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Meaning of around in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /əˈraʊnd/

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  1. Adverb

    around

    Etymology

    Middle English: from a-‘in, on’ + round

    Definitions

    1. in the area or vicinity

    Examples

    • « a few spectators standing about »
    • « hanging around »
    • « waited around for the next flight »
  2. 2. by a circular or circuitous route

    Examples

    • « He came all the way around the base »
    • « the road goes around the pond »
  3. 3. to or among many different places or in no particular direction

    Examples

    • « wandering about with no place to go »
    • « people were rushing about »
    • « news gets around (or about) »
    • « traveled around in Asia »
    • « he needs advice from someone who's been around »
    • « she sleeps a »
  4. 4. in a circle or circular motion

    Examples

    • « The wheels are spinning around »
  5. 5. (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct

    Examples

    • « lasted approximately an hour »
    • « in just about a minute »
    • « he's about 30 years old »
    • « I've had about all I can stand »
    • « we meet about once a month »
    • « some forty people came »
    • « weighs around a hundre »
  6. 6. in or to a reversed position or direction

    Examples

    • « about face »
    • « brought the ship about »
    • « suddenly she turned around »
  7. 7. to a particular destination either specified or understood

    Examples

    • « she came around to see me »
    • « I invited them around for supper »
  8. 8. all around or on all sides

    Examples

    • « dirty clothes lying around (or about) »
    • « let's look about for help »
    • « There were trees growing all around »
    • « she looked around her »
  9. 9. in circumference

    Examples

    • « the trunk is ten feet around »
    • « the pond is two miles around »
  10. 10. from beginning to end

    Examples

    • « throughout »
    • « It rains all year round on Skye »
    • « frigid weather the year around »

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