arounda‧round /əˈraʊnd/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb, preposition 
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.2moving in a circle SYN round British English: A helicopter was circling around, looking for somewhere to land. They danced around the bonfire.3in or to many places or parts of an area SYN about British English: 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. Since it’s your first day here, would you like me to show you around? We started looking around for somewhere to live.4a)British English in an area near a place or person SYN 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.5British English on the other side of something, or to the other side of it without going through it or over it SYN 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.6used to say that someone or something turns so that they face in the opposite direction SYN round British English: 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.► see thesaurus at approximate8existing SYN about British English: That joke’s been around for years. Manson has a reputation as one of the most stylish designers around.9if 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.10used to show that someone spends time in a place without doing anything useful SYN about British English: I’ve been waiting around all morning. They could be seen hanging around street corners, watching the girls go by.11a way around a difficult situation or problem is a way to solve it or avoid it SYN round British English: We must find a way around these difficulties. The company is expected to get around this problem by borrowing from the banks.12to other people or positions SYN round British English: Write your name on this list and pass it around. Someone’s been moving the furniture around.13have been around (also have been around the block a few times) 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 humorously14American English used to show the length of a line surrounding something: Redwood trees can measure 30 or 40 feet around. → round1, → get around (something) at get around, → go around in circles at circle1(5)
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Don't leave all your clothes lying around.
- I'll turn the car around and pick you up at the door.
- I think the B-52's were the best band around at the time.
- It was 11:30 at night, and no one was around.
- Kevin spun his chair around to greet me as I walked into his office.
- Reporters crowded around as Jensen left the courtroom.
- Since it's your first day here, would you like me to show you around?
- That joke's been around for years.
- The children were dancing around in a circle.
- When I finished college, I traveled around for a while before I got my first job.
THESAURUS
more or less than a number or amount – used especially in technical or scientific contexts: · The company had total revenues of approximately $2 million.· The disease affects approximately 10% of the adult population.
more or less than a number or amount. ‘About’ is the usual word to use in everyday English: · It costs about $30 to get a visa.· There were about 50 people at the meeting.
about – used when you are trying to give someone a general idea of the size, amount, or number of something: · The two countries are roughly the same size.· Roughly how many miles do you travel a year?
about a number or time – used when you are guessing: · I’ll be there around 5 o’clock.· The BBC broadcasts around 2,000 radio dramas every year.
formal about – used with very large numbers or amounts: · Last year he earned something in the region of $60 million.· It costs somewhere in the region of £100,000 to train a new doctor.
informal about – used after a period of time, a number, or an amount: · The journey takes an hour or so.
formal about – used with dates a long time ago in the past: · The house was built circa 1530.
used after a number or amount, when the total may be a lot more: · A thirty-second commercial can cost £60,000 or more.
more than a number or amount: · The aircraft can carry upwards of 400 passengers.
Longman Language Activatoraround someone or something also round British completely surrounding or enclosing someone or something: · A group of students sat around the table chatting.· She was wearing a silver chain round her neck.· On the kitchen table was a package with tape wrapped around it.all around/all round: · Enemy soldiers were now all around us.· At the bottom of the hill was a small pond with trees all round.
if something is around you on all sides or on every side , you see it everywhere and you may feel that you are unable to move or escape because of it: · Mountains rose steeply on all sides.from all sides: · There was the sound of gunfire from all sides.
to be surrounded by something if someone or something is surrounded by people or things, those people or things are around them on every side: · The tops of the hills were surrounded by clouds.· Jill sat on the floor surrounded by boxes.
if something is ringed by things, those things form a circle around it: · Hoover Dam is ringed by snow-capped mountains that reach high above the desert plain.· Fifteen minutes after the explosion, the embassy was ringed by police officers and armed guards.
if something that you are looking at is framed by something, you see it within the borders of that thing: · I could see the church tower framed by the windows.· Her small face was framed by a mass of red hair
to form a wall or covering around something that keeps it separate from everything outside it: · The fence enclosing the prison compound is constantly patrolled by armed guards.be enclosed by something: · The garden was completely enclosed by a high wall.· The fish live in a shallow tropical lagoon, which is enclosed by a coral reef.be enclosed in something: · Jerry had to spend two months enclosed in a huge plastic bubble, to prevent him from catching germs from other children.
to move into a position around someone or something to stand in a circle around someone or something, especially to prevent someone escaping: · Football fans ran onto the field and surrounded the referee.· Police officers moved to surround Evans as he came out of the courtroom.
also gather round if a group of people gathers around someone or something, they move nearer to them, for example in order to see or hear better: · A crowd of young boys had gathered round to admire the car.gather around somebody/something: · After supper we gathered around the kitchen table and listened to Grandma tell stories about her childhood.
if a group of people encircle someone or something, they move so that they are completely around them, making it impossible for them to escape: · Troops encircled the city and began firing rockets at the government buildings.· The photo showed the captive sitting down, encircled by several armed men.
also crowd round British if a group of people crowds around someone or something, they stand near them closely together, often pushing forward to see what is happening: · Fire officers asked the people who had crowded round to stand back.crowd around somebody/something: · Dozens of journalists crowded around the Princess and started asking her questions.
moving in a circle or moving around something also round British use this after verbs of movement, to show that someone or something is moving in a circle or moving around something: go/fly/travel/run etc around: · The Earth goes around the Sun.· The helicopter flew round and round above us.
if someone or something moves in circles , they move around in a circle several times: · Birds flew in circles above the lake.· As the dog got more and more excited, it started running around in circles.
especially written to move around someone or something in a circle: · The plane circled the airport several times before landing.circle around/above: · As we walked along the beach, I could see seagulls circling above the cliffs.
to go around the Earth, the Moon, the Sun etc in a continuous circular movement: · The satellite will orbit the Earth for the next 15 years.· The team confirmed the discovery of a planet orbiting the star 51 Pegasi.
to ask several people questions to ask several people, especially people that you know, in order to get information from them: · I'm not sure where you can find a babysitter - I'll ask around.ask around about: · Stephen's been asking around about the best places to go in the evenings.
also make enquiries especially British to try to get information about something by asking several people, especially people whose job is to know about it: · After making a few inquiries, we decided not to hire her.make inquiries about: · We graduate next month and most of my classmates are already making enquiries about jobs.· The bank made inquiries about her financial situation before agreeing to the loan.
to ask a lot of people a set of questions about a subject that is important to the public, especially politics, in order to find out the general opinion about it: · Nearly 60% of the voters who were polled did not recognize Bronson's name.· For its study the company polled 150 randomly selected physicians.
an attempt to find out about a subject that is important to the public, especially politics, by asking many people a set of question about how they feel about it: · According to the polls, a huge majority of citizens oppose bilingual education.poll of: · A poll of 700 female registered voters found that 56% favor full abortion rights.opinion poll (=a poll to find out people's political opinions): · Recent opinion polls show that the President's popularity has slipped.carry out/take a poll: · In a nationwide poll carried out in January, only one person in ten said they were happy with the tax reforms.
to ask a lot of people a set of questions about their opinions, the way they live, what they like and dislike etc in order to find out general opinions: · A large segment of the population that was surveyed was taking vitamin supplements.· Researchers surveyed 10,000 customers about the quality of companies that they used.
an attempt to find out people's opinions, the way they live, what they like and dislike etc, by asking a large number of people a set of questions: · A recent survey found that 36% of the women asked did not feel safe walking alone at night.survey of: · According to a survey of 606 city residents, garbage collection was the city service people liked most.survey on: · Many parents were surprised by the survey on teenage drug use.carry out/conduct a survey: · The survey on consumer confidence was conducted in late December.
to go to the houses of a lot of people or phone a lot of people up in order to find out their political opinions or to get their political support: · Party members were out canvassing as soon as the election was announced.· We canvassed over half the constituency by phone or text-message.
to avoid doing something that you should do · You can't go on avoiding your responsibilities forever.· Import duties on some goods can be avoided if you know how.avoid doing something · Do you think he's gone away to avoid talking to the police?· She's a good manager, because she never avoids dealing with the problems of her staff.· You may be able to avoid paying income tax on the money that you save.
informal to avoid doing something that you should do or that you have promised to do: · I was supposed to stay at home with my baby sister today, but I'll try to get out of it.get out of doing something: · He always manages to get out of paying for the drinks.
informal to avoid doing something that you have to do or have promised to do especially in a way that makes people not like or respect you: · It's illegal for these companies to duck out of their responsibilities by changing their names.duck out of doing something: · Miller has been widely criticized for trying to duck out on paying back the loans.
also weasel (your way) out of American to avoid doing something you should do by making up excuses: · He's somehow managed to wriggle out of watching the kids again.· Beth's trying to worm her way out of helping with the party.· You promised you'd take me, so don't try to weasel out of it.
also get round British: get around a law/rule/regulation etc to find a legal way of not obeying a law or rule that prevents you from doing what you want to do: · Isn't there any way of getting round these regulations?· He gets around the fire codes by claiming the building is a private club and not a business.
informal to avoid paying tax or obeying a law, in a way that is illegal or dishonest, or to avoid doing something that it is your duty to do: · Clever businessmen often manage to evade taxes.· Politicians have come up with many tricks to evade campaign spending limits.
informal to avoid paying something or doing something, especially in a dishonest way: · Through the help of powerful Senators, the firm has successfully dodged most federal environmental regulations.· During the Vietnam war, he moved to Canada to dodge the draft.
to avoid something bad that could happen to you to make sure that something bad does not happen to you, either by doing something or by deliberately not doing something: · You can avoid a lot of problems if you use travellers' cheques.· The book is intended to help students avoid common errors.· The driver of the car said he tried to brake to avoid the accident, but it was already too late. · Police were anxious to avoid any ugly scenes when the two boys made their first appearance in court nine days ago.
also get round something British informal to find a way of avoiding a difficult or unpleasant situation, so that you do not have to deal with it: · There's no way of getting around it - you're going to have to tell her the truth.· If we can get round these difficulties, we'll be able to discuss the really important points.
: escape death/injury/punishment to avoid being killed, hurt, or punished: · Somehow he managed to escape serious injury.· Many young offenders escape punishment completely.narrowly escape something (=almost not escape): · The train ran out of control, and the passengers narrowly escaped death.
to change your opinion or belief about something to change your opinion about something or someone: · At first the doctor said I was suffering from a virus, but now he's changed his mind.· Everyone has a right to change their mind.change your mind about: · I'm hoping Dad will change his mind about Louise after he meets her tonight.· I've changed my mind about the Riviera. I do like it after all.
formal to change your opinion because something has happened that has made you realize that you were wrong before: revise your opinion about/of: · Mrs Pemberton revised her opinion of her future son-in-law when he was accepted into law school.· Since visiting the refugee camps, I have revised my opinion about immigration quotas.
to change your mind about something and talk about it in a very different way from how you did before: · She used to be a Communist, but she changed her tune when her parents left her all that money.· You've changed your tune all of a sudden! Only yesterday you were saying you thought Christmas presents were a waste of money.
when you begin to feel differently about something or someone so that your attitude completely changes: · It's hard to explain this apparent change of heart.have a change of heart: · He didn't want kids at first, but he's had quite a change of heart.change of heart about: · We can only hope Congress may have a radical change of heart about welfare benefits.
also come round British to change your mind so that you gradually begin to agree with someone else's idea or opinion, especially after they have persuaded you that they are right: · He'll come around eventually. He doesn't have any choice, does he?· My mother stopped speaking to me when I first married Tom, but she's slowly coming around now.come around to somebody's view/way of thinking: · We had to talk to Sam for a long time before he came round to our way of thinking.come around to the idea/view that: · A lot of employers are coming around to the idea that older employees have a lot to offer a company.come around to doing something: · We're hoping that they'll eventually come round to accepting our offer.
formal to say publicly or formally that you have changed your mind and stopped believing what you used to believe, especially about religion or politics: · During the Moscow Show Trials in the 1930s, prisoners were forced to publicly recant.· After the Reformation, many Catholics recanted to avoid punishment.
not stopping, even at night continuously, all day and all night: · During his illness, his wife was by his side day and night.· The printing presses run day and night.· My next-door neighbor's dog barks continually, day and night.
also round the clock British if you work around the clock , you work all day and all night without a break, especially because there is something very urgent that you have to do: · Since the outbreak of war, journalists have been working round the clock.· Rescuers are working round the clock to find survivors of the blast.
: twenty-four-hour service/guard/care etc a service etc that is done or provided continuously, all day and all night: · Twenty-four-hour medical care is provided.· The police cannot provide 24-hour protection for everyone.
informal happening, done, or existing 24 hours a day and seven days a week and never stopping: · The hotline is open 24/7 to teenagers who need someone to talk to.· Do you think about this guy 24/7?
to do something after a delay or pause especially British, spoken to start doing something that you should have started already, or continue doing something that you have stopped doing for a short time: · I'm glad the guests are gone so I can get on with my work.· Heavy rain is preventing rescue teams from getting on with the search.get on with it: · Stop messing around - just get on with it!
also get round to British to finally do something that you have been intending to do for a long time, but have been too busy or too lazy to do: · I was going to fill out an application, but I never got around to it.get around/round to doing something: · I must get round to painting the kitchen some day.
spoken to start doing something, especially when you should have started already: · We've got so much to do - let's get going.get going on: · You need to get going on that report. It's due tomorrow.
knowing about life, people, and the world · Paul liked to turn to more experienced people for advice.experienced in · My elder brother was a lot more experienced in these matters than I was.
informal if you say that someone has been around , you mean that they have had experience of many different situations and many different types of people and so they can deal with new situations confidently and easily: · When you've been around as long as I have you realize some things aren't worth getting upset about.have been around the block (a few times): · I've been around the block a few times, and I think I know when someone's trying to cheat me.
to be someone who knows a lot about life, has had a lot of different experiences etc and is not easily shocked by things: · Look, Ray, you're a man of the world - I'm sure you've been in situations like this before.
someone who is sophisticated has a lot of knowledge and experience of clever, fashionable things, and shows this by the way they talk and behave: · Everyone at the party was sophisticated and well-educated.· The play is intended for a sophisticated audience.
someone who is streetwise has had enough experience of life in big cities to know how to deal with difficult or dangerous people and situations: · Kids these days are much more streetwise than we ever were at their age.· Copeland is a streetwise cop who knows how to take care of himself.
having a lot of experience and knowledge about life and the practical rather than the moral reasons for people's actions: · For a priest he was surprisingly worldly.· She was much older and more worldly than I was.
: hardened criminal/cynic etc someone who has had a lot of experience dealing with difficult situations and is therefore less affected by them: · Even the most hardened criminal would have been shocked by the brutality of the crime.· Hardened foes of abortion are unlikely to be persuaded by her arguments.
someone who is hard-bitten has developed a hard, unsympathetic character because their experience of life has been difficult and unpleasant: · Miss Davies is not really the tough, hard-bitten businesswoman that she appears to be.· Jensen's experience in prison left him hard-bitten, cynical, and ruthless.
to not be here · How would she know what happened? She wasn't even here.· Why aren't the scissors here where they belong?· The supermarket hasn't been here long but it's already doing a lot of business.
if someone or something is not around they are not here or anywhere in this area, especially when they are needed: · If Julie isn't around, maybe Maria could help you.· Every time I want to talk to Ted, he's not around.· Why isn't there ever a taxi around when you need one?
to not be in your home, the place where you work etc for a short time, especially when someone wants to see you: · Sally phoned while you were out. I told her to phone back later.· Mr Rogers isn't in at the moment. Can I help you?· I'm going to be out all afternoon.· I'm so busy. If anyone calls for me, tell them I'm not in.
to not be at home, school, or work for several days or weeks, because you are travelling or staying somewhere else: · "We're taking a trip to California." "Oh, how long do you plan to be away?"be away from: · My job requires me to be away from home for five months of the year.be away on business: · While Kurt was away on business, his wife completely redecorated the house.
formal if someone is absent , they are not here, especially in school or the place where they work, because they are ill, on holiday etc: · According to the personnel department you have been absent twice this week already.be absent from: · James was absent from school again today.
informal if someone is off , they are not at work, usually because they are ill or on holiday. In British English you can also use this when someone is not at school: · I'll be off all next week, so I can do some of the yard work then.be off with: · Becky's been off for several days with a bad back.be off sick: · Chris has been off sick a lot lately.be off school/work British: · Jenkins isn't off school again, is he? What's his excuse this time?
a missing thing is lost and may have been stolen; a missing person cannot be found and may be in danger: · One of my earrings is missing - have you seen it?missing from: · Oh no! The last page is missing from the book!
to look at a lot of things you might buy, read, etc to walk around a shop or market or a place where tourists go, looking at a lot of different things: · I just want to take a quick look around and see if there's anything I want.· He makes a list of what he needs and then walks into the store and buys it, without looking around at all.· You're welcome to have a look around. We have a wide range of sportswear.
to spend time looking at things in a shop, especially books or records, without intending to buy anything: · Armando spent the afternoon browsing in Camden market.browse through: · He found Jill in the gallery shop silently browsing through some books.
the activity of looking at goods in shop windows without intending to buy anything: · We didn't have any money but we enjoyed window-shopping in Fifth Avenue.go window-shopping: · Sometimes I go window-shopping after work.
spoken say this to tell someone who works in a shop that you are only looking at things, and you do not intend to buy anything just now: · "Can I help you?" "No thanks, I'm just looking."
easy to get to if a place is within walking distance , it is not far away, and you can walk there easily: · There are several good restaurants within walking distance.within walking/driving etc distance of: · Dr Goldthorpe lived within walking distance of the University.within easy walking etc distance (of something): · Fortunately the house that we were renting was within easy driving distance of the shops.
near enough to a town or place for you to get there without too much difficulty: within reach of: · It was just lucky that we were within reach of a hospital.within easy reach (=near enough to get to easily): · Around Salzburg there are literally dozens of exciting places to visit -- all within easy reach.
British also convenient to something American if your home, office etc is convenient for or handy for a particular place, that place is near it and easy to reach: · The place where we live now is very convenient for the school - it's only a couple of minutes on foot.· My husband works in London so we're looking for a house that's handy for the station. · We found an apartment convenient to campus and public transportation.
also round the corner British not far away, especially in the streets of a town: · "Is there a bank near here?" "Sure, it's just around the corner."· She won't be long, she's only gone round the corner.around the corner from: · We met in a bar just around the corner from my apartment.
if a building or person is close at hand , they are very near and therefore available in case you need them: · The Exhibition Centre is a great day out, with plenty of parking and all the attractions of Manchester close at hand.· I'm very glad that, when my children were small, my mother was always close at hand.
if you say it's no distance , you mean that a place is not far away and is therefore easy to get to: · We come up here regularly from London; it's no distance. it's no distance from: · It's no distance from here to Fifth Avenue. We can easily walk it.
if one place is a stone's throw from another place, it is only a very short distance from it, so that it is easy to get to: · I was born in Wembley, a stone's throw from the football stadium!only a stone's throw from something: · Stanford Hospital is only a stone's throw from where I live.within a stone's throw of something: · The river's within a stone's throw of our apartment - we can see it from the window.
in or to a place, when you do not know which place · She lives somewhere near Manchester.· I know I saw it somewhere, but I can't remember exactly where.· From somewhere along the corridor there came the sound of laughter.somewhere to live/sleep/sit etc · She needs to find somewhere to live before starting her new job.
American informal somewhere: · I want to go someplace warm on vacation.· She lives someplace up near Portland, and I haven't seen her for years.someplace to live/eat/sleep etc: · A lot of people who use the guide are looking for someplace to eat.
to be near the place where you are or where something you are talking about is - use this when you do not know exactly where someone or something is: · Is Bob around?· It's got to be around here somewhere.· There are some good restaurants around there.
information/feelings/ideas/problems etc if information, an idea, or a feeling spreads , or if you spread it, more and more people begin to know about it or be affected by it: · After she died at a San Jose hospital, word spread fast.· News of the disaster was spreading quickly.· Rumors about Amy spread through the school.· The lawsuit charged the magazine with spreading lies about the company and its products.spread to/into/through etc: · Panic spread through downtown Port-au-Prince.
also get round British if news or information gets around or goes around , people tell other people, so that soon a lot of people know about it: · News soon got around that Nick was back in Barnstable.· It's a small place, so news and gossip gets around pretty quickly.· It didn't take long for word to get around that Moore was leaving the company.
if news, information, stories etc circulate , they spread through a large group of people, especially because each person tells it to someone else: · The organization's intranet system allows information to circulate rapidly.· Rumors began circulating that she was seriously ill.circulate among: · The letter was circulated among news organizations nationwide.
formal to spread information, ideas etc as widely as possible, especially in order to influence the way people think or behave: · Racist messages are being widely disseminated via the Internet.· The Health Education Council is the central agency for disseminating information about disease prevention.
if a problem or bad situation spills over , it spreads beyond the place or situation in which it starts, and begins to affect other places, people, or areas of activity: spill over to/into/from etc: · It is easy to allow personal emotions to spill over into your work.· Government chiefs are worried that the refugee problem might spill over from neighboring countries.
when a disease spreads if a disease spreads or is spread , it is passed from one person to another, and it affects more and more people: · Malaria, spread by mosquitoes, is one of the biggest public health problems in Africa.· AIDS is not spread by common everyday contact.spread through/to/across/from: · Cholera is spreading through the refugee camps at an alarming rate.· Meyer and his team were the first to show how the disease spreads from animals to humans.
also go round British if an illness goes around , it spreads from one person to another, especially in a school, office etc: · There's some type of throat infection going around at the moment.· If one child gets flu, it seems to go round the entire school within a week.
an infectious disease is spread by being passed from one person to another: · Heavy drinkers are generally more susceptible to infectious diseases. · Doctors say that the disease is most infectious in the first twenty-four hours.highly infectious (=very infectious): · The vaccine protects against Hepatitis B, a highly infectious virus.
to get an illness from another person - use this especially about illnesses that are not very serious: · Kristen has the flu, so I guess we'll all catch it.· Dion caught a cold on vacation.
informal an illness or condition that is catching , especially one that is not very serious, can spread from one person to another: · I hope Shelly's cold isn't catching.· I'm keeping Timmy home from school. He has measles and you know how catching it is.
an illness that is contagious can spread easily from one person to another, especially by touch: · Most eye infections are contagious.highly contagious (=very contagious): · Chicken pox is highly contagious.
a place that you are not in now · I love Italy - I worked there for a year.· Jackie's arriving at the station at 3.15 and I said I'd meet her there.· When I came home Sean was just sitting there waiting for me.· We drove down to Baltimore, and on the way there we stopped for lunch.right there (=exactly there) · Where's my umbrella? I'm sure I left it right there, next to my bag.from there · We flew in to Munich and from there we took the train to Prague.down/up/in etc there · How did you get up there on the roof?
in a place that you can see or point to but cannot touch: · My car's over there by that big tree.· See those rocks over there? Be careful to keep the boat away from them.
a place that you have mentioned or been in, especially a place that you feel strongly about: · You went to Camp Chippewa too? I hated that place.in that place: · They'll never let us back in that place after the way you behaved.to that place: · Do you remember we went down to that place along the river and had a barbecue?
also round there British in the area near a place you have been talking about: · We usually go to Lake Como for our holidays - it's beautiful round there.· Judy's looking for an apartment in Greenwich Village. A lot of her friends live around there.· One of the largest tornadoes ever seen was photographed near there.
to be in a place where you are not now · "Have you seen the newspaper?" "It's there, next to your chair."· I want to be there when he comes out of surgery.· When I worked at the factory, I was there every day from nine till six.be down/up/in etc there · The bathroom's up there, on your right.
if someone or something is around , you know that they are there but you are not sure exactly where: · I tried to call you last night, but I guess you weren't around.· Go and look downstairs. There must be a coffee machine around somewhere.· It doesn't matter if no one is around - I'm still not going through a red light.
to be in your home, the place where you work etc, especially when you are expected to be: · Is Marsha in? I have a letter for her.· I'll phone back later when Mr Boswell is in.· I walked over to Sonia's house but when I got there only her brother was in.
formal if a substance is present somewhere, it is there even though you cannot see it: · When acid is present, the chemical in the test tube turns red.be present in: · The virus is present in tears and saliva, but in very small amounts.· Tests revealed that large quantities of alcohol were present in the driver's blood.
to travel to a lot of different places also travel round British to travel to a lot of different places, especially when you do not plan exactly where you are going: · David travelled around a lot in the '60s and '70s.travel around Europe/the North/Canada etc: · I'd love to have a job that let me travel around the world.· She's been traveling around the country trying to get big companies interested in her ideas.
British to travel to a lot of different places within a particular area or country, especially for pleasure and interest: · For our summer vacation this year we're touring Spain in a camper.· We shall tour the city for two hours and then meet back at the bus.
spoken to travel to a lot of different places in a particular area, especially as part of a holiday: · Last year we did the Greek Islands but we were thinking of the USA this year.· There's not a whole lot to see, so you can do the city in two or three days.
also get round British to travel to a large number of places, usually in a short time: · The metro system in Mexico City is very good. It makes it really easy to get around.get around London/Europe/the Midwest etc: · You can use free shuttle buses to get around the city.
to travel to many different places in a particular area, because you are interested to find out more about them: · We'll be in Istanbul for three days, so there will be plenty of time to explore.· Whenever possible, she and Flynn would go off and explore the countryside, taking a picnic with them.
to travel around to different places all over the world so that you get the experience of living in other countries: · After leaving college and earning some money he set off to see the world.
if you do something on your travels , you do it while you are travelling to different places: · I picked up a few words of Chinese on my travels, but I don't speak it fluently.on your travels to: · Corbett met a number of his contacts on his travels to Taiwan.
to go around in circles if something turns , it moves around a fixed central point: · Slowly the wheels of the train began to turn.· I heard the door knob turning, and then Frank opened the door and tiptoed in.· As the propeller stopped turning, Grady ran up to the plane.
also go round British to move in a continuous circular movement: · When the fan goes around it forces the warm air back down.· The gear was going round, but it didn't seem to be catching on anything.
to turn around many times very quickly: · The ice skater began to spin faster and faster.· The wheels were spinning in the mud, but the car wouldn't move.spin aroundalso + round British: · The boy was spinning around in his father's desk chair.
to turn around and around a fixed point: · The Earth rotates on its axis once every twenty-four hours.· A disco ball revolved slowly over the empty dance floor.· The stage rotates giving the audience a constantly changing view.
also go/run/drive etc round in circles especially British to go, run, drive etc continuously or repeatedly around in a circular way: · The children went round in circles till the music stopped.· We were driving around in circles, weaving through the parking lot.
also go/run/drive etc round and round British to go around in circles many times: · Billy will sit and watch his train going round and round on its little track for hours.· The steers walked restlessly around and around their pen.
to spin around extremely quickly, often in an uncontrolled way: · The blades of the helicopter whirled powerfully overhead.whirl aroundalso + round British: · Flies whirled round the piles of sticky sweets.· Dust and sand were whirling around in the air, as the desert wind began to get stronger.
to move slowly upwards or downwards in a circular way around a central point, while also moving either in towards the centre or out from it: · Smoke spiralled upward from the chimney.· We watched the leaves spiral down from the trees in the cold autumn wind.
if water, dust, mist etc swirls , it keeps turning around quickly in a twisting, circular movement: · Dust swirled like smoke in the evening sunshine.swirl aroundalso round British: · Jessie's pale dress swirled round her slender ankles.· The wind swirling around the tree had blown all the snow away from its trunk.
if a bird or aircraft circles , it flies around above a particular place, waiting for something: · We all looked towards the sky where the vultures were circling.· The plane circled the runway several times before landing.circle overhead/above etc: · Helicopters circled overhead, trying to get pictures of the crime scene.
if someone twirls, they spin around very quickly, especially as part of a dance: · Rachel took her father's hand and twirled in and out under his arm.twirl around/about: · Half a dozen couples were twirling about to a waltz.
to visit a person to go and spend time with someone, especially in their home: · I visit my grandparents at least once a month.· Paul visited her every day when she was in hospital.· We won't be that far away - you'll be able to come and visit.
spoken to visit someone: · I'm going to see my brother and his family tomorrow.· Better go and see your father tonight.· Why don't you go and see your mother?go see American spoken: · You really should go see Mattie some time.
to visit someone at their house, especially if they live close to you: · I saw your Mum today, and I promised that we'd go round later.go over/go around/go round to: · Let's get a bottle of wine and go over to Simon's place.
if someone comes over or comes round , they visit you at your house, especially if they live close to you: · I'll come over at about 7 o'clock,· Why don't you come round later and we'll discuss it over dinner?
to visit someone, especially for a particular reason: pay a visit to somebody: · Your hand looks very swollen, I think you should pay a visit to the doctor.pay somebody a visit: · Isn't it time you paid your mother a visit?
to visit someone that you have not seen for a long time, while you are spending some time in the area where they live: look somebody up: · I'll give you my address so you can look me up whenever you're in London.look up somebody: · I looked up a few old friends while I was in Birmingham.
if a lot of people, especially members of your family, descend on you, all of them suddenly visit you at the same time: · Sorry for just descending on you like this, Pam -- we had nowhere else to stay.· The following week all my family descended upon me.
to stop sleeping to stop sleeping. Wake is more formal than wake up and is usually used in writing.: · She woke early the next morning, and slipped out of the house unseen.· Babies often wake because they are hungry.· The dog suddenly woke up and started barking.wake up at 5 a.m./12 noon etc: · I woke up at five o'clock and couldn't get back to sleep again.
not asleep: be awake: · "Are you awake, Lucy?" she whispered.· I'm usually awake before anyone else.be wide awake (=be completely awake): · It was nearly three in the morning, but Jill was still wide awake.be half awake/barely awake (=be not quite awake): · He listened, only half awake, as the teacher's voice droned on.· Barely awake, we stumbled out of the tent to find ourselves in a foot of water.keep somebody awake: · I've stopped drinking coffee in the evenings, as it tends to keep me awake at night.stay awake: · Some members of the audience were clearly having difficulty staying awake.lie awake (=be unable to sleep at night): · Ben lay awake, worrying about next day's exam. · I've lain awake at nights, turning the problem over and over in my mind.
also come round British to gradually become conscious again after being given a drug or being hit on the head: · She was coming round after her operation, but she still felt dizzy and very sleepy.· Henry's eyelids flickered. 'He's coming around!' Marie cried.
to move slightly and wake for a short time, then go back to sleep again: · As I entered the room, she stirred slightly, then went back to sleep.· Roger momentarily stirred, turned in the bed and murmured something inaudible.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We would hear the birds singing all around us. the new housing areas in and around Dublin Catherine was the most beautiful girl for miles around. The list is somewhere around. She ran around the corner and straight into the arms of John Delaney.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Fenella leaned forward, clasping her hands around her knees. If you leave your shoes lying around like that, you’ll trip over them. Iago’s lie is the pivot on which the play turns. She seems to think that the world revolves around her (=that she is the only important person). By the time Wednesday rolled around, I still hadn’t finished. We were all running around like headless chickens (=trying to do a lot of things, in an anxious or disorganized way). She always wanted to sail around the world. I spent a happy afternoon wandering around the shops. a disappointing speech that skirted around all the main issues Turning the car around, we headed home. Brenda jumped in the car and zoomed off.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
We would hear the birds singing all around us. the new housing areas in and around Dublin Catherine was the most beautiful girl for miles around. The list is somewhere around. She ran around the corner and straight into the arms of John Delaney.· I put my arms around Bobby and gave him a hug.
· Suddenly a motorbike came around the bend at top speed.
(=a lot of people have it)· A lot of staff are off because there’s a bug going round.
Fenella leaned forward, clasping her hands around her knees.· At that moment, a police car came around the corner.
· We watched the two boys disappear around the corner.
· Why does the Earth goes around the Sun?
(=it is told by one person to another)· It was a small village, and any gossip went around very quickly.
(=look pale and ill)
British English informal (=look for something) I’ll have a hunt around for it in my desk.
I’ll have a hunt around for it in my desk. If you leave your shoes lying around like that, you’ll trip over them. also have/take a look round British English (=look at all the things in a particular place) I have a special interest in old houses. Do you mind if I take a look around?
I have a special interest in old houses. Do you mind if I take a look around? Iago’s lie is the pivot on which the play turns. She seems to think that the world revolves around her (=that she is the only important person). By the time Wednesday rolled around, I still hadn’t finished. (also a rumour circulates formal) (=a rumour is passed among people)· There are a lot of rumors going around that they’re going to sell the company.· Not long afterwards, ugly rumours began to circulate.
(=are talked about by a lot of people)· There were wild rumours flying around the office on Wednesday.
We were all running around like headless chickens (=trying to do a lot of things, in an anxious or disorganized way). She always wanted to sail around the world. I spent a happy afternoon wandering around the shops. a disappointing speech that skirted around all the main issues· The snake coiled itself around the branch.
(=people tell it to each other)· A story went around that she had been having an affair.
· We sat around the table and talked.
Turning the car around, we headed home.· The wheels went slowly around.
(=in many parts of the world)· We have 950 customers around the world.
Brenda jumped in the car and zoomed off.· Christmas dinner is built around horsd'oeuvres, various kinds of pasta, capon and turkey.· They are built around speed, not size, at a time when mastodons rule the earth.· Voice over Border Oak builds around 30 timber framed homes a year from manor houses to small cottages.· He own every other building around here.· Another is built around what one can learn through the science of archaeology.· Dinner parties were built around the episodes.· It is not a system built around overpowering anyone.
· The main dissension in these books centres around two main questions.· Testing of knowledge gained can be centred around the ward learning objectives.· A tandem relationship ... A great deal of discussion has centred around the meaning of this word Paraclete.· There was a long-standing tradition of professionalism, which centred around jockeys and pugilists for the most part.· Police activity centred around the offence and the apprehension of a perpetrator.· The discussion centred around the flexibility clause which is unlikely to be removed.· Most of the Group's production was centred around the Etruria Works and in Hanley.· The idea centres around using wasteland and parks as communal gardens.
· They clustered around his ankles, hiding his plimsolls entirely from view.· They clustered around and demanded to know who each one was.· The excavation of a village may reveal a number of small buildings clustered around one much larger building.· It is quite something to discover giant tubeworms clustered around warm water flowing from the seafloor.· This research explores the discourses of class in terms of the meanings clustering around the ideas of work and of community.· Several estimates of the extra wage to compensate for risk cluster around $ 200, 000 per death in 1967 dollars.· The nomes were clustered around a white heap on the floor.· On this basis, the hypothesis would be that religious beliefs tend to cluster around particular compounds of limitation.
· Roy Barker is coming around with 3-1 / 4 sacks and Chris Doleman is still a force at 36.· A mystery man usually comes around to drop off a complimentary rose at extraordinary houses.· Scamp came around and stood in my line of vision.· If Yarborough were to come around today asking for your vote, you might find his style somewhat corny.· Things are not all bad and what goes around has come around and bowled me right over.· But, as the saying goes, what goes around comes around.· The coppers used to come around at first every time somebody stole a dame's purse but finally they gave it up.· Denver had come around, so to speak.
· After driving around for some time with no success I decided that I must get on my way.· A Chambers colleague remarked on seeing it that it must be like driving around in a Smartie.· Often, as I drove around, I felt as if I were in an enormous time park.· Karen reported the theft the police and the ranger, and spent hours driving around the roads looking for Tang.· She got back in the car and drove around to the back where the room was assigned.· The man then left the motorway and headed for Chester, driving around roads in the Mollington area.
· I shouldn't like to think many of them were floating around.· The president now floats around in the mid-60 percents.· Drugs were floating around this case.· There are plenty of jokes floating around the Internet these days.· She was wearing something pink and delicate that floated around her body when she moved.· What I remember is a picture floating around out there outside my head.· Carrie doesn't seem to feel the cold herself and floats around in her filmy smocks without a shiver.· At the float tube pool, you can actually put on waders, float around and see what tubing is like.
· Dominic was just fooling around - flirting.· This seems like a guy I can fool around with.· They stood up, laughed and fooled around.· You should have come to Ward or me the minute you suspected it, instead of fooling around guessing.· At first she thought he was just fooling around, but he quickly turned vicious.· After two minutes she starts fooling around.· The Montrose girls were too old to be fooling around like that, anyway.· Augie and I are fooling around with them.
· The water-power age produced hamlets, at the most small villages, gathered around a new mill.· Later, while dancing, Johnson slipped and fell to the floor, and the curious gathered around.· People gathered around him like a Pied Piper.· A thousand people, mostly men, gathered around the grate one day last spring to witness a double execution.· Adults gathered around to watch, some to rinse themselves off.· At the back of the beach, where sand mingled with scrub, some fifty people were gathered around cars and trailers.
· Finally, it also is tangible satisfaction when I get around to using it because I remember the work put into it.· Growers can get around the ban by planting vines for quality wines rather than table wines.· I do not know any way to get around this.· If the searches uncover similar ideas you may need to modify your invention to get around areas others bagged first.· Clark said that he knew I had been in Jeffries' class; these things got around.· I get around, as you know.· They found children forced to stay at home because they had no way to get around.
· He has confided that he once told Claudia that in real life people do not go around analysing everyday rituals.· The Ferris wheel is cool too because a person sits in one of the seats while it goes around.· It's the only way they can go around harassing and criminalizing black kids and think they're doing a good job.· They go around wearing their pensions like hair shirts.· At bridge 14 you can join the Bierton Circular Walk which goes around the village of Bierton.· The master at that time was always going around pinching him too.· I went around the place and the units to find out where everything was.· I went around for a time speaking with Mrs Roosevelt at one honorable drive after another, and she liked me.
· Please don't hang around, Fiona.· Imagine all the trouble hordes of tots and teenagers can get into with nothing to do all day but hang around.· I didn't hang around with her much anyway.· Belinda shifted her sandalled feet nervously, wondering suddenly if Deana had decided to hang around until the mythical sailor showed up.· Harrison didn't exactly avoid us, but he made it clear that we were not to hang around his neck.· Wants to be liked and likes to hang around and curry favour with teacher.· I hang around the pavement by the shop for a bit, fiddling with the ball of string in my pocket.· All of us would hang around together.
· I found myself revising with the small colloquia that lay around the grassy precincts of the university.· Gone were the days when she could lie around with him for hours at a time looking at bugs in the grass.· The property room looked like a theatrical battlefield with masks and armour lying around in different stages of completion.· Perhaps there was a bit of bread lying around somewhere.· Boulders lay around the waterside, ash trees spreading finger-like leaves overhead.· Fossil bones were just lying around in the open.· Falling over toys that have been left lying around can be fatal for elderly people and very serious for children. 3.· Thou shalt not leave illegal things lying around in plain sight.
· There is nothing wrong in seeking an invitation to go and look around a neighbouring school to explore possibilities of working together.· You look around and there's two people in the clubhouse.· Edouard stood looking around him, his mouth set, his hands clenched.· As long as the tape ran I looked around for more work.· I had now gained sufficient confidence to look around.· She waved at us but also looked around the room, I assumed to see who else was there.· So we must look around for phenomena that occur every 150 million years or so.· He rushed ahead and looked around in bewilderment.
· We were like each other; she knew what she wanted and she didn't mess around.· Bubsie: Oh, just mess around.· Now he is messing around with education, and look at the mess that that will be in.· Was it a good idea to launch our kids' lives as scientists simply by letting them mess around?· So you're not messing around and wasting everybody's time.· Years ago Pauline blew off his fingers messing around with homemade rockets.· A monster like that is nothing to mess around with.· We knew they had to go so we messed around with it.
· She wakes up as I start moving around and peers at the screen.· Interior screens can range from fabric-covered triptych folding ones you can move around to sliding doors to a climbing house plant.· She could hear them yawning and coughing as they moved around.· He stayed out late, but in the morning I heard him move around.· Each centre will be designed to help even the most physically disabled or confused people move around and orient themselves easily.· Troopers moved around in small groups, looking for their assigned ships.· In the flickering light he appears like a cat moving around cautiously.· The other people living around the courtyard seem to be quite used to them and continue to move around their business undisturbed.
· The word injudicious was passed around.· The attorneys approached the bench, assorted papers were passed around, and the prospective members of the jury were led in.· But the multiple currents passing around and between the islands were treacherous.· At about this time I read the first article about us in a worn copy of a news magazine being passed around.· Hours later she was being passed around the arms of her delighted mother and relatives.· One of my uncles used to suggest that it be fried and passed around to the guests.· There was only one copy and this was passed around the village for a farthing a read.· Enthroned, he would pass around cigarettes.
· The best way to enjoy IE4 is to spend some time on line, play around, and explore its capabilities.· He played around with both boys and girls and he was capable of uncontrolled violence.· But it wasn't really such a leap from paintings of riders to pictures of top-hatted toffs playing around with tousled tarts.· Reading this book, I am struck by how much intellectual work can revolve around playing with blocks.· Yeah, it was fun, we played around.· Why were men able to play around with any sort of drab?· She encourages customers to play around with samples so they feel they are helping to design their own rooms.· Because of the way my grandfather lived, getting drunk and playing around, his son suffered.
· She says her life revolved around the ice rink - she had to fit her personal life in around her skating.· Thus, the whole question of the attainment of metanoia revolves around receiving and registering impressions in a new way.· In my opinion, the books revolve around this central feeling of loss.· The entire celestial model revolves around the motionless earth once every twenty-four hours.· Half the plot of this book appears to revolve around people holding guns on other people.· Her life revolves around her children, she said.· The food will revolve around veal stew at about £6.· The exploration will revolve around the systematic development in youngsters of the desired, and contrasting, characteristics the two valuations entail.
· Then people rolling around all over the place.· Last season they were 3-10 by the time Thanksgiving rolled around, and they never recovered.· The word kept rolling around in his mind like a marble.· But when the election rolled around last Tuesday, gays and lesbians in large numbers stood by Clinton.· Only this time, it was found rolling around in a dustbin.· What am I doing out there rolling around and being thrown around and groping myself?· We disappear into the darkness, where nobody can see that we're not rolling around the floor in paroxysms of ecstasy.· By the time Wednesday rolled around, Curtis had apparently forgotten his offer.
· I can run around a pitch 25 times, no problem.· The goats just ran around and nibbled on the turnips.· There were several families under the trees now, with little children running around and babies crawling about in the grass.· The skinny: Deion Sanders running around with a bucket of ice water is such a passe locker-room prank these days.· He was not running around and kicking everybody.· More animals are out and about, running around.· Once successful, he will run around and not allow you to get hold of his prize.· They vary in size from 4 to 8 ounces, with most running around 5 ounces.
· There was blood all over the floor and rings scattered around.· Strange-colored tailings ponds and old, rusted equipment are scattered around.· Vern made for a bench in a concrete space with trees and shrubs scattered around in pots, and sat down.· The worn, faded furniture, the dingy wallpaper, the papers scattered around, the smell of alcohol.· Second-hand machinery was scattered around the yard with new parts and modifications arriving daily.· But each one had actually hit one of the few rocks scattered around.· There were plenty of books and magazines scattered around, but none seemed to relate to any academic studies she could identify.
· The biggest variable you will find if you are shopping around is price.· Finally, steering organizations that shop around can provide more comprehensive solutions, attacking the roots of the problem.· It is well worthwhile getting plenty of advice and shopping around.· Chances are, you can match any Houston rate if you take the time and effort to shop around your own city.· So my message is to shop around and not to be downhearted.· The thinking seems to be that many savers are too ignorant or lazy to shop around.· There are many choices of decking systems available, to suit all pockets, so shop around.· Steering organizations that shop around can even promote experimentation and learn from success.
· All participants sit around a large table.· But in the land of my forebears, women sit around and wait for their men.· Cameron, needing nothing, sat around the house, surrounded by other peoples' books and music and art.· Two other students, Linda Wolf and Christine Ashcraft, sat around with me afterward talking about it.· About thirty airmen sat around wearing a variety of expressions from sickly smiles to tough bravado.· When she broke off the smoke, the Pilgrims had no fire, they sat around eating sandwiches and devilled eggs.· At a place called Morro Chico there was a tiny inn where we sat around the stove ourselves.· Statues by the hundred sat around and above him, tier upon curving tier.
· Sunday roasts are her speciality, with the whole family sitting around an old pine table.· The recycled coolant comes from large industrial chillers or from people who had stockpiles of used Freon sitting around.· But a man could go nuts sitting around wondering about what might happen.· There was nobody telling us what to do; nobody sitting around drinking palm wine and demanding dinner.· Here they were, the wise ones, sitting around the table contemplating their divine duty.· He sitting around waiting for his lawyer to call him.· But to tell the truth, the album makes a pretty good accompaniment for just sitting around and eating junk food.
· She spun around to watch the coin splash, but it was too late.· She spun around on the porch and glared back at the open window.· With a snarl, Fox spun around and slapped him, harder than necessary.· This nasty creature never talks and is always spinning around.· He puts it on his head and spins around in one motion.· He stumbled, but before he could fall, he was spun around and Buck Leeper grabbed him by his lapel.· Corbett knew he had to leave but the room was spinning around him and he fell gratefully into the gathering blackness.· The stammering policeman spun around, tripped on the rusty pot, and all but crashed to the ground.
· In one corner is a bath and about three nurses are standing around with masks on.· I went outside and stood around with the men in the road.· They stood around her in the stuffy room, aghast.· People are standing around, they joke, they laugh.· On the concourse people stood around gazing up at the departure and arrival boards, checking times of trains.· My clients, in three-piece pin-striped suits, stood around, statesmanlike, and some had big, happy grins.· The cars stopped and everyone got out, standing around in little groups, talking in hushed voices.· It was an ornate old lobby with great marble supporting columns and big pots of palms standing around.
· Thornton accepted, agreeing to stay around and possibly play a larger role again if things looked up.· Thomson stayed around for the festivities, as did assorted other friends.· The armed robber, needless to say, did not stay around to be sued.· The amino acids from any one meal stay around for about 24 hours.· Lisa was always his favourite and he seemed favourably impressed that Tony had stayed around.· Sometimes he stays around, but it's only a matter of convenience when we're working.· He felt he needed me to stay around.
· Just stick around here until we can think of something.· It all goes merrily or unhappily along whether you stick around to watch or not.· They should bloody well have stuck around till we turned up.· He also has a lucrative five-year contract at Hilton that makes it worth his while to stick around.· But once they're there, once you've given them headroom, they seem pretty determined to stick around.· They announced that they wanted to talk to everyone, and they asked everyone to stick around for a while.· Your fellow-passengers, severely shaken, Will almost all be loath to stick around.· Jane stuck around waiting for her, and Zack had promised to take them both home, so he was there too.
· It was while travelling around the world that the seeds of her future calling were first sown.· It travels around its star every 14. 76 days.· Merchants would travel around on a regular basis giving out raw materials and collecting the spun, or woven, product.· I want to travel around and talk to people about what is happening on the ground.· During a typical summer's day, a mountain goat may travel around a kilometre in search of food.· The idea was to travel around, there would be some going to towns and waiting for things to happen.· They used to travel around a lot, handing out leaflets and things.· Oh, not in the top flight, but he travels around the world - anywhere golf is played.
· Where the road levels out she turns around, walking forward until it rises again.· I turn around to ask her if she knows how I can get home.· There was no way to maneuver, even to turn around and get out if we had to.· They saw the mother drop her parcels and turn around to step back and try to reach her boy.· I want you to go over to that empty space and turn around in it a few times.· But turning around such a tarnished image will not be easy.· When he turned around, she was gone.
· Do they wait around, to be absorbed into any passer-by?· After waiting around for ten days he was instructed to proceed to Bombay.· Max told me that Smith would meet us on the following Monday, which would have meant waiting around for five days.· At about 4: 00 p. m. about 600 people were waiting around for their trains.· But as to advice - well, don't just sit around waiting for the telephone to ring.· He sitting around waiting for his lawyer to call him.· Do you wait around with a gun in your hand to shoot me down when I finally stagger out?· Jane stuck around waiting for her, and Zack had promised to take them both home, so he was there too.
· These allow headphone listening while walking around the room.· As the students are drawing, walk around to be sure that they are drawing an exact picture of the hanging hammer.· Afterwards we got up and walked around, going over to inspect the meadow's edge.· Why was this guy walking around free?· Some homes do not have a table; food may be provided while the child is playing or walking around.· I do not care much now about the way the women gape at me when I walk around in the village center.· Even though I only have to walk around the dancers, he's taking no chances.
· At that stage I thought engineers all wandered around in overalls with spanners.· A rough shepherd wakes her and points out the road, saying she ought not to wander around like a wild woman.· The shops had shut and people were wandering around arm in arm and going into pubs and restaurants.· At home, she wanders around, perpetually touching and picking up things.· Out in the street afterwards they wandered around the corner into Leicester Square to see the Christmas lights.· Hundreds of observers, including a team led by former President Jimmy Carter, will wander around on voting day.· It was definitely not a night to let a friend wander around in a drunken stupor searching for his car.· Finally, on a pretext of doing a little musicological research, he went down and wandered around.
· Along the way we noticed young pine trees with cloth wrapped around the top shoots to stop deer eating them.· I realize that it is my mother wrapped around my legs, holding on to me as though I can save her.· It will wrap around this needle on the return journey.· Hank says our steps are wrapped around a phone pole two blocks down the beach.· Cover the sausage completely, then wrap around with a bacon rasher.· The paper was found, wrapped around some cigars, on an abandoned Confederate campground.· It was wrapped around the body and over the left shoulder where it was draped in folds which nearly reached the floor.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► bum around something► twist/wrap/wind somebody around your little finger► fuck somebody around/about► go around with somebody/go around together► go around in your head► kick something around► kick somebody around► knock somebody around► knock something ↔ around► knock something around► lounge around► mess somebody around► muck somebody about/around► be noised abroad/about/around► have a nose around► piss somebody about/around► see somebody around► see around/round something► talk somebody around/round► turn something ↔ around► turn something ↔ around► every time somebody turns around► think (that) the world revolves around you
1surrounding or on all sides of something or someone SYN round British English: - I've been around the block a few times, and I think I know when someone's trying to cheat me.
- When you've been around as long as I have you realize some things aren't worth getting upset about.
- Armies are the main conventional weapon and have been around for over five millennia in various forms.
- Demos have been around as long as computer games.
- Most of them have been around a lot longer.
- Neural networks used for robotics and control applications have been around for a relatively long time.
- Some have been around a long time, others are of more recent origins.
- The usual suspects are labor unions, which have been around for a century.
- They have been around, practically unchanged, for at least 200 million years.
- Though I must have been around just at that time, I think.
- The project became a financial albatross for the city.
- But what began as an enlightened innovation has become an albatross around the neck of the free enterprise system.
- Their wingspan exceeds that of an albatross.
- Don't beat about the bush.
- Eliot did not beat about the bush.
- I am not a person to beat about the bush.
- I meant to be open with him but when it came to it I beat about the bush.
- Let us stop beating about the bush.
- No need to beat about the bush sweetie.
- She winced at their infelicities, at the clumsy way they beat about the bush.
- With the rector, however, Arthur still can not bring the conversation around to the confession he once planned to make.
- We've got to solve the problem instead of running around in circles, writing letters that never get answered.
- I had a tendency to run around in circles getting more and more worked up.
- She jumps up and down and runs around in circles.
- That's why there are no solutions and the characters endlessly go around in circles in discussions.
- Rescuers are working round the clock to find survivors of the blast.
- Since the outbreak of war, journalists have been working round the clock.
- The emergency telephone lines operate around the clock.
- A houseful of people watched me around the clock, which only made me more determined.
- Between them they provide a mix of outreach and on-site services around the clock.
- For the past 4 days, they've been working around the clock and through the night.
- I was on planes or e-mail around the clock, seven days a week.
- Men from the Royal Engineers and local contractors have been working around the clock to make the barracks habitable.
- That many trips around the clock means each minute hand has traveled the equivalent of 10, 677 miles.
- The company worked around the clock to repair the problem.
- The modification work continues around the clock.
- Around the corner, their classmates practiced pulling small-fry violin bows across squeaky strings.
- I rounded the corner, then stopped, waited a moment and peeked back into the lobby.
- Rats gnawed on black infants' feet, while money was used to build new police stations around the corner.
- She might think we're just around the corner and that we're not coming to see her.
- She peered round the corner of the house.
- She was around the corner, talking to Hoffmann.
- The Derby Tonelli grocery store of my mind could have stood around the corner from my house.
- There was always something around the corner if you didn't lose your head.
- After she had put the phone down, she felt in a daze.
- I returned to my book, the hot feeling in my face returned to its rightful place.
- One of my reasons for becoming involved in Westland was that I felt in some respects that I owed them something.
- She was not feeling in the least cheerful however when the taxi dropped her off at Ven's home.
- She would understand; that was how he felt in the stores.
- This feeling in turn hardens into lack of interest in work.
- Whether you feel in any way responsible depends on your viewpoint.
- And they also get around New York.
- Either that or there was some way to get around the lock.
- Fedotenko got around Matthieu Descoteaux and centered to White.
- He could then expect to get around four pounds ten shillings.
- Individuals and businesses are obliged to pay $ 49, but many never get around to sending in the check.
- It would take some time for the news to get around.
- Julian had never got around to asking, but now he knew that it had been Guy Hanthorpe.
- So there was no getting around it: the car was dead.
- How do we get around the new tax laws?
- If we can get round these difficulties, we'll be able to discuss the really important points.
- There's no way of getting around it - you're going to have to tell her the truth.
- And they also get around New York.
- Either that or there was some way to get around the lock.
- Fedotenko got around Matthieu Descoteaux and centered to White.
- He could then expect to get around four pounds ten shillings.
- Individuals and businesses are obliged to pay $ 49, but many never get around to sending in the check.
- It would take some time for the news to get around.
- Julian had never got around to asking, but now he knew that it had been Guy Hanthorpe.
- So there was no getting around it: the car was dead.
- I can't go around my friends begging for a home, can l?
- In pursuit of material he went around the world six times and gave over 8,000 illustrated talks.
- She said she would wait on the steps while Tom went around and opened the street door.
- The changes of angle the belt makes as it goes around the pelvis allow much greater freedom of movement.
- The city was rife with forlorn single women, and there was plenty of blame to go around.
- There is plenty of fault to go around!
- Used to go around as a foursome.
- We went around the room to get them to say a declarative sentence.
- I can't go around my friends begging for a home, can l?
- In pursuit of material he went around the world six times and gave over 8,000 illustrated talks.
- She said she would wait on the steps while Tom went around and opened the street door.
- The changes of angle the belt makes as it goes around the pelvis allow much greater freedom of movement.
- The city was rife with forlorn single women, and there was plenty of blame to go around.
- There is plenty of fault to go around!
- Used to go around as a foursome.
- We went around the room to get them to say a declarative sentence.
- Plenty enough to go around for any city.
- There are community therapists, but not enough to go around.
- But, as the saying goes, what goes around comes around.
- Airbus will anyway soon be passing the hat around again for an enormous 700-seat aeroplane, much bigger than the Boeing 747.
- The arcade section is hideous, featuring computer-controlled players running around like headless chickens and never attempting a tackle.
- Being kicked around can be a real eye opener.
- But the fact is Lombardi and Barnett have kicked around the idea of Grtezky joining the Sharks.
- Children whom everyone was too exhausted to stop were kicking around an empty fizzy-drink can.
- Civic promotion is an idea that had been kicked around before.
- He believed they understood what it was like to be kicked around by white men.
- Journalists have always had inflight magazines to kick around.
- Throughout all of this Manchester United has been kicked around like a football.
- And after knocking around for a decade he came to rest at his alma mater.
- Each new copy must be made from raw materials, smaller building blocks knocking around.
- He just knocked around with some very funny looking women.
- He was fined $ 5,000 and placed on probation for 90 days after knocking around Tony Stewart's race car.
- It would have been inconceivable for exchange control to be tossed around and knocked around in Cabinet.
- Like Jitters, she had knocked around the world a bit and wound up in Dead Rat.
- Peter: On Saturday I knock around with me mates.
- The apartment never seemed more cramped with just the two of us knocking around in it.
- And after knocking around for a decade he came to rest at his alma mater.
- Each new copy must be made from raw materials, smaller building blocks knocking around.
- He just knocked around with some very funny looking women.
- He was fined $ 5,000 and placed on probation for 90 days after knocking around Tony Stewart's race car.
- It would have been inconceivable for exchange control to be tossed around and knocked around in Cabinet.
- Like Jitters, she had knocked around the world a bit and wound up in Dead Rat.
- Peter: On Saturday I knock around with me mates.
- The apartment never seemed more cramped with just the two of us knocking around in it.
- And he knew his way around.
- Bike testers these days tend to know their way around a track.
- For he is convinced he knows his way around better than anyone else on earth.
- For those who have used soft chalk pastels and know their way around the tints I would advise loose pastels.
- Fortunately, I knew my way around cars.
- He knows his way around the course and, with any luck, I felt the ground would come up soft.
- The people had been friendly, and she had known her way around.
- They seemed to know their way around; at least one of them must have been familiar with the layout.
- A writer should write, not lie around dozing in the middle of the day.
- Falling over toys that have been left lying around can be fatal for elderly people and very serious for children. 3.
- It's illustrated, with explicit photographs, so don't leave it lying around.
- Lopped off brambles lay around and the long grass was all trampled.
- Perhaps there was a bit of bread lying around somewhere.
- Thou shalt not leave illegal things lying around in plain sight.
- Virtually anything you see lying around can be used from a fruit bowl to a club.
- When it was hot, we all lay around in the grass and talked about stuff.
- Gasping for breath, Isabel managed to twist her head away from him and look around.
- Get all your benefits sorted out and then start looking around again.
- He looks around him at everybody watching.
- I came and looked around and felt this campus is no different than the society at large.
- In the silence Johnson looked around at the porch for any details he may have forgotten.
- My heart sank as I looked around.
- Two old ladies look round in my direction.
- When they were gone, Petey crawled out and looked around.
- This particular heritage may be a millstone around the neck of scientific natural history.
- He was a skinhead, and had a line of swastikas tattooed around his neck.
- She attached a cord and started wearing them around her neck.
- The Doctor hooked the handle of his umbrella over his top pocket and pulled his paisley scarf from around his neck.
- The king wore it on a ribbon around his neck on ceremonial occasions.
- The lead Hunter appeared to have a mane around its neck.
- Until my first New York winter rain, when the fake fur matted around my neck, wrists and knees.
- All the computers we consider are general-purpose, at least in theory, although they may be oriented towards particular application areas.
- Attention will be oriented to the imagery and assumptions about reproductive physiology on which methods of contraception and their evaluation are based.
- First we were oriented towards the orientation building.
- In contrast, pragmatic parties hold more flexible goals and are oriented to moderate or incremental policy change.
- Management involvement in internal operations and problems must be oriented to the environment, its opportunities and demands.
- On the one hand, the questions are oriented towards exposing the discipline, bringing into the open its hidden character.
- The former are oriented to specialized resources while the latter focus on outputs.
- This project is oriented towards education.
- It may also be more accurate to say that the user responds to the system rather than the other way around.
- It only works the other way round.
- Language, I have learned, by writing about this, gives birth to feeling, not the other way around.
- Only it should really have been the other way around, when you get right down to it.
- Right now, that is the other way around.
- The question is better put the other way around: will Californians pay much attention to the politicians?
- What is more, in Britain in the 1980s it was the other way round.
- After that he'd spent a lot of time with Jekub, poking around, finding out about it.
- By its light, he poked around in the charred remains of the nestboxes.
- Charles sat on the windowsill as Ward poked around the room.
- Fakhru went to the wastebasket and poked around with his finger.
- Have to find out for himself, no other way, poke around, listen, ask, play it carefully.
- I used to poke around the Internet and see what was new online.
- In the harsh air she poked around in the flowerpots and bushes by the front door.
- Why not let me poke around quietly?
- Don't pull the thread right through at this stage.
- He came right through the War, just to be killed on that damned motorbike.
- He got so mad he threw the Bible out the bedroom window right through the glass.
- He had slept right through the night.
- His grey eyes stared back at me intensely, as if right through me.
- I love to hear this, but then you see guys slide right through the draft.
- Route 1 runs right through it.
- Each time the Congress met, which was roughly every six months, Boris Yeltsin ran rings around it.
- For sheer cleverness she could run rings around them all.
- "Have a good trip." "OK, see you around."
- I had seen him around, frequently.
- I never actually met her, but I've seen her around, and I heard a lot about her.
- It's good to see you around again.
- One can imagine a Soviet general fuming to see it around her neck.
- She had seen them around the hotel for the last five days.
- The scholar sees all around the issue, not the kind of preparation for political action or most power strategies.
- There was Charlie and Polly at the boardinghouse and he had seen me around the city with-the girls at work.
- Why not the women I saw all around me, working from before dawn to dark?
- A dozen cemetery companies have sniffed around Hollywood Memorial and then walked away.
- All the heavy materials came from junk spinning somewhere around in the solar system.
- By dimensions and purpose, the 1997 Ford Expedition falls somewhere between affordable housing and the next Trailways bus to Yuma.
- Possibly somewhere between 1901 and the present, Bobsworth had been caught with his hand in the cash box.
- Problems lie somewhere between puzzles and policy issues.
- The ideal size, in peace, is probably somewhere between 12 and 16.
- The resulting book falls somewhere between the teen diary / confessional genre and the academic feminist treatise.
- There was no definite sound, but he knew that Mabel would be somewhere around.
- Your house current is somewhere around 110 volts, which is enough to fry everything inside your machine.
- Get people talking round a subject.
- He had never heard Alex talk around dope before.
- In the early days I remember we could spend an hour talking round one position.
- It was the talk around the base.
- Robyn listened helplessly as they talked around and about her and remembered.
- We talk round all these factors and eventually that tends to work towards a particular player.
- We must have spent at least five minutes talking round the subject.
- Why was she conspiring with him to talk around the subject rather than come to the point?
- She likes to throw her weight around -- it makes her feel important.
- The commission has a reputation for throwing its weight around.
- Why is everyone so upset? Has George been throwing his weight around again?
- But being annual they would be open to reprisals if they threw their weight around too much.
- But that bloody Caitlin, he had to throw his weight around.
- Do we in petty ways throw our weight around?
- How dare the Nottinghamshire police suppose they can throw their weight around in this way?
- It's a chance for rugby to throw its weight around.
- Maybe she could have handled that a little more tactfully instead of sounding as though she was throwing her weight around.
- Mortgage traders were the sort of fat people who grunt from the belly and throw their weight around, like sumo wrestlers.
- The apprentice was some distant relation of Pollitt's wife; that'd be why he was throwing his weight around.
- I couldn't get my tongue around the consonants.
- After a couple of months, the Sioux turned around and came back west without permission.
- Each was turned around and the wrists cuffed behind their backs.
- He turned around and saw the first Stillman shuffling off in the other direction.
- He turned around and slowed down, seeing no sign of the monsters.
- Lepine turns around and starts spraying the students in the front rows with gunfire.
- She turned around and went back to sit in the road.
- There was no way to maneuver, even to turn around and get out if we had to.
- Why turn around and do the same to one of our own?
- A possible way round this problem has been suggested by Sen and others.
- Or was it the other way round?
- See diversion sign and ask B if he knows the best way around it.
- She hoped he would find another way up, but this thought still was the central meaning of his whimpers.
- Some people, at bottom, really want the world to take care of them, rather than the other way around.
- They think they gon na talk their way up on it.
- When we find ways around the size of the school, the ultimate reward is a climate that fosters Community.
- But being annual they would be open to reprisals if they threw their weight around too much.
- But that bloody Caitlin, he had to throw his weight around.
- Do we in petty ways throw our weight around?
- How dare the Nottinghamshire police suppose they can throw their weight around in this way?
- It's a chance for rugby to throw its weight around.
- Maybe she could have handled that a little more tactfully instead of sounding as though she was throwing her weight around.
- Mortgage traders were the sort of fat people who grunt from the belly and throw their weight around, like sumo wrestlers.
- Very strong in his own way, not swaggering or throwing his weight about, but a great inner strength.
- Church twisted his head sideways as if the writing were the wrong way 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.2moving in a circle SYN round British English: A helicopter was circling around, looking for somewhere to land. They danced around the bonfire.3in or to many places or parts of an area SYN about British English: 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. Since it’s your first day here, would you like me to show you around? We started looking around for somewhere to live.4a)British English in an area near a place or person SYN 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.5British English on the other side of something, or to the other side of it without going through it or over it SYN 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.6used to say that someone or something turns so that they face in the opposite direction SYN round British English: 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.► see thesaurus at approximate8existing SYN about British English: That joke’s been around for years. Manson has a reputation as one of the most stylish designers around.9if 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.10used to show that someone spends time in a place without doing anything useful SYN about British English: I’ve been waiting around all morning. They could be seen hanging around street corners, watching the girls go by.11a way around a difficult situation or problem is a way to solve it or avoid it SYN round British English: We must find a way around these difficulties. The company is expected to get around this problem by borrowing from the banks.12to other people or positions SYN round British English: Write your name on this list and pass it around. Someone’s been moving the furniture around.13have been around (also have been around the block a few times) 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 humorously14American English used to show the length of a line surrounding something: Redwood trees can measure 30 or 40 feet around. → round1, → get around (something) at get around, → go around in circles at circle1(5)