around

around
a|round
W1S1 [əˈraund] adv, prep
1.) surrounding or on all sides of something or someone
British 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 circle
British 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 area
British 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 direction
British 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 about
used 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.) existing
British 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 useful
British 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 it
British 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 positions
British Equivalent: round
Write your name on this list and pass it around.
Someone's been moving the furniture around.
13.) have been around informal
a) 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 humorously
14.) AmE used to show the length of a line surrounding something
Redwood trees can measure 30 or 40 feet around.
→↑round1 , get around (sth) at get around(1), go around in circles atcircle1 (5)

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • around — around, round 1. In general, BrE prefers round and AmE prefers around, both as an adverb and as a preposition, except in certain more or less fixed expressions or restricted collocations. In BrE it is usual to say all the year round, Winter comes …   Modern English usage

  • around — [ə round′] adv. [ME < a , on + ROUND1: all senses derive from those of “circling, within a circle”] 1. round; esp., a) in a circle; along a circular course or circumference b) in or through a course or circuit, as from one place to another c)… …   English World dictionary

  • Around — A*round , prep. 1. On all sides of; encircling; encompassing; so as to make the circuit of; about. [1913 Webster] A lambent flame arose, which gently spread Around his brows. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. From one part to another of; at random… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Around — Album par AAA Sortie 19 septembre 2007 Durée 50:05 Genre …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Around — A*round , adv. [Pref. a + round.] 1. In a circle; circularly; on every side; round. [1913 Webster] 2. In a circuit; here and there within the surrounding space; all about; as, to travel around from town to town. [1913 Webster] 3. Near; in the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • around — (adv.) c.1300, in circumference, from phrase on round. Rare before 1600. In sense of here and there with no fixed direction it is 1776, American English (properly about). Of time, from 1888. To have been around gained worldly experience is from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • around — [adv1] situated on sides, circumference, or in general area about, all over, any which way, encompassing, everywhere, in the vicinity, in this area, neighboring, over, throughout; concept 581 around [adv2] close to a place about, almost,… …   New thesaurus

  • around — ► ADVERB 1) located or situated on every side. 2) so as to face in the opposite direction. 3) in or to many places throughout a locality. 4) here and there. 5) available or present. 6) approximately. ► PREPOSITION …   English terms dictionary

  • around — [[t]əra͟ʊnd[/t]] ♦ (Around is an adverb and a preposition. In British English, the word round is often used instead. Around is often used with verbs of movement, such as walk and drive , and also in phrasal verbs such as get around and hand… …   English dictionary

  • around — a|round [ ə raund ] function word *** Around can be used in the following ways: as a preposition (followed by a noun): We walked around the old town. as an adverb (without a following noun): She turned around and smiled at me. (after the verb to… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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