| 1. | a sequence or series. |
| 2. | a petition, remonstrance, or the like, having the signatures arranged in circular form so as to disguise the order of signing. |
| 3. | a letter, notice, or the like, circulated from person to person in a group, often with individual comments being added by each. |
| 4. | Sports. a tournament in which all of the entrants play each other at least once, failure to win a contest not resulting in elimination. |
| round robin n.
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round robin
A petition or other document signed by several persons in sequence, so that no one can tell who was the first to sign it. For example, We decided to send a round robin to management to protest the new rules about work hours. This term originally referred to a grievance presented by seamen to their captain, called round because of the circular sequence of names, but the source of robin has been lost. [Early 1700s]
In sports, a tournament in which each player or team plays against all of the others in turn. For example, The club always holds a tennis round robin on the Fourth of July. [Late 1800s]