around

¹around

adv \ə-ˈrau̇nd\

Definition of AROUND

1

a : in a circle or in circumference <the wheel goes around> <a tree five feet around> b : in, along, or through a circuit <the road goes around by the lake>

2

a : on all or various sides : in every or any direction <papers lying around> <nothing for miles around> b : in close from all sides so as to surround <people crowded around> c : in or near one's present place or situation <wait around awhile>

3

a : here and there : from one place to another <travels around on business> b : to a particular place <come around for dinner> c —used with some verbs to indicate repeated or continued action <always joking around when he should be serious> <don't play around with your food>

4

a : in rotation or succession <another winter comes around> b : from beginning to end : through <mild the year around> c : in order <the other way around>

5

: in or to an opposite direction or position <turn around>

6

: with some approach to exactness : approximately <cost around $5>

Examples of AROUND

1. Don't take the long way around: I know a shortcut.
2. He entered the room and looked around.
3. This is a very interesting town: let me show you around.
4. I'm not sure where it is, but it must be around somewhere.
5. It's safer when there are other people around.
6. I'd like to speak to him if he's around.

Origin of AROUND

Middle English, from ¹a- + ²round

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to AROUND

Synonyms: about, round

Antonyms: exactly, precisely

Related Words: all over, everyplace, everywhere; abroad, afloat, hereabouts (or hereabout)

Near Antonyms: clockwise, deasil

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with AROUND

abound, aground, astound, background, bloodhound, boozehound, brassbound, break ground, campground, chowhound, clothbound, come round, compound, confound, coonhound, deerhound, deskbound, dumbfound, earthbound, eastbound, elkhound, expound, fairground, fogbound, foot-pound, foreground, foxhound, gain ground, go-round, greyhound, half-bound, hardbound, hellhound, hidebound, high ground, homebound, horehound, housebound, icebound, impound, inbound, ironbound, lose ground, newfound, newshound, northbound, outbound, playground, pot-bound, profound, propound, rebound, redound, renowned, resound, rockbound, rock hound, scent hound, sight hound, sleuthhound, smooth hound, snowbound, softbound, southbound, spellbound, staghound, stone-ground, stormbound, strikebound, surround, to ground, top round, unbound, unround, unsound, well-found, westbound, wolfhound, year-round