- around
- a|roundW1S1 [əˈraund] adv, prep1.) surrounding or on all sides of something or someoneBritish Equivalent: round▪ The whole family was sitting around the dinner table.▪ The Romans built a defensive wall around the city.▪ She wore a beautiful silk shawl around her shoulders.▪ People crowded around to see what was happening.▪ We would hear the birds singing all around us.2.) moving in a circleBritish Equivalent: round▪ A helicopter was circling around, looking for somewhere to land.▪ They danced around the bonfire.3.) in or to many places or parts of an areaBritish Equivalent: about▪ He wandered around the streets, looking in shop windows.▪ There are over 40 radio stations dotted around the country.▪ When I finished college, I travelled around for a while before I got my first job.▪ Since it's your first day here, would you like me to show you around?▪ We started looking around for somewhere to live.4.)a) BrE in an area near a place or person= ↑round▪ Is there a bank around here?▪ When you've been around a person long enough, you start to know how they'll react.▪ the new housing areas in and around Dublin▪ Catherine was the most beautiful girl for miles around .b) if someone or something is around, they are somewhere in the place where you are▪ Why is there never a policeman around when you need one?▪ Jake went down to the bar, but there was no-one around that he knew.▪ Is your dad around?▪ The list is somewhere around .5.) BrE on the other side of something, or to the other side of it without going through it or over it= ↑round▪ If the gate's locked, you'll have to go around the side of the house.▪ There's a door around the back.▪ She ran around the corner and straight into the arms of John Delaney.6.) used to say that someone or something turns so that they face in the opposite directionBritish Equivalent: round▪ Rex spun around and kicked the gun from her hand.▪ Slowly he turned the boat around towards the open sea.7.) also around aboutused when guessing a number, amount, time etc, without being exact▪ There must have been around 40,000 people in the stadium.▪ The whole project will probably cost around $3 million.▪ Most guests started to make their way home around about ten o'clock.8.) existingBritish Equivalent: about▪ That joke's been around for years.▪ Manson has a reputation as one of the most stylish designers around.9.) if something is organized around a particular person or thing, it is organized according to their needs, wishes, ideas etc▪ Why does everything have to be arranged around what Callum wants to do?▪ Their whole society was built around their religious beliefs.10.)used to show that someone spends time in a place without doing anything usefulBritish Equivalent: about▪ I've been waiting around all morning.▪ They could be seen hanging around street corners, watching the girls go by.11.) a way around a difficult situation or problem is a way to solve it or avoid itBritish Equivalent: round▪ We must find a way around these difficulties.▪ The company is expected to get around this problem by borrowing from the banks.12.) to other people or positionsBritish Equivalent: round▪ Write your name on this list and pass it around.▪ Someone's been moving the furniture around.13.) have been around informala) to have had experience of many different situations so that you can deal with new situations confidently▪ You could tell this guy had been around a bit by the knowing way he talked.b) to have had many sexual experiences - used humorously14.) AmE used to show the length of a line surrounding something▪ Redwood trees can measure 30 or 40 feet around.
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.