AROUND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does around mean? 

• AROUND (adverb)
  The adverb AROUND has 10 senses:

1. in the area or vicinity

2. by a circular or circuitous route

3. used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction

4. in a circle or circular motion

5. (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct

6. in or to a reversed position or direction

7. to a particular destination either specified or understood

8. all around or on all sides

9. in circumference

10. from beginning to end; throughout

  Familiarity information: AROUND used as an adverb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AROUND (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In the area or vicinity

Synonyms:

about; around

Context example:

waited around for the next flight

Sense 2

Meaning:

By a circular or circuitous route

Context example:

the road goes around the pond

Sense 3

Meaning:

Used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction

Synonyms:

about; around

Context example:

she sleeps around

Sense 4

Meaning:

In a circle or circular motion

Context example:

The wheels are spinning around

Sense 5

Meaning:

(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct

Synonyms:

about; approximately; around; close to; just about; more or less; or so; roughly; some

Context example:

20 or so people were at the party

Sense 6

Meaning:

In or to a reversed position or direction

Synonyms:

about; around

Context example:

suddenly she turned around

Sense 7

Meaning:

To a particular destination either specified or understood

Context example:

I invited them around for supper

Sense 8

Meaning:

All around or on all sides

Synonyms:

about; around

Context example:

she looked around her

Sense 9

Meaning:

In circumference

Context example:

the pond is two miles around

Sense 10

Meaning:

From beginning to end; throughout

Synonyms:

around; round

Context example:

frigid weather the year around

 Context examples 

The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Put a circle around the full moon in Leo at 20 degrees that will arrive on February 8.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

A human hair has a diameter of around 100 microns.

(Smartphone microscope detects nanoparticles and viruses, NIH)

While much of the world's population is susceptible to damaging earthquakes, the systems are currently operating in only a few regions around the globe, including Japan and Mexico.

(Crowdsourced Smartphone Data Could Give Advance Notice for People in Quake Zones, JPL)

Earthshine is easiest to see around the time of a new Moon due to the position of Earth and the Moon in their orbits.

(Earthshine, NASA)

Then he threw his cloak around him, and passed through the castle hall, and placed himself by the side of the queen, where no one saw him.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Supermassive black holes draw gas and matter into a disk around them, heating the disk to roaring temperatures of millions of degrees and blasting out high-energy, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray light.

(The Most Luminous Galaxy in Universe, NASA)

But a new study suggests they succeed in creating powerful auroral displays, similar to the kind seen around the magnetic poles on Earth.

(Powerful Auroras Found at Brown Dwarf, NASA)

You had all kinds of new groups of dinosaurs and ocean reptiles getting their start, starting to spread around the world,” said Brusatte.

(Sea Monster Swam Oceans 170 Million Years Ago, Voanews)

Using this method, the team uncovered dark matter clumps along the telescope's line of sight to the quasars, as well as in and around the intervening lensing galaxies.

(Cosmic Magnifying Glasses Find Dark Matter in Small Clumps, NASA)