Around - Oxford Learner's Dictionaries

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Definition of around preposition from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

around preposition   /əˈraʊnd/  /əˈraʊnd/(especially North American English) (British English usually round) jump to other results

1.   surrounding somebody/something; on each side of something
   • The house is built around a central courtyard.
   • He put his arms around her.

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2.   on, to or from the other side of somebody/something
   • Our house is just around the corner.
   • The bus came around the bend.
   • There must be a way around the problem.
3.   in a circle
   • They walked around the lake.
4.   in or to many places in an area
   • They walked around the town looking for a place to eat.
   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.
5. to fit in with particular people, ideas, etc.
   • I can't arrange everything around your timetable!
6. in connection with somebody/something synonym about (1)
   • He has issues around food and dieting.
   • There are a lot of questions around her motivation.

See around in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee around in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: around

Other results

All matches

• around adverb
• around
• go around
• go-around noun
• all-around adjective
• arse around
• ask around
• bang around
• bat around
• bum around
• buzz around
• come around
• dick around
• fart around
• fool around
• fuck around
• gad around
• get around
• goof around
• hand around

See more Phrasal verbs

• ask around
• bum around
• gad around
• kid around
• lie around
• sit around
• arse around
• bang around
• buzz around
• come around
• dick around
• fart around
• fool around
• fuck around
• goof around
• kick around
• lark around
• look around
• mill around
• moon around

See more Idioms

• not mess around
• have been around
• have a poke around
• around/round the clock
• know your way around
• what goes around comes around
• be rough around the edges
• pass the hat round/around
• see you (around/later/soon)
• have a (good) sniff around
• (just) around/round the corner
• throw your money about/around
• run rings around/round somebody
• throw your weight about/around
• run around like a headless chicken
• fray at/around the edges/seams
• a millstone around/round your neck
• turn round/around and do something
• somewhere around, between, etc. something
• get your tongue around/round something

See more

Nearby words

• aromatic adjective
• arose verb
• around preposition
• around adverb
• around-the-clock adjective

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