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Entry 46 senses · 7 variants Webster, 1913

Round

/round/ · IPA /ˈɹaʊnd/
01 v. i. & t. To whisper.
  1. 1.
    To whisper.[obs.]
    “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?”” — Calderwood.
02 a. Having every portion of the surface or of the circumference equally distant from the center; spherical; circular; having a form approaching…
  1. 1.
    Having every portion of the surface or of the circumference equally distant from the center; spherical; circular; having a form approaching a spherical or a circular shape; orbicular; globular; as, a round ball.
    “Upon the firm opacous globe Of this round world.” — Milton.
  2. 2.
    Having the form of a cylinder; cylindrical; as, the barrel of a musket is round.
  3. 3.
    Having a curved outline or form; especially, one like the arc of a circle or an ellipse, or a portion of the surface of a sphere; rotund; bulging; protuberant; not angular or pointed; as, a round arch; round hills.
  4. 4.
    Full; complete; not broken; not fractional; approximately in even units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.; -- said of numbers.
    “Pliny put a round number near the truth, rather than the fraction.” — Arbuthnot.
  5. 5.
    Not inconsiderable; large; hence, generous; free; as, a round price.
    “Three thousand ducats; 'tis a good round sum.” — Shak.
    “Round was their pace at first, but slackened soon.” — Tennyson.
  6. 6.
    Uttered or emitted with a full tone; as, a round voice; a round note.
  7. 7.
    Modified, as a vowel, by contraction of the lip opening, making the opening more or less round in shape; rounded; labialized; labial. See Guide to Pronunciation, § 11.(Phonetics)
  8. 8.
    Outspoken; plain and direct; unreserved; unqualified; not mincing; as, a round answer; a round oath.
    “Sir Toby, I must be round with you.” — Shak.
  9. 9.
    Full and smoothly expanded; not defective or abrupt; finished; polished; -- said of style, or of authors with reference to their style.[Obs.]
    “In his satires Horace is quick, round, and pleasant.” — Peacham.
  10. 10.
    Complete and consistent; fair; just; -- applied to conduct.
    “Round dealing is the honor of man's nature.” — Bacon.
Phrases & compounds
At a round rate — rapidly.
In round numbers — approximately in even units, tens, hundreds, etc.; as, a bin holding 99 or 101 bushels may be said to hold in round numbers 100 bushels.
Round bodies — the sphere right cone, and right cylinder.
Round clam — the quahog.
Round dance — one which is danced by couples with a whirling or revolving motion, as the waltz, polka, etc.
Round game — a game, as of cards, in which each plays on his own account.
Round hand — a style of penmanship in which the letters are formed in nearly an upright position, and each separately distinct; -- distinguished from running hand.
Round robin — A written petition, memorial, remonstrance, protest, etc., the signatures to which are made in a circle so as not to indicate who signed first.
Round shot — a solid spherical projectile for ordnance.
Round Table — the table about which sat King Arthur and his knights. See Knights of the Round Table, under Knight.
Round tower — one of certain lofty circular stone towers, tapering from the base upward, and usually having a conical cap or roof, which crowns the summit, -- found chiefly in Ireland. They are of great antiquity, and vary in heigh from thirty-five to one hundred and thiry feet.
Round trot — one in which the horse throws out his feet roundly; a full, brisk, quick trot.
Round turn — one turn of a rope round a timber, a belaying pin, etc.
To bring up with a round turn — to stop abruptly.
Syn. Circular; spherical; globular; globase; orbicular; orbed; cylindrical; full; plump; rotund.
03 n. Anything round, as a circle, a globe, a ring. “The golden round” [the crown].
  1. 1.
    Anything round, as a circle, a globe, a ring. “The golden round” [the crown].
    “In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled.” — Milton.
  2. 2.
    A series of changes or events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution; as, the round of the seasons; a round of pleasures.
  3. 3.
    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 compared: we play A round or two; which used, we throw away.” — Granville.
    “The feast was served; the bowl was crowned; To the king's pleasure went the mirthful round.” — Prior.
  4. 4.
    A series of duties or tasks which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
    “the trivial round, the common task.” — Keble.
  5. 5.
    A circular dance.
    “Come, knit hands, and beat the ground, In a light fantastic round.” — Milton.
  6. 6.
    That which goes round a whole circle or company; as, a round of applause.
  7. 7.
    Rotation, as in office; succession.
  8. 8.
    The step of a ladder; a rundle or rung; also, a crosspiece which joins and braces the legs of a chair.
    “All the rounds like Jacob's ladder rise.” — Dryden.
  9. 9.
    A course ending where it began; a circuit; a beat; especially, one freguently or regulary traversed; also, the act of traversing a circuit; as, a watchman's round; the rounds of the postman.
  10. 10.
    A walk performed by a guard or an officer round the rampart of a garrison, or among sentinels, to see that the sentinels are faithful and all things safe; also, the guard or officer, with his attendants, who performs this duty; -- usually in the plural.(Mil.)
  11. 11.
    A short vocal piece, resembling a catch in which three or four voices follow each other round in a species of canon in the unison.(Mus.)
  12. 12.
    The time during which prize fighters or boxers are in actual contest without an intermission, as prescribed by their rules; a bout.
  13. 13.
    A brewer's vessel in which the fermentation is concluded, the yeast escaping through the bunghole.
  14. 14.
    A vessel filled, as for drinking. as, to drink a round of ale together.[R.]
  15. 15.
    An assembly; a group; a circle; as, a round of politicians.
  16. 16.
    See Roundtop.(Naut.) See: Roundtop
  17. 17.
    Same as Round of beef, below.
  18. 18.
    A complete set of plays in a game or contest covering a standard number of individual plays or parts; as, a round of golf; a round of tennis.
  19. 19.
    One set of games in a tournament.
    “Worm-eaten gentlemen of the round, such as have vowed to sit on the skirts of the city, let your provost and his half dozen of halberdiers do what they can.” — B. Jonson.
04 adv. On all sides; around.
  1. 1.
    On all sides; around.
    “Round he throws his baleful eyes.” — Milton.
  2. 2.
    Circularly; in a circular form or manner; by revolving or reversing one's position; as, to turn one's head round; a wheel turns round.
  3. 3.
    In circumference; as, a ball is ten inches round.
  4. 4.
    From one side or party to another; as to come or turn round, -- that is, to change sides or opinions.
  5. 5.
    By or in a circuit; by a course longer than the direct course; back to the starting point.
  6. 6.
    Through a circle, as of friends or houses.
    “The invitations were sent round accordingly.” — Sir W. Scott.
  7. 7.
    Roundly; fully; vigorously.[Obs.]
Phrases & compounds
All round — over the whole place; in every direction.
All-round — of general capacity; as, an all-round man.
To bring one round — To cause one to change his opinions or line of conduct
05 prep. On every side of, so as to encompass or encircle; around; about; as, the people atood round him; to go round the city; to wind a cable roun…
  1. 1.
    On every side of, so as to encompass or encircle; around; about; as, the people atood round him; to go round the city; to wind a cable round a windlass.
    “The serpent Error twines round human hearts.” — Cowper.
Phrases & compounds
Round about — an emphatic form for round or about.
To come round — to gain the consent of, or circumvent, (a person) by flattery or deception.
06 v. t. To make circular, spherical, or cylindrical; to give a round or convex figure to; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of anything.
imp. & p. p. Rounded; p. pr. & vb. n. Rounding
  1. 1.
    To make circular, spherical, or cylindrical; to give a round or convex figure to; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of anything.
    “Worms with many feet, which round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber.” — Bacon.
    “The figures on our modern medals are raised and rounded to a very great perfection.” — Addison.
  2. 2.
    To surround; to encircle; to encompass.
    “The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow.” — Shak.
  3. 3.
    To bring to fullness or completeness; to complete; hence, to bring to a fit conclusion.
    “We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.” — Shak.
  4. 4.
    To go round wholly or in part; to go about (a corner or point); as, to round a corner; to round Cape Horn.
  5. 5.
    To make full, smooth, and flowing; as, to round periods in writing.
Phrases & compounds
To round in — To haul up; usually, to haul the slack of (a rope) through its leading block, or to haul up (a tackle which hangs loose) by its fall.
07 v. i. To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
  1. 1.
    To grow round or full; hence, to attain to fullness, completeness, or perfection.
    “The queen your mother rounds apace.” — Shak.
    “So rounds he to a separate mind, From whence clear memory may begin.” — Tennyson.
  2. 2.
    To go round, as a guard.[Poetic]
    “They . . . nightly rounding walk.” — Milton.
  3. 3.
    To go or turn round; to wheel about.
Phrases & compounds
To round to — to turn the head of a ship toward the wind.