to circle round
- phrasal verb
- /ˈsɜr.kəl raʊnd/
:
dar la vuelta
- During the parade, dancers circle round the floats, showcasing their costumes.
Examples
-
"We've got to circle 'round the Valley."
-
One's mind, like a frenzied bat caught in a closed room, circles round and round till it collapses, confused and exhausted.
Academic text (1995) -
Thomas and Crockett went with the celebrants to a large grove where there were a great many tents in a circle round, and seats made for people to sit on.
Academic text (1994) -
One day, the kids invited some friends back from school and sat them all, like, in a circle round the telly and put the cartoons on, they're all watching cartoons.
-
The children circle round the playground, laughing and playing games.
-
As the helicopter circled round the city, passengers enjoyed the breathtaking views.
Synonyms
210
1.8
To move around something in a circle
120
2.7
To move in a twisting or circular way
88
3.0
Move around something following a curved path
78
2.0
Move in a circle around a point, like a planet around the Sun
46
1.1
To go on foot around the edge of something instead of through it
41
3.2
To make something move in a circle around a central point
39
2.8
To spin something quickly so it turns in circles
33
3.4
To form a circle around a person or thing
24
4.1
To turn quickly to face a different direction
21
2.3
Move in a round path around someone or something
12
6.9
Spin around in circles or spirals
10
3.6
Move in a circle around a central object, like planets around the Sun
9
3.7
To move quickly in a circle, often through the air
8
4.3
To move in a complete vertical circle, as a plane or roller coaster
1
9.2
To move in a circle or spiral
1
9.9
To walk all the way around something, often as part of a religious ceremony
Antonyms
How Complete
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to move in a circular motion around something' is directly and transparently derivable from the constituents: 'circle' (to move in a circle) and 'round' (to travel around). This is a standard motion verb + particle composition found across languages and therefore a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Circle round comes from a simple image: people or animals moving in a ring around something, like a hawk that seems to circle its prey or children dancing round a maypole. So, because it describes that literal movement, it now means 'to move in a circle around something'.