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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ROUND, a.
1. Cylindrical; circular; spherical or globular. Round is applicable to a cylinder as well as to a globe or sphere. We say, the barrel of a musket is round; a ball is round; a circle is round.
2. Full; large; as a round sum or price.
3. Full; smooth; flowing; not defective or abrupt.
In his satires, Horace is quick, round and pleasant.
His style, though round and comprehensive -
4. Plain; open; candid; fair.
Round dealing is the honor of man's nature.
Let her be round with him.
5. Full; quick; brisk; as a round trot.
6. Full; plump; bold; positive; as a round assertion.
A round number, is a number that ends with a cipher, and may be divided by 10 without a remainder; a complete or full number. It is remarkable that the W. cant, a hundred, the L. centum, and Sax. hund, signify properly a circle, and this use of round may have originated in a like idea.
ROUND, n.
1. A circle; a circular thing, or a circle in motion.
With rounds of waxen tapers on their heads.
Knit your hands, and beat the ground in a light fantastic round.
2. Action or performance in a circle, or passing through a series of hands or things and coming to the point of beginning; or the time of such action.
Women to cards may be compared; we play a round or two; when used, we throw away.
The feast was serv'd; the bowl was crown'd; to the king's pleasure went the mirthful round.
So we say, a round of labors or duties.
We run the daily round.
3. Rotation in office; succession in vicissitude.
4. A rundle; the step of a ladder.
All the rounds like Jacob's ladder rise.
5. 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. Hence the officer and men who perform this duty are called the rounds.
6. A dance; a song; a roundelay, or a species of fugue.
7. A general discharge of fire-arms by a body of troops, in which each soldier fires once. In volleys, it is usual for a company or regiment to fire three rounds.
A round of cartridges and balls, one cartridge to each man; as, to supply a regiment with a single round or with twelve rounds of cartridges.
ROUND, adv.
1. On all sides.
Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round. Luke 19.
2. Circularly; in a circular form; as, a wheel turns round.
3. From one side or party to another; as, to come or turn round. Hence these expressions signify to change sides or opinions.
4. Not in a direct line; by a course longer than the direct course. The shortest course is not the best; let us go round.
All round, in common speech, denotes over the whole place, or in every direction.
Round about is tautological.
ROUND, prep.
1. On every side of; as, the people stood round him; the sun sheds light round the earth. In this sense, around is much used, and all is often used to modify the word. They stood all round or around him.
2. About; in a circular course, or in all parts; as, to go round the city. He led his guest round his fields and garden. he wanders round the world.
3. Circularly; about; as, to wind a cable round the windlass.
To come or get round one, in popular language, is to gain advantage over one by flattery or deception; to circumvent.
ROUND, v.t.
1. To make circular, spherical or cylindrical; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of any thing.
Worms with many feet, that round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber.
2. To surround; to encircle; to encompass.
Th' inclusive verge of golden metal that must round my brow.
Our little life is rounded with a sleep.
3. To form to the arch or figure of the section of a circle.
The figures on our modern medals are raised and rounded to very great perfection.
4. To move about any thing; as, the sun, in polar regions, rounds the horizon.
5. To make full, smooth and flowing; as, to round periods in writing.
To round in, among seamen, to pull upon a slack rope, which passes through one or more blocks in a direction nearly horizontal.
ROUND, v.i.
1. To grow or become round.
The queen, your mother, rounds space.
2. To go round, as a guard.
- They nightly rounding walk.
To round to, in sailing, is to turn the head of the ship towards the wind.
ROUND, v.i. To whisper; as, to round in the ear. Obs.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: having a circular shape [syn: round, circular] [ant: square]
2: (of sounds) full and rich; "orotund tones"; "the rotund and reverberating phrase"; "pear-shaped vowels" [syn: orotund, rotund, round, pear-shaped]
3: (mathematics) expressed to the nearest integer, ten, hundred, or thousand; "in round numbers" n
1: a charge of ammunition for a single shot [syn: round, unit of ammunition, one shot]
2: an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs; "the never-ending cycle of the seasons" [syn: cycle, rhythm, round]
3: a regular route for a sentry or policeman; "in the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name" [syn: beat, round]
4: (often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order); "the doctor goes on his rounds first thing every morning"; "the postman's rounds"; "we enjoyed our round of the local bars"
5: the activity of playing 18 holes of golf; "a round of golf takes about 4 hours" [syn: round of golf, round]
6: the usual activities in your day; "the doctor made his rounds" [syn: round, daily round]
7: (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive [syn: turn, bout, round]
8: the course along which communications spread; "the story is going the rounds in Washington"
9: a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic); "he ordered a second round" [syn: round, round of drinks]
10: a cut of beef between the rump and the lower leg
11: a partsong in which voices follow each other; one voice starts and others join in one after another until all are singing different parts of the song at the same time; "they enjoyed singing rounds" [syn: round, troll]
12: an outburst of applause; "there was a round of applause"
13: a crosspiece between the legs of a chair [syn: rung, round, stave]
14: any circular or rotating mechanism; "the machine punched out metal circles" [syn: circle, round] v
1: wind around; move along a circular course; "round the bend"
2: make round; "round the edges" [syn: round, round out, round off]
3: pronounce with rounded lips [syn: round, labialize, labialise]
4: attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault]
5: bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; "polish your social manners" [syn: polish, round, round off, polish up, brush up]
6: express as a round number; "round off the amount" [syn: round off, round down, round out, round]
7: become round, plump, or shapely; "The young woman is fleshing out" [syn: round, flesh out, fill out] adv
1: from beginning to end; throughout; "It rains all year round on Skye"; "frigid weather the year around" [syn: round, around]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rund, reund, from Latin rotundus — more at rotund Date: 14th century 1. a. (1) having every part of the surface or circumference equidistant from the center (2) cylindrical <a round peg> b. approximately round <a round face> 2. well filled out ; plump, shapely 3. a. complete, full <a round dozen> <a round ton> b. approximately correct; especially exact only to a specific decimal or place <use the round number 1400 for the exact figure 1411> c. substantial in amount ; ample <a good round price — T. B. Costain> 4. direct in utterance ; outspoken <a round denunciation> 5. moving in or forming a circle 6. a. brought to completion or perfection ; finished b. presented with lifelike fullness or vividness 7. delivered with a swing of the arm <a round blow> 8. a. having full or unimpeded resonance or tone ; sonorous b. pronounced with rounded lips ; labialized 9. of or relating to handwriting predominantly curved rather than angular • roundness noun II. adverb Date: 14th century around III. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. something (as a circle, globe, or ring) that is round b. (1) a knot of people (2) a circle of things 2. round dance 1 3. a musical canon in which each part begins on the same note and is continuously repeated 4. a. a rung of a ladder or a chair b. a rounded molding 5. a. a circling or circuitous path or course b. motion in a circle or a curving path 6. a. a route or circuit habitually covered (as by a security guard or police officer) b. a series of similar or customary calls or stops <making the rounds of his friends — Current Biography>; especially a series of regularly scheduled professional calls on hospital patients made by a doctor or nurse — usually used in plural 7. a drink of liquor apiece served at one time to each person in a group <I'll buy the next round> 8. a sequence of recurring routine or repetitive actions or events <went about my round of chores> <the newest round of talks> 9. a period of time that recurs in a fixed pattern <the daily round> 10. a. one shot fired by a weapon or by each man in a military unit b. a unit of ammunition consisting of the parts necessary to fire one shot 11. a. a unit of action in a contest or game which comprises a stated period, covers a prescribed distance, includes a specified number of plays, or gives each player one turn b. a division of a tournament in which each contestant plays an opponent 12. a prolonged burst (as of applause) 13. a. a cut of meat (as beef) especially between the rump and the lower leg — see beef illustration b. a slice of food <a round of bread> 14. a rounded or curved part IV. verb Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to make round b. (1) to make (the lips) round and protruded (as in the pronunciation of ü) (2) to pronounce with lip rounding ; labialize 2. a. go around b. to pass part of the way around 3. encircle, encompass 4. to bring to completion or perfection — often used with off or out 5. to express as a round number — often used with off <11.3572 rounded off to two decimal places becomes 11.36> intransitive verb 1. a. to become round, plump, or shapely b. to reach fullness or completion 2. to follow a winding course ; bend V. preposition Date: 1602 1. around 2. all during ; throughout <round the year> VI. transitive verb Etymology: alteration of Middle English rounen, from Old English r?nian; akin to Old English r?n mystery — more at rune Date: circa 1529 1. archaic whisper 2. archaic to speak to in a whisper

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj., n., adv., prep., & v. --adj. 1 shaped like or approximately like a circle, sphere, or cylinder; having a convex or circular outline or surface; curved, not angular. 2 done with or involving circular motion. 3 a entire, continuous, complete (a round dozen); fully expressed or developed; all together, not broken or defective or scanty. b (of a sum of money) considerable. 4 genuine, candid, outspoken; (of a statement etc.) categorical, unmistakable. 5 (usu. attrib.) (of a number) expressed for convenience or as an estimate in fewer significant numerals or with a fraction removed (spent £297.32, or in round figures £300). 6 a (of a style) flowing. b (of a voice) not harsh. 7 Phonet. (of a vowel) pronounced with rounded lips. --n. 1 a round object or form. 2 a a revolving motion, a circular or recurring course (the earth in its yearly round). b a regular recurring series of activities or functions (one's daily round; a continuous round of pleasure). c a recurring succession or series of meetings for discussion etc. (a new round of talks on disarmament). 3 a a fixed route on which things are regularly delivered (milk round). b a route or sequence by which people or things are regularly supervised or inspected (a watchman's round; a doctor's rounds). 4 an allowance of something distributed or measured out, esp.: a a single provision of drinks etc. to each member of a group. b ammunition to fire one shot; the act of firing this. 5 a a slice across a loaf of bread. b a sandwich made from whole slices of bread. c a thick disc of beef cut from the haunch as a joint. 6 each of a set or series, a sequence of actions by each member of a group in turn, esp. a one spell of play in a game etc. b one stage in a competition. 7 Golf the playing of all the holes in a course once. 8 Archery a fixed number of arrows shot from a fixed distance. 9 (the round) a form of sculpture in which the figure stands clear of any ground (cf. RELIEF 6a). 10 Mus. a canon for three or more unaccompanied voices singing at the same pitch or in octaves. 11 (in pl.) Mil. a a watch that goes round inspecting sentries. b a circuit made by this. 12 a rung of a ladder. 13 (foll. by of) the circumference, bounds, or extent of (in all the round of Nature). --adv. 1 with circular motion (wheels go round). 2 with return to the starting-point or an earlier state (summer soon comes round). 3 a with rotation, or change to an opposite position (he turned round to look). b with change to an opposite opinion etc. (they were angry but I soon won them round). 4 to, at, or affecting all or many points of a circumference or an area or the members of a company etc. (tea was then handed round; may I look round?). 5 in every direction from a centre or within a radius (spread destruction round; everyone for a mile round). 6 by a circuitous way (will you jump over or go round?; go a long way round). 7 a to a person's house etc. (ask him round; will be round soon). b to a more prominent or convenient position (brought the car round). 8 measuring a (specified distance) in girth. --prep. 1 so as to encircle or enclose (tour round the world; has a blanket round him). 2 at or to points on the circumference of (sat round the table). 3 with successive visits to (hawks them round the cafés). 4 in various directions from or with regard to (towns round Birmingham; shells bursting round them). 5 having as an axis of revolution or as a central point (turns round its centre of gravity; write a book round an event). 6 a so as to double or pass in a curved course (go round the corner). b having passed in this way (be round the corner). c in the position that would result from this (find them round the corner). 7 so as to come close from various sides but not into contact. --v. 1 a tr. give a round shape to. b intr. assume a round shape. 2 tr. double or pass round (a corner, cape, etc.). 3 tr. express (a number) in a less exact but more convenient form (also foll. by down when the number is decreased and up when it is increased). 4 tr. pronounce (a vowel) with rounded lips. Phrases and idioms: go the round (or rounds) (of news etc.) be passed on from person to person. in the round 1 with all features shown; all things considered. 2 Theatr. with the audience round at least three sides of the stage. 3 (of sculpture) with all sides shown; not in relief. make the round of go round. make (or go) one's rounds take a customary route for inspection etc. round about 1 in a ring (about); all round; on all sides (of). 2 with a change to an opposite position. 3 approximately (cost round about £50). round and round several times round. round-arm Cricket (of bowling) with the arm swung horizontally. round the bend see BEND(1). round brackets brackets of the form (). round dance 1 a dance in which couples move in circles round the ballroom. 2 a dance in which the dancers form one large circle. round down see sense 3 of v. round off (or out) 1 bring to a complete or symmetrical or well-ordered state. 2 smooth out; blunt the corners or angles of. round on a person make a sudden verbal attack on or unexpected retort to a person. round out = round off 1. round peg in a square hole = square peg in a round hole (see PEG). round robin 1 a petition esp. with signatures written in a circle to conceal the order of writing. 2 US a tournament in which each competitor plays in turn against every other. round-shouldered with shoulders bent forward so that the back is rounded. Round Table (in allusion to that at which King Arthur and his knights sat so that none should have precedence) 1 an international charitable association which holds discussions, debates, etc., and undertakes community service. 2 (round table) an assembly for discussion, esp. at a conference (often attrib.: round-table talks). round trip a trip to one or more places and back again (esp. by a circular route). round the twist see TWIST. round up collect or bring together, esp. by going round (see also sense 3 of v.). round-up n. 1 a systematic rounding up of people or things. 2 a summary; a résumé of facts or events. Derivatives: roundish adj. roundness n. Etymology: ME f. OF ro(u)nd- stem of ro(o)nt, reont f. L rotundus ROTUND

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

I. PREPOSITION AND ADVERB USES Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: 'Round' is an adverb and preposition that has the same meanings as 'around'. 'Round' is often used with verbs of movement, such as 'walk' and 'drive', and also in phrasal verbs such as 'get round' and 'hand round'. 'Round' is commoner in British English than American English, and it is slightly more informal. Please look at category 20 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword. 1. To be positioned round a place or object means to surround it or be on all sides of it. To move round a place means to go along its edge, back to the point where you started. They were sitting round the kitchen table... All round us was desert... PREP • Round is also an adverb. Visibility was good all round... The goldfish swam round and round in their tiny bowls. ADV: ADV after v 2. If you move round a corner or obstacle, you move to the other side of it. If you look round a corner or obstacle, you look to see what is on the other side. Suddenly a car came round a corner on the opposite side... One of his men tapped and looked round the door. PREP 3. You use round to say that something happens in or relates to different parts of a place, or is near a place. He happens to own half the land round here... I think he has earned the respect of leaders all round the world... PREP • Round is also an adverb. Shirley found someone to show them round... So you're going to have a look round? ADV: ADV after v, n ADV 4. If a wheel or object spins round, it turns on its axis. Holes can be worn remarkably quickly by a wheel going round at 60mph... ADV: ADV after v 5. If you turn round, you turn so that you are facing or going in the opposite direction. She paused, but did not turn round... The wind veered round to the east... ADV: ADV after v 6. If you move things round, you move them so they are in different places. I've already moved things round a bit to make it easier for him. ADV: ADV after v 7. If you hand or pass something round, it is passed from person to person in a group. John handed round the plate of sandwiches. ADV: ADV after v • Round is also a preposition. They started handing the microphone out round the girls at the front... PREP 8. If you go round to someone's house, you visit them. I think we should go round and tell Kevin to turn his music down... He came round with a bottle of champagne. ADV: ADV after v • Round is also a preposition in non-standard English. I went round my wife's house. PREP 9. You use round in informal expressions such as sit round or hang round when you are saying that someone is spending time in a place and is not doing anything very important. (BRIT) As we sat round chatting, I began to think I'd made a mistake... ADV: ADV after v • Round is also a preposition. She would spend the day hanging round street corners... PREP 10. If something is built or based round a particular idea, that idea is the basis for it. That was for a design built round an existing American engine... PREP 11. If you get round a problem or difficulty, you find a way of dealing with it. Don't just immediately give up but think about ways round a problem... PREP 12. If you win someone round, or if they come round, they change their mind about something and start agreeing with you. He did his best to talk me round, but I wouldn't speak to him... ADV: ADV after v 13. You use round in expressions such as this time round or to come round when you are describing something that has happened before or things that happen regularly. In the past, the elections have been marked by hundreds of murders, but this time round the violence has been much more limited... ADV: n ADV, ADV after v 14. You can use round to give the measurement of the outside of something that is shaped like a circle or a cylinder. I'm about two inches larger round the waist. PREP • Round is also an adverb. It's six feet high and five feet round. ADV 15. You use round in front of times or amounts to indicate that they are approximate. I go to bed round
11:00 at night. ADV: ADV amount [vagueness] 16. In spoken English, round about means approximately. (mainly BRIT) Round about one and a half million people died. PREP-PHRASE [vagueness] 17. You say all round to emphasize that something affects all parts of a situation or all members of a group. (mainly BRIT) It ought to make life much easier all round... PHRASE: cl PHR [emphasis] 18. If you say that something is going round and round in your head, you mean that you can't stop thinking about it. It all keeps going round and round in my head till I don't know where I am. PHRASE: V inflects 19. If something happens all year round, it happens throughout the year. Many of these plants are evergreen, so you can enjoy them all year round... PHRASE: PHR after v 20. round the corner: see corner the other way round: see way II. NOUN USES (rounds) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A round of events is a series of related events, especially one which comes after or before a similar series of events. This is the latest round of job cuts aimed at making the company more competitive... N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n 2. In sport, a round is a series of games in a competition. The winners of these games go on to play in the next round, and so on, until only one player or team is left. ...in the third round of the Pilkington Cup... After round three, two Americans share the lead. = heat N-COUNT: usu adj N, N num 3. In a boxing or wrestling match, a round is one of the periods during which the boxers or wrestlers fight. He was declared the victor in the 11th round... N-COUNT: usu adj N, N num 4. A round of golf is one game, usually including 18 holes. ...two rounds of golf... N-COUNT: usu N of n, N of num 5. If you do your rounds or your round, you make a series of visits to different places or people, for example as part of your job. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use route) The consultants still did their morning rounds... N-COUNT: usu supp N 6. If you buy a round of drinks, you buy a drink for each member of the group of people that you are with. They sat on the clubhouse terrace, downing a round of drinks... N-COUNT: usu with supp 7. A round of ammunition is the bullet or bullets released when a gun is fired. ...firing 1650 rounds of ammunition during a period of ten minutes. N-COUNT: usu num N, N of n 8. If there is a round of applause, everyone claps their hands to welcome someone or to show that they have enjoyed something. Sue got a sympathetic round of applause. N-COUNT: N of n 9. In music, a round is a simple song sung by several people in which each person sings a different part of the song at the same time. N-COUNT 10. If a story, idea, or joke is going the rounds or doing the rounds, a lot of people have heard it and are telling it to other people. This story was going the rounds 20 years ago. PHRASE: V inflects 11. If you make the rounds or do the rounds, you visit a series of different places. After school, I had picked up Nick and Ted and made the rounds of the dry cleaner and the grocery store... PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR of n III. ADJECTIVE USES (rounder, roundest) 1. Something that is round is shaped like a circle or ball. She had small feet and hands and a flat, round face. ...the round church known as The New Temple. ADJ 2. A round number is a multiple of 10, 100, 1000, and so on. Round numbers are used instead of precise ones to give the general idea of a quantity or proportion. A million pounds seemed a suitably round number. ADJ: ADJ n IV. VERB USES (rounds, rounding, rounded) 1. If you round a place or obstacle, you move in a curve past the edge or corner of it. The house disappeared from sight as we rounded a corner... = go round VERB: V n 2. If you round an amount up or down, or if you round it off, you change it to the nearest whole number or nearest multiple of 10, 100, 1000 and so on. We needed to do decimals to round up and round down numbers... The fraction was then multiplied by 100 and rounded to the nearest half or whole number... I'll round it off to about £30. VERB: V n with adv, be V-ed to amount, V n adv to amount 3. see also rounded

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. 1. Circular. 2. Spherical, globular, orbicular, rotund, orbed. 3. Cylindrical. 4. Full, complete, entire, unbroken, whole. 5. Large, great, considerable. 6. Plump, chubby, corpulent, stout, full, swelling. 7. Smooth, continuous, flowing, full, harmonious. 8. Quick, brisk, full. 9. Plain, fair, candid, open, upright, honest, frank. II. n. 1. Cycle, revolution. 2. Circular dance. 3. Circle, sphere, cylinder, globe. 4. Rotation, established succession. 5. Rundle, step. 6. Circuit, compass, perambulation, tour. 7. Rung (of a ladder). III. ad. 1. Around, on all sides. 2. Circularly, in a circle, in a circuit. 3. Not directly, circuitously. 4. In circumference. 5. Through a circle. 6. From first to last. IV. prep. 1. Around, circularly, about. 2. All over, in all parts of. V. v. a. 1. Make circular, make spherical, make cylindrical. 2. Surround, encircle, encompass. 3. Make full, finish off, make complete. 4. Move about, go round. 5. Make full, make smooth.

Moby Thesaurus

Attic, Charybdis, Chateaubriand, Ciceronian, Indian file, O, O-shaped, SRO, about, absolute, ace, admitting no exception, again, air lane, all but, all over, all-out, almost, ambagious, ambit, amount, annular, annular muscle, annulate, annulose, annulus, anticlockwise, approximate, approximately, arc, arch, arched, area, arena, areola, around, array, arsis, articulation, artless, as good as, aside, assemble, aureole, back, backhanded, backward, bailiwick, ball, bank, bead, beat, beaten path, begird, bellied, bellylike, bend, bend back, beside, best bower, blade roast, bluff, blunt, border, borderland, bout, bow, bower, breast, brimful, brimming, brisket, broad, brusque, bulging, bullet, bureaucracy, bureaucratism, burst, bursting, buzz, by, caliber, candid, canon, capacity, cards, cartridge, catch, categorical, catena, catenation, chain, chain reaction, chaining, chance, chaplet, charge, chaste, chinoiserie, chock-full, chuck, chuck roast, chuck-full, circinate, circle, circuit, circuiteer, circuitous, circuitously, circular, circulate, circulation, circumambulate, circumference, circummigrate, circumnavigate, circumrotate, circumvent, circumvolute, circumvolution, circus, classic, clear, clockwise, clod, close, close about, close the circle, closed circle, clubs, cold cuts, collect, come about, come full circle, compass, complete, concatenation, conclusive, cone, congested, connection, consecution, continuum, convex, corner, corona, coronary, coronet, counterclockwise, course, cram-full, crammed, crank, crook, crown, crownlike, curl, curvation, curve, curved, curvilinear, cut, cycle, cyclic, cycloid, daily grind, decided, decisive, deck, decurve, definite, definitive, deflect, degree, demesne, department, descent, describe a circle, determinate, deuce, deviating, deviative, devious, diadem, diamonds, diastole, digressive, direct, disc, discipline, discoid, discursive, discus, disk, disklike, dizzy round, domain, dome, dominion, doorstep, double a point, downbeat, downright, draft, dram, drench, drink, drone, drop, dummy, easy, eddy, elegant, embow, encircle, encircling, enclosing, encompass, end, endless belt, endless round, ensphere, entire, eternal return, exact, excursive, explicit, express, extent, face cards, fairy ring, farci, fetch about, field, file, filet mignon, filiation, fill out, filled, final, finish, finished, fixed, flank, flat, flat-out, flex, flight path, flush, footrest, footstep, forthright, frank, frankhearted, free, free-speaking, free-spoken, free-tongued, fugato, fugue, full, full circle, full house, full to bursting, gamut, gargle, garland, gather, genuine, gird, girdle, girdle the globe, global, globate, globe, globe-shaped, globelike, globular, glory, go, go about, go around, go round, go the round, graceful, gracile, gradation, grade, grind, groove, gurge, guzzle, gyrate, gyration, gyre, halo, hand, head over heels, heart-to-heart, hearts, heat, heel, heels over head, height, helical, hem, hemisphere, herd, honest, hook, hoop, hum, hump, hunch, implicit, in a circle, in a spin, in a whirl, in circles, in reverse, in the neighborhood, in the vicinity, inappealable, incurvate, incurve, indirect, indisputable, inflect, ingenuous, inning, innings, interval, itinerary, jack, jam-packed, jigger, jog trot, joker, jolt, judicial circuit, jurisdiction, just about, king, knave, knuckle, lap, lasso, leap, left bower, level, libation, limpid, line, lineage, logical circle, loin, loop, looplet, lucid, maelstrom, magic circle, make a circuit, march, mark, marshal, meandering, measure, mellifluous, mellow, monotone, most, muster, natural, near, nearby, neat, nexus, nigh, nip, noose, notch, nuance, oblique, on all sides, open, openhearted, opportunity, orb, orbicular, orbit, orbital, orbiting, orotund, out-and-out, out-of-the-way, outburst, outright, outspoken, over, overfull, overstuffed, pack, packed, packed like sardines, pair, pale, pas, path, peg, pellucid, pendulum, peremptory, perfect, period, periodicity, perspicuous, picture cards, pirouette, pitch, pivot, pivot about, place, plain, plain-spoken, plane, plate, plate piece, plateau, playing cards, plenary, plenum, point, polished, positive, pot roast, potation, potion, powder train, practically, precinct, precise, primrose path, progression, proportion, province, pull, pulse, pure, put about, queen, queue, rack, radius, range, rank, rat race, ratio, reach, ready to burst, realm, recurrence, recurve, red tape, red-tapeism, reel, refine, refined, reflect, reflex, relief, remove, replete, rest, restrained, reticulation, retroflex, return, reverberant, reverberating, revolution, revolve, rib roast, ribs, rich, ring, ring-shaped, ringlike, riser, road, roast, rolled roast, rondeau, rondelet, rondelle, rondino, rondo, rondoletto, rondure, rotary, rotate, rotation, rotund, rough, round a bend, round a corner, round a point, round about, round and round, round of drinks, round out, round trip, round up, roundabout, rounded, rounded out, roundel, roundelay, rounds, route, routine, row, royal flush, rubber, ruff, rump, rump roast, run, rundle, rung, rut, saddle, sag, satiated, saturated, saucer, say, scale, scope, screw, sea lane, sequence, series, shade, shadow, shank, shell, short ribs, shortcut, shot, shoulder, shoulder clod, simple, sincere, single file, singleton, sip, sirloin, skirt, sleek, slick, smooth, snifter, snort, soaked, sonorous, space, spades, spate, spectrum, spell, sphere, spherical, spheroid, spheroidal, sphincter, spin, spiral, spoke, spot, squirrel cage, stage, stair, standard, standing room only, stave, step, step stool, stepping-stone, stint, straight, straight-out, straightforward, string, stuffed, subdiscipline, succession, suck, sup, surfeited, surge, surround, swag, swath, sweep, swig, swill, swing, swing round, swirl, swivel, swollen, systole, tasteful, tenderloin, terse, thesis, thread, through, throughout, tier, time, time at bat, topful, total, tour, track, trade route, train, traject, trajectory, trajet, transparent, tread, treadmill, trey, trick, trim, troll, trump, truthful, turn, turn a corner, turn a pirouette, turn about, turn around, turn round, turn tail, twirl, twist, unaffected, unchecked, uncircumscribed, unconditional, unconditioned, unconstrained, undoubting, unembellished, unequivocal, unguarded, unhampered, unhesitating, unlabored, unlimited, unmistakable, unmitigated, unqualified, unquestioning, unreserved, unrestrained, unrestricted, unvarnished, unwaivable, upbeat, utter, vault, veer, veer around, vibrant, vicious circle, volley, vortex, walk, wamble, well-nigh, well-worn groove, wet, whack, wheel, wheel about, whirl, whirlpool, whirlwind, whole, widdershins, wind, windrow, without exception, without reserve, wrangle, wreath