round

adjective

• 1shaped like a circle or cylinder:she was seated at a small, round table
• having a curved shape like part of the circumference of a circle:round brackets
• (of a person’s shoulders) bent forward from the line of the back.

• 2shaped like a sphere:a round glass ball the grapes are small and round
• (of a person’s body) plump: he could move quickly despite his round physique
• having a curved surface with no sharp projections:the boulders look round and smooth

• 3(of a voice) rich and mellow; not harsh: his rich, round voice went down well with the listeners

• 4 [attributive] (of a number) expressed in convenient units rather than exactly, for example to the nearest whole number or multiple of ten:the size of the fleet is given in round numbers
• used to show that a figure has been completely and exactly reached:the batsman made a round 100 a round dozen
• archaic (of a sum of money) considerable:his business is worth a round sum to me

• 5not omitting or disguising anything; frank:she berated him in good round terms

noun

• 1a circular piece of something:cut the pastry into rounds
• a thick disc of beef cut from the haunch as a joint.

• 2an act of visiting a number of people or places in turn:she did the rounds of her family to say goodbye
• a regular tour of inspection in which the well-being of those visited is checked:the doctor is just making his rounds in the wards
• chiefly British a journey along a fixed route delivering goods as part of one’s job or a job involving such journeys:I did a newspaper round

• 3each of a sequence of sessions in a process, typically characterized by development between one session and another:the two sides held three rounds of talks
• a division of a contest such as a boxing or wrestling match.
• each of a succession of stages in a competition, in each of which more candidates are eliminated:the FA Cup first round
• an act of playing all the holes in a golf course once:Eileen enjoys the occasional round of golf

• 4a regularly recurring sequence of activities:their lives were a daily round of housework and laundry
• a set of drinks bought for all the members of a group, typically as part of a sequence in which each member in turn buys such a set:it’s my round

• 5 Music a song for three or more unaccompanied voices or parts, each singing the same theme but starting one after another, at the same pitch or in octaves; a simple canon.

• 6British a slice of bread:two rounds of toast
• the quantity of sandwiches made from two slices of bread.

• 7the amount of ammunition needed to fire one shot: the gun can fire 30 rounds a second
• Archery a fixed number of arrows shot from a fixed distance.

adverb

• 1so as to rotate or cause rotation; with circular motion:a plane circled round overhead she turned her glass round and round
• so as to cover or take in the whole area surrounding a particular centre:she paused to glance round admiringly at the décor
• so as to reach everyone in a particular group or area:he passed round a newspaper cutting

• 2so as to rotate and face in the opposite direction:he swung round to face her
• so as to lead in another direction:it was the last house before the road curved round
• used in describing the position of something, typically with regard to the direction in which it is facing or its relation to other items:the picture shows the pieces the wrong way round
• used to describe a situation in terms of the relation between people, actions, or events:it was he who was attacking her, not the other way round

• 3so as to surround someone or something:everyone crowded round a pool with banks all the way round
• used in stating the girth of something:the trunk is nine feet round

• 4so as to reach a new place or position, typically by moving to the other side of something:he made his way round to the back of the building they went the long way round by the main road
• used to convey an ability to navigate or orientate oneself:I like pupils to find their own way round
• informal used to convey the idea of visiting someone else:why don’t you come round to my flat?

• 5used to suggest idle and purposeless motion or activity:he was driving round aimlessly

• 6so as to give support and companionship:if one girl is distraught the others will rally round

preposition

• 1on every side of (a focal point):the area round the school with shifting sands all round me
• (of something abstract) having (the thing mentioned) as a focus:the text is built round real practical examples

• 2so as to encircle (someone or something):he wrapped the blanket round him she drew a red circle round his name
• (of a person’s arm or arms) partially encircling (another person) as a gesture of affection:Angus put an arm round Flora and kissed her

• 3following an approximately circular route past (a corner or obstacle):a bus appeared round the corner
• on the other side of (a corner or obstacle):Steven parked the car round the corner
• so as to hit (something) in passing:if he didn’t shut up he might get a clip round the ear

• 4so as to cover or take in the whole area of (a place):she went round the house and saw that all the windows were barred

verb

• 1pass and go round (something) so as to move on in a changed direction:the ship rounded the cape and sailed north

• 2alter (a number) to one less exact but more convenient for calculations:we’ll round the weight up to the nearest kilo the committee rounded down the figure

• 3give a round shape to:a lathe that rounded chair legs
• [no object] become circular in shape:her eyes rounded in dismay
• Phonetics pronounce (a vowel) with the lips narrowed and protruded: the actor’s uneven attempt to round the vowels of his midwestern twang