round

round

round¹ [round]

adj.

[ME < OFr roont < L rotundus: see ROTUND]

1. shaped like a ball; spherical; globular

2.

a) shaped like a circle, ring, or disk; circular

b) shaped like a cylinder (in having a circular cross section); cylindrical

3. curved in shape like part of a sphere or circle

4. not angular; plump or stout

5. involving, or done in or with, a circular motion [a round dance]

6.

a) not lacking part; full; complete [a round dozen]

b) completed; perfected

7. completed by progressing through a course which, as if circular, returns to the starting point [a round trip]

8. constituting, or expressed by, a whole number, or integer; not fractional

9. expressed in units divisible by ten, one hundred, etc., rather than exactly [500 is a round number for 498, 503, etc.]

10. large in amount, size, etc.; considerable [a round sum]

11. mellow and full in tone; sonorous [rich round tones]

12. brisk; vigorous and rapid [a round pace]

13. outspoken; plain and blunt; straightforward

14. Phonet. articulated with the lips forming a circular or oval opening; rounded [a round vowel]

n.

1. something round or rounded; thing or part that is spherical, globular, circular, curved, annular, or cylindrical

2.

a) a rung of a ladder

b) a crossbar connecting the legs of a chair

3. the rounded part of the thigh of a beef animal, between the rump and the leg: see BEEF

4. movement in a circular course or about an axis

5. ROUND DANCE

6. a series or succession of actions, events, etc. that is completed at, or as if at, the point where it began [a round of parties]

7. the complete extent; whole range [the round of human beliefs]

8. [often pl.] a regular, customary course or circuit, as by a watchman of a station, a doctor of hospital patients, a drinker of a number of bars, etc.

9. a single serving, as of drinks, to each of a group

10.

a) a single shot from each of a number of rifles, artillery pieces, etc. fired together, or a shot from a single gun: cf. SALVO¹

b) ammunition for a single shot; cartridge, shell, etc.

11. a single outburst, as of applause, cheering, etc.; salvo

12. a circular slice, as of bread

13. Archery a specified number of arrows shot at the target from a specified distance according to the rules

14. Games Sports a single period or division of action, usually one of a series [a round of poker ]; specif.,

a) Boxing any of the timed periods of a fight; a round is now generally limited to three minutes, and the interval between rounds to one minute

b) Golf a number of holes as a unit of competition, esp. eighteen

15. Music

a) a short song for two or more voices, in which the second starts when the first reaches the second phrase, etc. and upon concluding each voice begins again, as in a canon

b) [pl.] the ringing in sequence of a set of bells from the smallest to the largest, in change ringing

vt.

1. to make round: often with off

2. to deprive of angularity or make plump: usually with out

3. to express as a round number: usually with off

4. to complete; finish; perfect: usually with out or off

5. to make a circuit of; pass around [we rounded the island]

6. to make a turn about [to round a corner]

7. to cause to move in a circular course

8. Now Rare to encircle; surround

9. Phonet. to articulate with the lips forming a circular or oval opening

vi.

1. to make a complete or partial circuit; move in a curved or circular course

2.

a) to turn; reverse direction

b) to attack or oppose suddenly or unexpectedly; turn (on)

3. to become round or plump: often with out

4. to develop (into) [the talk rounded into a plan]

adv.

1. AROUND (adv. 1 & 3)

2. for each of several; to include all in a group [not enough to go round]

3. by a circuitous course; in a roundabout way

4. with a rotating or revolving movement

prep.

AROUND: In the U.S., round: ( adv. & prep.) is generally superseded by around; in Great Britain, round is preferred for most senses: See also phrases under BRING, COME, etc.

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go the round or go the rounds

1. to be circulated among a number of people: said of a story, rumor, etc.

2. to walk one's regular course or circuit, as a watchman does: also make one's rounds

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in the round

1. with the audience or congregation seated all around a central stage, altar, etc.: cf. ARENA THEATER

2. in full and completely rounded form, not in relief: said of sculpture

3. in full and realistic detail

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out of round

not having perfect roundness

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round about

1. in or to the opposite direction

2. in every direction around

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round in

Naut. to haul in on (a line)

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round to

Naut. to turn the bow of a vessel into the wind

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round up

☆ 1. to drive (cattle, horses, etc.) together; collect in a herd, group, etc.

☆ 2. Informal to gather, collect, or assemble

roundness

n.

SYN.- ROUND¹, the most inclusive of these words, applies to anything shaped like a circle, sphere, or cylinder, or like a part of any of these; SPHERICAL applies to a round body or mass having the surface equally distant from the center at all points; GLOBULAR is used of things that are ball-shaped but not necessarily perfect spheres; CIRCULAR is applied to round lines, or round flat surfaces, in the shape of a ring or disk, and it may or may not imply correspondence in form with a perfect circle; ANNULAR applies to ringlike forms or structures, as the markings in a cross section of a tree

round² [round]

vt., vi.

[ME rounen (+ unhistoric -d) < OE runian, to whisper: see RUNE]

Obs. to whisper (to)