surround

¹sur·round

transitive verb \sə-ˈrau̇nd\

Definition of SURROUND

1

a (1) : to enclose on all sides : envelop <the crowd surrounded her> (2) : to enclose so as to cut off communication or retreat : invest

b : to form or be a member of the entourage of <flatterers who surround the king>

c : to constitute part of the environment of <surrounded by poverty>

d : to extend around the margin or edge of : encircle <a wall surrounds the old city>

2

: to cause to be surrounded by something <surrounded himself with friends>

Examples of SURROUND

1. A wall surrounds the old city.
2. They had the suspect surrounded.
3. She was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of excited fans.
4. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the decision.
5. His departure was surrounded by secrecy.

Origin of SURROUND

Middle English, to flood, inundate, from Anglo-French surunder, from Late Latin superundare, to overflow, from Latin super- + unda wave; influenced in meaning by ⁵round — more at water

First Known Use: circa 1616

Related to SURROUND

Synonyms

circle, compass, embrace, encircle, enclose (also inclose), encompass, environ, gird, girdle, ring, wreathe

Related Words

circumscribe, close in, cordon (off), fence (in), hem (in), wall; beset, besiege, entrench (also intrench), invest, swarm

Rhymes with SURROUND

abound, aground, around, 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, to ground, top round, unbound, unround, unsound, well-found, westbound, wolfhound, year-round

²surround

noun

Definition of SURROUND

: something (as a border or ambient environment) that surrounds <from urban centre to rural surround — Emrys Jones>

Examples of SURROUND

1. <the vast, featureless surround of the desert was strangely appealing to him>

First Known Use of SURROUND

1893

Related to SURROUND

Synonyms

ambient, atmosphere, climate, clime, context, contexture, environs, medium, milieu, mise-en-scène, setting, environment, surroundings, terrain

Related Words

location, place, position, space; backdrop, background; element; situation, status; geography, habitat; microenvironment