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round - 17 dictionary results

round

1  [round] adjective, -er, -est, noun, adverb, preposition, verb
Use round in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having a flat, circular surface, as a disk.
2. ring-shaped, as a hoop.
3. curved like part of a circle, as an outline.
4. having a circular cross section, as a cylinder; cylindrical.
5. spherical or globular, as a ball.
6. shaped more or less like a part of a sphere; hemispherical.
7. free from angularity; consisting of full, curved lines or shapes, as handwriting or parts of the body.
8. executed with or involving circular motion.
9. full, complete, or entire: a round dozen.
10. noting, formed, or expressed by an integer or whole number with no fraction.
11. expressed, given, or exact to the nearest multiple or power of ten; in tens, hundreds, thousands, or the like: in round numbers.
12. roughly correct; approximate: a round guess.
13. considerable in amount; ample: a round sum of money.
14. brought to completeness or perfection.
15. full and sonorous, as sound.
16. vigorous or brisk: a round trot.
17. straightforward, plain, or candid; outspoken: a round scolding.
18. positive or unqualified: a round assertion.
–noun
19. any round shape, as a circle, ring or sphere.
20. a circular, ring-shaped, curved, or spherical object; a rounded form.
21. something circular in cross section, as a rung of a ladder or chair.
22. Sometimes, rounds. a completed course of time, series of events or operations, etc., ending at a point corresponding to that at the beginning: We waited through the round of many years.
23. any complete course, series, or succession: The strike was settled after a long round of talks; a round of parties.
24. Often, rounds. a going around from place to place, as in a habitual or definite circuit: a doctor's rounds.
25. a completed course or spell of activity, commonly one of a series, in some play or sport: the second round of a tournament.
26. a recurring period of time, succession of events, duties, etc.: the daily round.
27. an entire range: the round of human capabilities.
28. a single outburst, as of applause or cheers.
29. a single discharge of shot by each of a number of guns, rifles, etc.
30. a single discharge by one firearm.
31. a charge of ammunition for a single shot.
32. a single serving, esp. of drink, made more or less simultaneously to everyone present, as at table or at a bar: The next round is on me.
33. round dance.
34. movement in a circle or around an axis.
35. Cookery.
a. Also, round of beef. the portion of the thigh of beef below the rump and above the leg.
b. Informal. round steak.
36. a slice, as of bread.
37. Archery. a specified number of arrows shot from a specified distance from the target in accordance with the rules.
38. one of a series of three-minute periods making up a boxing match: a 15-round bout.
39. Music.
a. a short, rhythmical canon at the unison, in which the several voices enter at equally spaced intervals of time.
b. rounds, the order followed in ringing a peal of bells in diatonic sequence from the highest to the lowest.
40. Golf. a playing of the complete course.
41. Cards. a division of play in a game, consisting of a turn each for every player to bid, bet, play a card, deal the cards, or be dealt cards.
–adverb
42. throughout or from the beginning to the end of a recurring period of time: all year round.
43. Also, 'round. around: The music goes round and round.
–preposition
44. throughout (a period of time): a resort visited all round the year.
45. around: It happened round noon.
–verb (used with object)
46. to make round.
47. to free from angularity; fill out symmetrically; make plump.
48. to bring to completeness or perfection; finish.
49. Jewelry. to form (a gem) roughly (sometimes fol. by up); girdle.
50. to end (a sentence, paragraph, etc.) with something specified: He rounded his speech with a particularly apt quotation.
51. to encircle or surround.
52. to make a complete circuit of; pass completely around.
53. to make a turn or partial circuit around or to the other side of: to round a corner.
54. to cause to move in a circle; turn around.
55. Phonetics.
a. to make the opening at (the lips) relatively round or pursed during an utterance.
b. to pronounce (a speech sound, esp. a vowel) with rounded lips; labialize.
c. to contract (the lips) laterally. Compare spread (def. 14), unround.
56. Mathematics. to replace by the nearest multiple of 10, with 5 being increased to the next highest multiple: 15,837 can be rounded to 15,840; then to 15,800; then to 16,000.
–verb (used without object)
57. to become round.
58. to become free from angularity; become plump.
59. to develop to completeness or perfection.
60. to take a circular course; make a circuit, as a guard.
61. to make a turn or partial circuit around something.
62. to turn around as on an axis: to round on one's heels.
63. to reduce successively the number of digits to the right of the decimal point of a mixed number by dropping the final digit and adding 1 to the next preceding digit if the dropped digit was 5 or greater, or leaving the preceding digit unchanged if the dropped digit was 4 or less.
—Verb phrases
64. round off,
a. to complete or perfect; finish.
b. to express as a round number, usually to the nearest multiple of 10.
65. round out,
a. to complete or perfect: The new coin rounded out his collection.
b. to fill out; become rounder: She rounded out so nicely that everyone soon forgot she had been so ill.
66. round to, Nautical. to turn a sailing vessel in the direction from which the wind is blowing.
67. round up,
a. to drive or bring (cattle, sheep, etc.) together.
b. to assemble; gather: to round up all the suspects in an investigation.
—Idioms
68. in the round,
a. (of a theater) having a stage completely surrounded by seats for the audience.
b. in the style of theater-in-the-round: The play should be done in the round.
c. in complete detail; from all aspects: a character as seen in the round.
d. (of sculpture) not attached to a supporting background; freestanding.
69. make the rounds,
a. to go from one place to another, as in making deliveries, paying social visits, or seeking employment.
b. Also, go the rounds. to be reported or told; circulate: another rumor making the rounds.
Origin:
1250–1300; (adj.) ME rond, round < OF, s. of ront, earlier reont < L rotundus round, circular (see rotund ); (n.) ME, partly deriv. of the adj., partly < OF rond, ronde (deriv. of ront); (v.) ME, deriv. of the adj.; (adv. and prep.) ME, appar. aph. var. of around

Related forms:
roundness, noun

Synonyms:
9. whole, unbroken. 20. cylinder. 22. cycle, revolution, period.

Antonyms:
1. angular.

round

2  [round]
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object) Archaic.
to whisper.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME rounen, OE rūnian, deriv. of rūn a secret, rune 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To round
round 1   (round)   
adj.   round·er, round·est
    1. Being such that every part of the surface or the circumference is equidistant from the center: a round ball.
    2. Moving in or forming a circle.
    3. Shaped like a cylinder; cylindrical.
    4. Rather rounded in shape: the child's round face.
    5. Full in physique; plump: a round figure.
    6. Linguistics Formed or articulated with the lips in a rounded shape: a round vowel.
    7. Full in tone; sonorous.
    8. Mathematics Expressed or designated as a whole number or integer; not fractional.
    9. Not exact; approximate: a round estimate.
    10. Outspoken; blunt: a round scolding.
    11. Done with full force; unrestrained: gave me a round thrashing.
    1. Linguistics Formed or articulated with the lips in a rounded shape: a round vowel.
    2. Full in tone; sonorous.
    3. Mathematics Expressed or designated as a whole number or integer; not fractional.
    4. Not exact; approximate: a round estimate.
    5. Outspoken; blunt: a round scolding.
    6. Done with full force; unrestrained: gave me a round thrashing.
  3. Whole or complete; full: a round dozen.
    1. Mathematics Expressed or designated as a whole number or integer; not fractional.
    2. Not exact; approximate: a round estimate.
    3. Outspoken; blunt: a round scolding.
    4. Done with full force; unrestrained: gave me a round thrashing.
  5. Large; considerable: a round sum of money.
  6. Brought to satisfactory conclusion or completion; finished.
    1. Outspoken; blunt: a round scolding.
    2. Done with full force; unrestrained: gave me a round thrashing.
n.  
    1. Something, such as a circle, disk, globe, or ring, that is round.
    2. A circle formed of various things.
    3. Movement around a circle or about an axis.
    4. A complete course, succession, or series: a round of parties; a round of negotiations.
    5. A course of customary or prescribed actions, duties, or places. Often used in the plural: physicians' rounds.
    6. A single shot or volley.
    7. Ammunition for a single shot or volley.
  2. A rung or crossbar, as one on a ladder or chair.
  3. A cut of beef from the part of the thigh between the rump and the shank.
  4. An assembly of people; a group.
  5. A round dance.
    1. A complete course, succession, or series: a round of parties; a round of negotiations.
    2. A course of customary or prescribed actions, duties, or places. Often used in the plural: physicians' rounds.
    3. A single shot or volley.
    4. Ammunition for a single shot or volley.
  7. A complete range or extent.
  8. One drink for each person in a gathering or group: Let me buy the next round.
  9. A single outburst, as of applause or cheering.
    1. A single shot or volley.
    2. Ammunition for a single shot or volley.
  11. A specified number of arrows shot from a specified distance to a target in archery.
  12. Sports & Games A unit of play that occupies a specified time, constitutes a certain number of plays, or allows each player a turn, especially the 18-hole sequence played in golf or one of the periods in a boxing match.
  13. Music A composition for two or more voices in which each voice enters at a different time with the same melody.
v.   round·ed, round·ing, rounds

v.   tr.
  1. To make round. See Synonyms at bend1.
  2. To encompass; surround.
  3. To cause to proceed or move in a circular course.
  4. Linguistics To pronounce with rounded lips; labialize.
  5. To fill out; make plump.
  6. To bring to completion or perfection; finish.
  7. Mathematics To express as a round number: The number 1.64 can be rounded to 1.6 or to 2.
  8. To make a complete circuit of; go or pass around.
  9. To make a turn about or to the other side of: rounded a bend in the road.
v.   intr.
  1. To become round.
  2. To take a circular course; complete or partially complete a circuit: racecars rounding into the final lap.
  3. To turn about, as on an axis; reverse.
  4. To become curved, filled out, or plump.
  5. To come to satisfactory completion or perfection.
adv.  
  1. In a circular progression or movement; around.
  2. With revolutions: wheels moving round.
  3. To a specific place or person: called round for the pastor; sent round for the veterinarian.
prep.  
  1. Around.
  2. From the beginning to the end of; throughout: a plant that grows round the year.
  3. To seek out and bring together; gather.
  4. To herd (cattle) together from various places.
Phrasal Verb(s):
round onTo turn on and assail.
round up
  1. To seek out and bring together; gather.
  2. To herd (cattle) together from various places.

Idiom(s):
in the round
  1. With the stage in the center of the audience.
  2. Fully shaped so as to stand free of a background: a sculpture in the round.

Idiom(s):
make/go the rounds
  1. To go from place to place, as on business or for entertainment: a delivery truck making the rounds; students going the rounds in the entertainment district.
  2. To be communicated or passed from person to person: The news quickly made the rounds. A piece of juicy gossip is going the rounds.

[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman rounde, variant of Old French rond, ultimately from Vulgar Latin *retundus, from Latin rotundus, from rota, wheel; see ret- in Indo-European roots.]
round'ness n.
round 2   (round)   
tr.v.   round·ed, round·ing, rounds Archaic
To whisper.

[Middle English rounden, from Old English rūnian, from rūn, a secret.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Round

Round\, v. i. & t. [From Roun.] To whisper. [obs.] --Shak. Holland.

The Bishop of Glasgow rounding in his ear, "Ye are not a wise man," . . . he rounded likewise to the bishop, and said, "Wherefore brought ye me here?" --Calderwood.

Round

Round\, a. [OF. roond, roont, reond, F. rond, fr. L. rotundus, fr. rota wheel. See Rotary, and cf. Rotund, roundel, Rundlet.]

1. Having every portion of the surface or of the circumference equally distant from the center; spherical; circular; having a form approaching a spherical or a circular shape; orbicular; globular; as, a round ball. "The big, round tears." --Shak.

Upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world. --Milton.

2. Having the form of a cylinder; cylindrical; as, the barrel of a musket is round.

3. Having a curved outline or form; especially, one like the arc of a circle or an ellipse, or a portion of the surface of a sphere; rotund; bulging; protuberant; not angular or pointed; as, a round arch; round hills. "Their round haunches gored." --Shak.

4. Full; complete; not broken; not fractional; approximately in even units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.; -- said of numbers.

Pliny put a round number near the truth, rather than the fraction. --Arbuthnot.

5. Not inconsiderable; large; hence, generous; free; as, a round price.

Three thousand ducats; 'tis a good round sum. --Shak.

Round was their pace at first, but slackened soon. --Tennyson.

6. Uttered or emitted with a full tone; as, a round voice; a round note.

7. (Phonetics) Modified, as a vowel, by contraction of the lip opening, making the opening more or less round in shape; rounded; labialized; labial. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect] 11.

8. Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; unqualified; not mincing; as, a round answer; a round oath. "The round assertion." --M. Arnold.

Sir Toby, I must be round with you. --Shak.

9. Full and smoothly expanded; not defective or abrupt; finished; polished; -- said of style, or of authors with reference to their style. [Obs.]

In his satires Horace is quick, round, and pleasant. --Peacham.

10. Complete and consistent; fair; just; -- applied to conduct.

Round dealing is the honor of man's nature. --Bacon.

At a round rate, rapidly. --Dryden.

In round numbers, approximately in even units, tens, hundreds, etc.; as, a bin holding 99 or 101 bushels may be said to hold in round numbers 100 bushels.

Round bodies (Geom.), the sphere right cone, and right cylinder.

Round clam (Zo["o]l.), the quahog.

Round dance one which is danced by couples with a whirling or revolving motion, as the waltz, polka, etc.

Round game, a game, as of cards, in which each plays on his own account.

Round hand, a style of penmanship in which the letters are formed in nearly an upright position, and each separately distinct; -- distinguished from running hand.

Round robin. [Perhaps F. round round + ruban ribbon.] (a) A written petition, memorial, remonstrance, protest, etc., the signatures to which are made in a circle so as not to indicate who signed first. "No round robins signed by the whole main deck of the Academy or the Porch." --De Quincey. (b) (Zo["o]l.) The cigar fish.

Round shot, a solid spherical projectile for ordnance.

Round Table, the table about which sat King Arthur and his knights. See Knights of the Round Table, under Knight.

Round tower, one of certain lofty circular stone towers, tapering from the base upward, and usually having a conical cap or roof, which crowns the summit, -- found chiefly in Ireland. They are of great antiquity, and vary in heigh from thirty-five to one hundred and thiry feet.

Round trot, one in which the horse throws out his feet roundly; a full, brisk, quick trot. --Addison.

Round turn (Naut.), one turn of a rope round a timber, a belaying pin, etc.

To bring up with a round turn, to stop abruptly. [Colloq.]

Syn: Circular; spherical; globular; globase; orbicular; orbed; cylindrical; full; plump; rotund.

Round

Round\, n. 1. Anything round, as a circle, a globe, a ring. "The golden round" [the crown]. --Shak.

In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled. --Milton.

2. A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution; as, the round of the seasons; a round of pleasures.

3. A course of action or conduct performed by a number of persons in turn, or one after another, as if seated in a circle.

Women to cards may be compared: we play A round or two; which used, we throw away. --Granville.

The feast was served; the bowl was crowned; To the king's pleasure went the mirthful round. --Prior.

4. A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.

the trivial round, the common task. --Keble.

5. A circular dance.

Come, knit hands, and beat the ground, In a light fantastic round. --Milton.

6. That which goes round a whole circle or company; as, a round of applause.

7. Rotation, as in office; succession. --Holyday.

8. The step of a ladder; a rundle or rung; also, a crosspiece which joins and braces the legs of a chair.

All the rounds like Jacob's ladder rise. --Dryden.

9. A course ending where it began; a circuit; a beat; especially, one freguently or regulary traversed; also, the act of traversing a circuit; as, a watchman's round; the rounds of the postman.

10. (Mil.) (a) A walk performed by a guard or an officer round the rampart of a garrison, or among sentinels, to see that the sentinels are faithful and all things safe; also, the guard or officer, with his attendants, who performs this duty; -- usually in the plural. (b) A general discharge of firearms by a body of troops in which each soldier fires once. (c) Ammunition for discharging a piece or pieces once; as, twenty rounds of ammunition were given out.

11. (Mus.) A short vocal piece, resembling a catch in which three or four voices follow each other round in a species of canon in the unison.

12. The time during which prize fighters or boxers are in actual contest without an intermission, as prescribed by their rules; a bout.

13. A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.

14. A vessel filled, as for drinking. [R.]

15. An assembly; a group; a circle; as, a round of politicians. --Addison.

16. (Naut.) See Roundtop.

17. Same as Round of beef, below.

Gentlemen of the round. (a) Gentlemen soldiers of low rank who made the rounds. See 10 (a), above. (b) Disbanded soldiers who lived by begging. [Obs.]

Worm-eaten gentlemen of the round, such as have vowed to sit on the skirts of the city, let your provost and his half dozen of halberdiers do what they can. --B. Jonson.

Round of beef, the part of the thigh below the aitchbone, or between the rump and the leg. See Illust. of beef.

Round steak, a beefsteak cut from the round.

Sculpture in the round, sculpture giving the full form, as of man; statuary, distinguished from relief.

Round

Round\, adv. 1. On all sides; around.

Round he throws his baleful eyes. --Milton.

2. Circularly; in a circular form or manner; by revolving or reversing one's position; as, to turn one's head round; a wheel turns round.

3. In circumference; as, a ball is ten inches round.

4. From one side or party to another; as to come or turn round, -- that is, to change sides or opinions.

5. By or in a circuit; by a course longer than the direct course; back to the starting point.

6. Through a circle, as of friends or houses.

The invitations were sent round accordingly. --Sir W. Scott.

7. Roundly; fully; vigorously. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

All round, over the whole place; in every direction.

All-round, of general capacity; as, an all-round man. [Colloq.]

To bring one round. (a) To cause one to change his opinions or line of conduct. (b) To restore one to health. [Colloq.]

Round

Round\, prep. On every side of, so as to encompass or encircle; around; about; as, the people atood round him; to go round the city; to wind a cable round a windlass.

The serpent Error twines round human hearts. --Cowper.

Round about, an emphatic form for round or about. "Moses . . . set them [The elders] round about the tabernacle." --Num. xi. 24.

To come round, to gain the consent of, or circumvent, (a person) by flattery or deception. [Colloq.]

Round

Round\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Rounding.]

1. To make circular, spherical, or cylindrical; to give a round or convex figure to; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of anything.

Worms with many feet, which round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber. --Bacon.

The figures on our modern medals are raised and rounded to a very great perfection. --Addison.

2. To surround; to encircle; to encompass.

The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow. --Shak.

3. To bring to fullness or completeness; to complete; hence, to bring to a fit conclusion.

We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. --Shak.

4. To go round wholly or in part; to go about (a corner or point); as, to round a corner; to round Cape Horn.

5. To make full, smooth, and flowing; as, to round periods in writing. --Swift.

To round in (Naut.) To haul up; usually, to haul the slack of (a rope) through its leading block, or to haul up (a tackle which hangs loose) by its fall. --Totten. (b) To collect together (cattle) by riding around them, as on cattle ranches .[Western U.S.]

Round

Round\, v. i. 1. To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.

The queen your mother rounds apace. --Shak.

So rounds he to a separate mind, From whence clear memory may begin. --Tennyson.

2. To go round, as a guard. [Poetic]

They . . . nightly rounding walk. --Milton.

3. To go or turn round; to wheel about. --Tennyson.

To round to (Naut.), to turn the head of a ship toward the wind.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : round
Spanish: redondo,
German: rund,
Japanese: 丸い
More Translations »

round

A song that can be begun at different times by different singers, but with harmonious singing (see harmony) as the result. “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a round.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

round  (adj., adv.)
c.1290, from Anglo-Fr. rounde, O.Fr. roont, probably originally *redond, from V.L. *retundus (cf. Prov. redon, Sp. redondo, O.It. ritondo), from L. rotundus "like a wheel, circular, round," related to rota "wheel" (see rotary). The O.Fr. word is the source of M.Du. ront (Du. rond), M.H.G. runt (Ger. rund) and similar Gmc. words. In many uses it is an aphetic form of around. First record of round trip is from 1860. Round number is 1646, from earlier sense of "full, complete" (1340, sense of symmetry extended to that of completeness); roundhouse (1589) is from Du. rondhuis "guardhouse." King Arthur's Round Table is attested from c.1300, from O.Fr. table ronde (1155, in Wace's Roman de Brut). Roundhead "adherent of Parliamentary party in the English Civil War" (1641) is from their custom of wearing the hair close-cropped, in contrast to the flowing curls of the cavaliers. Round heels attested from 1926, in ref. to incompetent boxers, 1927 in ref. to loose women, in either case implying an inability to avoid ending up flat on one's back.

round  (n.)
c.1330, "a spherical body," from round (adj.) (cf. Du. rond, Dan., Swed. rund, Ger. runde, all n. from adj.). Meaning "large round piece of beef" is recorded from 1660. Theatrical sense (in phrase in the round) is recorded from 1944. Sense of "circuit performed by a sentinel" is from 1598; that of "recurring course of time" is from 1710. Meaning "song sung by two or more, beginning at different times" is from 1530. Golfing sense attested from 1775. Meaning "quantity of liquor served to a company at one time" is from 1633; that of "single bout in a fight or boxing match" is from 1812; "single discharge of a firearm" is from 1725. Sense of "recurring session of meetings or negotiations" is from 1964.

round  (v.)
c.1375, "to make round," from round (adj.). Meaning "to approximate a number" is from 1934. Round up "to collect in a mass" is from 1615; specifically of livestock from 1847; round-up (n.) "cattle drive" is from 1873;
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: round
Pronunciation: 'raund
Function: intransitive verb
: to go on rounds
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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round

In addition to the idioms beginning with round, also see all year round; bring around (round); come around (round); get around (round); in round numbers; in the round; make the rounds; other way round; pull round; rally around. Also see under around.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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