Etymology From Middle English round, rounde, from Old Northern French roünt, rund, Old French ront, runt, reont ( > French rond), from both Late Latin retundus and the original Latin rotundus. The noun developed partly from the adjective and partly from the corresponding French noun rond. Doublet of rotund.
Physical Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction.
We sat at a round table to make conversation easier.
The flowers glowed red and golden: snapdragons and sunflowers, and nasturtians^([sic]) trailing all over the turf walls and peeping in at the round windows.1954 July 29, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “A Long-Expected Party”, in The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings, London: George Allen & Unwin, →OCLC:
2
Physical Spherical; shaped like a ball; having a circular cross-section in more than one direction.
The ancient Egyptian demonstrated that the Earth is round, not flat.
If I close my eyes I can see Marie today as I saw her then. Round, rosy face, snub nose, dark hair piled up in a chignon.1977, Agatha Christie, chapter 2, in An Autobiography, part II, London: Collins, →ISBN:
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Physical Lacking sharp angles; having gentle curves.
He was tall and thin but his wife was short and round.
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Complete, whole, not lacking.
The baker sold us a round dozen.
Round was their pace at first, but slackened soon: / A stranger meeting them had surely thought, / They rode so slowly and they look'd so pale, / That each had suffer'd some exceeding wrong.1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 47:
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Of a number Convenient for rounding other numbers to; for example, ending in a zero.
"Supposing somebody sees you, with all those flowers too? Supposing somebody writes him a letter? Ooooh!" (a pure round open Tamil O.)1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 421:
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Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; not mincing words.
a round answer
a round oath
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the round assertion1867, Matthew Arnold, On the Study of Celtic Literature:
Sir Toby, I muſt be round with you.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 261, column 2:
Well, she must be plain with him, round with him, while she must not betray her child.1925, Stanley John Weyman, “XXXVI Home”, in Queen's Folly:
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Finished; polished; not defective or abrupt; said of authors or their writing style.
In his satires Horace is quick, round, and[…]pleasant.1622, Henry Peacham, The Compleat Gentleman:
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Obsolete Consistent; fair; just; applied to conduct.
Round dealing is the honour of man's nature.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Truth”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
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Large in magnitude.
I have a good banker in this city, but I would not wish to draw upon the house until the time when I shall draw for a round sum.1855 December – 1857 June, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, →OCLC:
By raising turkeys the farmers were able the more surely to pay their rents. Young girls often acquired a very sufficient dowry, and towns-folk who wished to eat them had to pay round prices for them.1854, Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste: Or, Transcendental Gastronomy, page 108:
Etymology From Middle English round, rounde, from Old Northern French roünt, rund, Old French ront, runt, reont ( > French rond), from both Late Latin retundus and the original Latin rotundus. The noun developed partly from the adjective and partly from the corresponding French noun rond. Doublet of rotund.
A circular or spherical object or part of an object.
in labyrinth of many a round self-rolled1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. [...] She put back a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress to the world, and looked him full in the face now, drawing a deep breath which caused the round of her bosom to lift the lace at her throat.1910, Emerson Hough, “A Lady in Company”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 6:
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All at once the sun was through, a round of dulled silver, racing slantwise through the clouds yet always staying in the same place.1955, William Golding, The Inheritors, Faber and Faber, published 2005, page 50:
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A circular or repetitious route.
hospital rounds
The prison guards have started their nightly rounds.
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Edward Churchill still attended to his work in a hopeless mechanical manner like a sleep-walker who walks safely on a well-known round. But his Roman collar galled him, his cossack stifled him, his biretta was as uncomfortable as a merry-andrew's cap and bells.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXXIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 257:
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A general outburst from a group of people at an event.
The candidate got a round of applause after every sentence or two.
4
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A song that is sung by groups of people with each subset of people starting at a different time.
5
A serving of something; a portion of something to each person in a group.
They brought us a round of drinks about every thirty minutes.
There is a snaky gleam in her hard grey eye, as of anticipated rounds of buttered toast, relays of hot chops, worryings and quellings of young children, sharp snappings at poor Berry, and all the other delights of her Ogress's castle.1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “Retribution”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 594:
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I said I did impersonations would you like to see Turned around to buy her one more round1978, “Last Summer”, in Blondes Have More Fun, performed by Rod Stewart:
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A single individual portion or dose of medicine.
Daniel underwent one round of chemotherapy in February but stopped after that single treatment, citing religious beliefs.2009 May 26, Patrick Condon, "Boy with cancer, mom return home", Associated Press, printed in Austin American-Statesman, page A4
For breakfast I had two rounds of toast and a mug of tea.
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One sandwich (two full slices of bread with filling).
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Art, Arts A long-bristled, circular-headed paintbrush used in oil and acrylic painting.
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A firearm cartridge, bullet, or any individual ammunition projectile. Originally referring to the spherical projectile ball of a smoothbore firearm. Compare round shot and solid shot.
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports One of the specified pre-determined segments of the total time of a sport event, such as a boxing or wrestling match, during which contestants compete before being signaled to stop.
And though Fightville, an MMA documentary from the directors of the fine Iraq War doc Gunner Palace, presents it more than fairly, the sight of a makeshift ring getting constructed on a Louisiana rodeo ground does little to shake the label. Nor do the shots of ringside assistants with spray bottles and rags, mopping up the blood between rounds2002 April 19, Scott Tobias, “Fightville”, in The A.V. Club:
› A stage, level, set of events in a game
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A stage in a competition.
qualifying rounds of the championship
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports In some sports, e.g. golf or showjumping: one complete way around the course.
When the player uses one shell to complete a round within 50 seconds, it vanishes forever. At the end of two successful rounds, for instance, the player has only two shells to pick from during docking.1981, Tom Hirschfeld, How to Master the Video Games, page 88:
CAD, Computing, Drafting, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A rounded relief or cut at an edge, especially an outside edge, added for a finished appearance and to soften sharp edges.
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A strip of material with a circular face that covers an edge, gap, or crevice for decorative, sanitary, or security purposes.
All furniture in the nursery had rounds on the edges and in the crevices.
All the rounds like Jacob's ladder rise.1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
The perpendicular parts of this side ladder, as is usually the case with swinging ones, were of cloth-covered rope, only the rounds were of wood, so that at every step there was a joint.1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Pulpit”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 42:
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A crosspiece that joins and braces the legs of a chair.
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A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution.
the round of the seasons a round of pleasures
On life's long round by chance I found A dell impearled with dew, Where hyacinths, gushing from the ground, Lent to the earth heaven's native hue Of holy blue.1889, Mathilde Blind, “[Love in Exile. Song X.] ‘On Life’s Long Round’.”, in The Ascent of Man, London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 177:
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A course of action or conduct performed by a number of persons in turn, or one after another, as if seated in a circle.
Women to cards may be compar'd: we play ¶ A round or two; when us'd, we throw away.c. 1732, George Granville, Women:
[…]the Feaſt was ſerv'd; the Bowl was crown'd; To the King's Pleaſure went the mirthful Round: […]1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World. A Poem in Three Books.”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, book II (Pleasure), page 437:
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A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
The trivial round, the common task, Would furnish all we ought to ask; […]1827, [John Keble], “Morning”, in The Christian Year: Thoughts in Verse for the Sundays and Holydays throughout the Year, volume I, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [B]y W. Baxter, for J. Parker; and C[harles] and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 4:
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A circular dance.
Come, knit hands, and beat the ground, In a light fantastic round.1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:
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Rotation, as in office; succession.
A Cave[…], Where light and darkness in perpetual round Lodge and dislodge by turns.1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
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A general discharge of firearms by a body of troops in which each soldier fires once.
27
An assembly; a group; a circle.
a round of politicians
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A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.
Etymology From Middle English round, rounde, from Old Northern French roünt, rund, Old French ront, runt, reont ( > French rond), from both Late Latin retundus and the original Latin rotundus. The noun developed partly from the adjective and partly from the corresponding French noun rond. Doublet of rotund.
Worms with many feet, which round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber.1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
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The figures on our modern medals are raiſed and rounded to a very great perfection.a. 1720 (date written), [Joseph Addison], “Dialogue III. A Parallel between the Ancient and Modern Medals.”, in Dialogues upon the Usefulness of Ancient Medals. […], [London]: [s.n.], published 1726, →OCLC, page 165:
2
To become shaped into a curve.
The girl's figure, he perceived, was admirably proportioned; she was evidently at the period when the angles of childhood were rounding into the promising curves of adolescence.1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:
3
With "out" To finish; to complete; to fill out; see also round out.
She rounded out her education with only a single mathematics class.
We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
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To approximate (a number, especially a decimal number) by the closest whole number, or some other close number, especially a whole number of hundreds, thousands, etc.; see also round down, round up.
The exact amount was $101.65, but we rounded it to $100.
95.9 rounds to 96.
5
To turn past a boundary.
Helen watched him until he rounded the corner.
6
To turn and attack someone or something (used with on).
As a group of policemen went past him, one of them rounded on him, grabbing him by the arm.
And the runners round the bases on the double by Jones.
8
To go round, pass, go past.
Diouf rounded Zaluska near the byeline and crossed but Daniel Majstorovic headed away and Celtic eventually mopped up the danger.2011 March 2, Andy Campbell, “Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers”, in BBC:
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To encircle; to encompass.
The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
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To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
The queen your mother rounds apace.c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
So rounds he to a separate mind From whence clear memory may begin, As thro’ the frame that binds him in His isolation grows defined.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLIV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 67:
Obsolete To go round, as a guard; to make the rounds.
They […] nightly rounding walk.1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English rounen, from Old English rūnian (“to whisper, talk low, talk secrets, consipre, talk secretly”), from Proto-Germanic *rūnōną (“to talk secrets, whisper, decide”), *raunijaną (“to investigate, examine, prove”), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)rewə-, *(e)rwō- (“to trace, find out, look out”). Cognate with Scots roun (“to converse with in whispers, speak privately”), Middle Low German rūnen (“to whisper”), Middle Dutch ruinen (“to whisper”), German raunen (“to whisper, murmur”), Old English rūn (“whisper, secret, mystery”), Swedish röna (“to meet with, experience”). More at rune.
rounded in the earc. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
The Bishop of Glasgow rounding in his ear, "Ye are not a wise man," […] he rounded likewise to the bishop, and said, "Wherefore brought ye me here?"c. 1617, David Calderwood (quoted as saying to King James VI)
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Tiberius the emperor […] perceiving a fellow round a dead corse in the ear, would needs know wherefore he did so […]1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], chapter I, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 4, member IV:
round
noun
Etymology From Middle English rounen, from Old English rūnian (“to whisper, talk low, talk secrets, consipre, talk secretly”), from Proto-Germanic *rūnōną (“to talk secrets, whisper, decide”), *raunijaną (“to investigate, examine, prove”), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)rewə-, *(e)rwō- (“to trace, find out, look out”). Cognate with Scots roun (“to converse with in whispers, speak privately”), Middle Low German rūnen (“to whisper”), Middle Dutch ruinen (“to whisper”), German raunen (“to whisper, murmur”), Old English rūn (“whisper, secret, mystery”), Swedish röna (“to meet with, experience”). More at rune.