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around

around

42 1.0
The distance measured along the outside of something
  • adverb
  • /əˈraʊnd/
translation icon : de circunferencia
  • So the distance of halfway around the circle is π.

The guy's thighs were as big around as my dinner table.

Examples

  • The park has a pathway that goes all the way around the pond.

  • They placed flowers around the statue in the town square.

  • For example, just around the sides of the nose.

  • I'm just going to use it around the outside.

  • So it's just giving a bit more shine around that area.

  • We only want to go halfway around the unit circle.

  • So I had all this extra bone around my knee joint.

  • And I'm just going to add this around the edges of that red.

  • Going to add it around the rim of the candle holder.

  • The edge of her glass is smeared halfway around with lipstick.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

1 8.6

Around the outside of something in a circle

is used for distances measured along the outer edge
circularly
vsaround
1 4.8

Moving or placed in a circle

focuses on measurement along the outer edge not general circular shape

Antonyms

1.0

From one side of something to the other by going inside it

Idioms

In many different countries on all continents

Very near in place or happening soon

In the opposite order, direction, or situation

Happens all day and all night without stopping

To make big positive changes in your life after hard times

9 9.1

Having sex with many different people without a steady partner

7 2.2

People sitting near a fire to talk and relax

There is enough for everyone to have some

6 8.1

A person who has a lot of experience from many situations

6 4.6

To be much better than someone at doing something

To use your power to make others do what you want

To make someone do what you want by charming them

The most important thing that makes life keep going, like money or love

A constant problem or responsibility that is hard to get rid of

Having extra fat around the waist

around the bend
  • Offensive
1 9.3

To be very confused or act in a strange way

To take part in a traditional May Day dance in a circle around a tall decorated pole

To sail around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, often in dangerous weather

1 9.9

People in a community spread it as gossip

To take a long, unnecessary route to reach a place or answer

To avoid saying something directly by talking a long time before answering

To talk or act in a long, roundabout way to avoid the main point

Behaving as if you are the most important person and others do not matter

Talk in a relaxed, joking way and make stories bigger to be funny

Compounds

14 1.0

A short time spent moving on foot in a place without a clear destination

Happening all day and night without stopping

go-around
  • Specialized
4 8.4

Stopping an approach or attempt to try again, for example when a plane pulls up instead of landing

A man who is kind, helpful, and liked by others

1 7.7

An indirect way to avoid a rule or problem

reach-around
  • Jargon
1 9.9

A secret unfair action to get help or advantage

1 6.0

A children's game where players hold hands, walk in a circle, and fall down while singing

1 9.9

Money given during elections to get people to vote for a candidate or pay small local costs

ring-around-a-rosy
  • Baby Talk
8.0

A children's game where players hold hands in a circle, sing, and fall down

Negative ideas that lead people to treat those with mental health problems unfairly

Surface Forms

around positive
arounder comparative
aroundest superlative

Morphology

around = round (transparent) = a + round

Measuring something 'around' directly reflects the literal idea of going round its outer edge.

Etymology

Around comes from a- 'on' and round 'circle', so it meant being 'on the outside' of something. That's why we use around to talk about how far something is 'around' or along its outer edge.