

  12. in circulation, action, etc.: He hasn't been around lately.The play has been around for years.When will she be up and around?

  13. somewhere near or about; nearby: I'll be around if you need me.

  14. 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.

  1. on the edge, border, or outer part of: a skirt with fringe around the bottom.

  2. from place to place in; about: to get around town.

  3. in all or various directions from: to look around one.

  4. in the vicinity of: the country around Boston.

  5. approximately; about: It's around five o'clock.

  6. here and there in: There are many cafés around the city.

  7. somewhere in or near: to stay around the house.

  8. to all or various parts of: to wander around the country.

  9. 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.

  10. reached by making a turn or partial circuit about: the church around the corner.

  11. so as to revolve or rotate about a center or axis: the earth's motion around its axis.

  12. personally close to: Only the few advisers around the party leader understood his real motives.

  13. so as to get by a difficulty: They got around the lack of chairs by sitting on the floor.

  14. so as to have a foundation in: The novel is built around a little-known historical event.

Idioms about around

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

Origin of around

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

Words Nearby around

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use around in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for around

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

  1. somewhere in or near: to stay around the house

  2. 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

  1. in the vicinity, esp restlessly but idly: to wait around; stand around

  2. here and there; in no particular place or direction: dotted around

  3. informal (of people) active and prominent in a particular area or profession: some pop stars are around for only a few years

  4. informal present in some place (the exact location being inexact): he's around here somewhere

  5. informal in circulation; available: that type of phone has been around for some years now

  6. 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

Origin of around

1
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.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.