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   round

   /raʊnd/

   adjective

   • 1. shaped like a circle or cylinder: "she was seated at a small, round table" Similar circulardisc-shapeddisc-likering-shapedhoop-shapedhooplikeannularsphericalglobularball-shapedglobe-shapedorb-shapedorblikecylindricalbulbousbulb-shapedballoon-likeconvexcurvedcurvilinearroundedrotundtechnical:cycloidaldiscoiddiscoidalspheroidspheroidalrare:globategloboseorbicularorbiculate
   • ▪ 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.
   • 2. shaped like a sphere: "a round glass ball"
   • ▪ (of a person's body) plump: "he could move quickly despite his round physique" Similar plumpchubbyfatstoutrotundroly-polyfattishportlydumpychunkybroad in the beamoverweightheavypot-belliedbeer-belliedpaunchyFalstaffianbuxomwell upholsteredwell coveredwell paddedof ample proportionsampleroundedwell roundedfullflabbyfleshybulkycorpulentobeseinformal:tubbypudgybeefyporkyblubberypoddypodgyfubsylard-arsedzaftigcorn-fedarchaic:pursyrare:abdominousOpposite thinslenderskinny
   • ▪ 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" Similar sonorousresonantrichfullfull-tonedfull-bodiedmellowmellifluousroundedreverberantorotundrare:pear-shapedcanorousOpposite harshthinreedy
   • 4. (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" Similar completeentirewholefullundividedunbroken
   • ▪ (of a sum of money) considerable: archaic "his business is worth a round sum to me"
   • 5. not omitting or disguising anything; frank: "she berated him in good round terms" Similar candidfrankdirecthonesttruthfulstraightforwardplainplain-spokenbluntoutspokenforthrightdownrightunvarnishedbaldstraight from the shoulderexplicitunequivocalinformal:upfrontnot pulling any punchesnot beating about the busharchaic:free-spokenOpposite evasive

   noun

   • 1. a circular piece of something: "cut the pastry into rounds" Similar circledisccircletringhoopbandballsphereglobeorbbeadtechnical:annulus
   • ▪ a thick disc of beef cut from the haunch as a joint.
   • 2. an 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" Similar circuitbeatcourseroutetourturn
   • ▪ a journey along a fixed route delivering goods as part of one's job or a job involving such journeys: British "I did a newspaper round"
   • 3. each 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" Similar stagelevelheatgamelapboutcontest
   • ▪ an act of playing all the holes in a golf course once: "Eileen enjoys the occasional round of golf"
   • 4. a regularly recurring sequence of activities: "their lives were a daily round of housework and laundry" Similar successionsequenceseriescycle
   • ▪ 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. 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.
   • 6. a slice of bread: British "two rounds of toast"
   • ▪ the quantity of sandwiches made from two slices of bread.
   • 7. the amount of ammunition needed to fire one shot: "the gun can fire 30 rounds a second" Similar bulletcartridgeshellshot
   • ▪ a fixed number of arrows shot from a fixed distance.

   adverb

   • 1. so as to rotate or cause rotation; with circular motion: "a plane circled round overhead"
   • ▪ 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"
   • 2. so 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"
   • 3. so as to surround someone or something: "everyone crowded round"
   • ▪ used in stating the girth of something: "the trunk is nine feet round"
   • 4. so 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"
   • ▪ used to convey an ability to navigate or orientate oneself: "I like pupils to find their own way round"
   • ▪ used to convey the idea of visiting someone else: informal "why don't you come round to my flat?"
   • 5. used to suggest idle and purposeless motion or activity: "he was driving round aimlessly"
   • 6. so as to give support and companionship: "if one girl is distraught the others will rally round"

   preposition

   • 1. on every side of (a focal point): "the area round the school" Similar aroundaboutencirclingenclosingnearin the neighbourhood ofin the vicinity ofin the area oforbiting
   • ▪ (of something abstract) having (the thing mentioned) as a focus: "the text is built round real practical examples"
   • 2. so as to encircle (someone or something): "he wrapped the blanket round him"
   • ▪ (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"
   • 3. following 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"
   • 4. so 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" Similar throughoutall overhere and there ineverywhere in

   verb

   • 1. pass and go round (something) so as to move on in a changed direction: "the ship rounded the cape and sailed north"
   • 2. alter (a number) to one less exact but more convenient for calculations: "we'll round the weight up to the nearest kilo"
   • 3. give a round shape to: "a lathe that rounded chair legs"
   • ▪ become circular in shape: "her eyes rounded in dismay"
   • ▪ pronounce (a vowel) with the lips narrowed and protruded: "the actor's uneven attempt to round the vowels of his midwestern twang"

   Word Origin Middle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. roundish adjective
   • 2. roundness noun

   Scrabble Points: 6

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