(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If a person or thing is ~ed by something, that thing is situated all around them.
The small churchyard was ~ed by a rusted wrought-iron fence...
The shell ~ing the egg has many important functions.
...the snipers and artillerymen in the ~ing hills.
VERB: be V-ed, V n, V-ing
2.
If you are ~ed by soldiers or police, they spread out so that they are in positions all the way around you.
When the car stopped in the town square it was ~ed by soldiers and militiamen...
He tried to run away but gave up when he found himself ~ed...
= encircle
VERB: be V-ed, V-ed
3.
The circumstances, feelings, or ideas which ~ something are those that are closely associated with it.
The decision had been agreed in principle before today’s meeting, but some controversy ~ed it...
VERB: V n
4.
If you ~ yourself with certain people or things, you make sure that you have a lot of them near you all the time.
He had made it his business to ~ himself with a hand-picked group of bright young officers...
They love being ~ed by familiar possessions.
VERB: V n with/by n, V n with/by n