The child was watching it all with big round eyes (= showing interest).
a T-shirt with a round neck
a coin with a round hole in the centre
The tower was perfectly round.
They sat at a large round table.
see alsoround-eyed,round-tableTopics Colours and Shapesa2
having a curved shape
the round green hills of Donegal
Put both the surname and publication date in round brackets.
She had a small mouth and round pink cheeks.
Choose shoes with a flat sole and round toes.
[only before noun]a round figure or amount is one that is given as a whole number, usually one ending in 0
Make it a round figure—say forty dollars.
Two thousand is a nice round number—put that down.
Well, in round figures(= not giving the exact figures) we've spent twenty thousand so far.
The total was a round $30 million in Australian dollars.
see alsoyear-round
Word OriginMiddle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.
round
adverb
/raʊnd/
/raʊnd/
(especially British English)
(North American English usuallyaround)
For the special uses of round in phrasal verbs, look at the verb entries. For example, the meaning of come round to something is given in the phrasal verb section of the entry for come.Idioms
jump to other results
moving in a circle
Everybody joins hands and dances round.
How do you make the wheels go round?
The children were spinning round and round.
(figurative)The thought kept going round and round in her head.
Love makes the world go round.
see alsomerry-go-round
measuring or marking the edge or outside of something
a young tree measuring only 18 inches round
They've built a high fence all round to keep intruders out.
on all sides of somebody/something
A large crowd had gathered round to watch.
at various places in an area
People stood round waiting for something to happen.
in a circle or curve to face another way or the opposite way
He turned the car round and drove back again.
She looked round at the sound of his voice.
Harvey spun round to face him.
to the other side of something
We walked round to the back of the house.
The road's blocked—you'll have to drive the long way round.
from one place, person, etc. to another
They've moved all the furniture round.
He went round interviewing people about local traditions.
Pass the biscuits round.
Have we enough cups to go round?
Rumours are going round that she's pregnant again.
(informal)to or at a particular place, especially where somebody lives
I'll be round in an hour.
We've invited the Frasers round this evening.
Edward loved her cooking and regularly came round to supper.
Which Word? around / round / aboutaround / round / about
Around and round can often be used with the same meaning in British English, though around is more formal:
The earth goes round/around the sun.
They live round/around the corner.
We travelled round/around India.
She turned round/around when I came in.
In North American English only around can be used in these meanings.
Around, round and about can also sometimes be used with the same meaning in British English:
The kids were running around/round/about outside.
I’ve been waiting around/round/about to see her all day.
In North American English only around can be used in these meanings. About or around can be used in both British English and North American English to mean ‘approximately’:
We left around/about 8 o’clock.
Word OriginMiddle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.
Idioms
(the) next, first, second, etc. time round
on the next, first, etc. occasion that the same thing happens
He repeated none of the errors he'd made first time round.
This time round it was not so easy.
round about
approximately
We're leaving round about ten.
A new roof will cost round about £3 000.
in the area near a place
in Oxford and the villages round about
round
preposition
/raʊnd/
/raʊnd/
(especially British English)
(North American English usuallyaround)
Idioms
jump to other results
in a circle
the first woman to sail round the world
The earth moves round the sun.
on, to or from the other side of something
Our house is round the next bend.
There she is, coming round the corner.
(figurative)There must be a way round(= a way of solving) the problem.
on all sides of somebody/something; surrounding somebody/something
She put her arms round him.
He had a scarf round his neck.
They were all sitting round the table.
in or to many parts of something
She looked all round the room.
to fit in with particular people, ideas, etc.
He has to organize his life round the kids.
Which Word? around / round / aboutaround / round / about
Around and round can often be used with the same meaning in British English, though around is more formal:
The earth goes round/around the sun.
They live round/around the corner.
We travelled round/around India.
She turned round/around when I came in.
In North American English only around can be used in these meanings.
Around, round and about can also sometimes be used with the same meaning in British English:
The kids were running around/round/about outside.
I’ve been waiting around/round/about to see her all day.
In North American English only around can be used in these meanings. About or around can be used in both British English and North American English to mean ‘approximately’:
We left around/about 8 o’clock.
Word OriginMiddle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.
Idioms
a millstone around/round your neck
a difficult problem or responsibility that it seems impossible to solve or get rid of
My debts are a millstone around my neck.
Unemployment was an economic millstone around the country’s neck.
round here
near where you are now or where you live
There are no decent schools round here.
round
noun
/raʊnd/
/raʊnd/
Idioms
jump to other results
in competitions
a stage in a competition or sports event
the qualifying rounds of the National Championships
Anderson was knocked out of the tournament in the third round.
He beat Fischer in the opening round.
She made it through to the final round.
Extra Examples
They were drawn to face Wigan in the preliminary round.
Norwich City are through to the third round of the FA Cup.
Italy qualified for the second round of the tournament by beating Germany.
He has never made the fourth round of the tournament.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
first
second
etc.
…
verb + round
make
reach
win
…
preposition
in a/the round
See full entry
a stage in a boxing or wrestling match
The fight only lasted five rounds.
Ali won the next round convincingly.
Topics Sports: other sportsc2
a complete game of golf; a complete way around the course in some other sports, such as showjumping
We played a round of golf.
I finished the practice round and went in to have lunch.
the first horse to jump a clear round
Wordfinder
closing date
competition
disqualify
judge
prize
round
runner-up
submit
tiebreaker
winner
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
practice
verb + round
have
play
shoot
…
phrases
a round of golf
See full entry
stage in process
a set of events which form part of a longer process
the next round of peace talks
a new round of pay bargaining
the final round of voting in the election
This latest round of redundancies follows the loss of 250 jobs in January.
There were two important rounds of negotiations.
He won the second round of the elections.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
endless
long
fresh
…
verb + round
begin
start
hold
…
preposition
round of
See full entry
regular activities/route
a regular series of activities
the daily round of school life
Her life is one long round of parties and fun.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
endless
long
fresh
…
verb + round
begin
start
hold
…
preposition
round of
See full entry
a regular route that somebody takes when delivering or collecting something; a regular series of visits that somebody makes
on your roundDr Green was on her daily ward rounds.
(British English)a postman on his delivery round
Four soldiers patrolled the area and an officer made his rounds at frequent intervals.
The milkman does his round very early.
see alsomilk round,paper roundTopics Medicineb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
endless
long
fresh
…
verb + round
begin
start
hold
…
preposition
round of
See full entry
drinks
a number of drinks bought by one person for all the others in a group
a round of drinks
It's my round (= it is my turn to pay for the next set of drinks).
Extra Examples
I bought the last round.
We just had time for one more round of drinks.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + round
buy
order
phrases
it’s my round
a round of drinks
See full entry
bread
(British English)a whole slice of bread; sandwiches made from two whole slices of bread
Who's for another round of toast?
two rounds of beef sandwiches
circle
a round object or piece of something
Cut the pastry into rounds.
of applause/cheers
round of applause/cheersa short period during which people show their approval of somebody/something by clapping
There was a great round of applause when the dance ended.
shot
a single shot from a gun; a bullet for one shot
They fired several rounds at the crowd.
We only have three rounds of ammunition left.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
live
blank
artillery
…
verb + round
fire
phrases
a round of ammunition
See full entry
song
(music)a song for two or more voices in which each sings the same tune but starts at a different time
Word OriginMiddle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.
Idioms
do/go the rounds (of something)
(British English)
(North American Englishmake the rounds)
if news or a joke does the rounds, it is passed on quickly from one person to another
(British English)
(also make the roundsNorth American English, British English)
to go around from place to place, especially when looking for work or support for a political campaign, etc.
He’s doing the rounds of insurance firms.
The Vice-President made the rounds of television talk shows.
see alsowhip-round
in the round
(of a work of art)made so that it can be seen from all sides
an opportunity to see Canova’s work in the round
(of a theatre or play)with the people watching all around a central stagesee alsotheatre-in-the-round
round
verb
/raʊnd/
/raʊnd/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they round
/raʊnd/
/raʊnd/
he / she / it rounds
/raʊndz/
/raʊndz/
past simple rounded
/ˈraʊndɪd/
/ˈraʊndɪd/
past participle rounded
/ˈraʊndɪd/
/ˈraʊndɪd/
-ing form rounding
/ˈraʊndɪŋ/
/ˈraʊndɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
jump to other results
[transitive]round somethingto go around a corner of a building, a bend in the road, etc.
The boat rounded the tip of the island.
We rounded the bend at high speed.
Topics Transport by car or lorryc2
[transitive, intransitive]round (something)to make something into a round shape; to form into a round shape
She rounded her lips and whistled.
His eyes rounded with horror.
[transitive]round something (up/down) (to something)to increase or decrease a number to the next highest or lowest whole number
Word OriginMiddle English: from the Old French stem round-, from a variant of Latin rotundus ‘rotund’.