round 1
— roundness , n.
/rownd/ , adj., rounder, roundest , n., adv., prep., v.
adj.
1. having a flat, circular surface, as a disk.
2. ring-shaped, as a hoop.
3. curved like part of a circle, as an outline.
4. having a circular cross section, as a cylinder; cylindrical.
5. spherical or globular, as a ball.
6. shaped more or less like a part of a sphere; hemispherical.
7. free from angularity; consisting of full, curved lines or shapes, as handwriting or parts of the body.
8. executed with or involving circular motion.
9. full, complete, or entire: a round dozen.
10. noting, formed, or expressed by an integer or whole number with no fraction.
11. expressed, given, or exact to the nearest multiple or power of ten; in tens, hundreds, thousands, or the like: in round numbers.
12. roughly correct; approximate: a round guess.
13. considerable in amount; ample: a round sum of money.
14. brought to completeness or perfection.
15. full and sonorous, as sound.
16. vigorous or brisk: a round trot.
17. straightforward, plain, or candid; outspoken: a round scolding.
18. positive or unqualified: a round assertion.
n.
19. any round shape, as a circle, ring or sphere.
20. a circular, ring-shaped, curved, or spherical object; a rounded form.
21. something circular in cross section, as a rung of a ladder or chair.
22. Sometimes, rounds . a completed course of time, series of events or operations, etc., ending at a point corresponding to that at the beginning: We waited through the round of many years.
23. any complete course, series, or succession: The strike was settled after a long round of talks; a round of parties.
24. Often, rounds . a going around from place to place, as in a habitual or definite circuit: a doctor's rounds.
25. a completed course or spell of activity, commonly one of a series, in some play or sport: the second round of a tournament.
26. a recurring period of time, succession of events, duties, etc.: the daily round.
27. an entire range: the round of human capabilities.
28. a single outburst, as of applause or cheers.
29. a single discharge of shot by each of a number of guns, rifles, etc.
30. a single discharge by one firearm.
31. a charge of ammunition for a single shot.
32. a single serving, esp. of drink, made more or less simultaneously to everyone present, as at table or at a bar: The next round is on me.
33. See round dance .
34. movement in a circle or around an axis.
35. Cookery.
a. Also, round of beef . the portion of the thigh of beef below the rump and above the leg. See diag. under beef .
b. Informal. See round steak .
36. a slice, as of bread.
37. Archery. a specified number of arrows shot from a specified distance from the target in accordance with the rules.
38. one of a series of three-minute periods making up a boxing match: a 15-round bout.
39. Music.
a. a short, rhythmical canon at the unison, in which the several voices enter at equally spaced intervals of time.
b. rounds , the order followed in ringing a peal of bells in diatonic sequence from the highest to the lowest.
40. Golf. a playing of the complete course.
41. Cards. a division of play in a game, consisting of a turn each for every player to bid, bet, play a card, deal the cards, or be dealt cards.
42. in the round ,
a. (of a theater) having a stage completely surrounded by seats for the audience.
b. in the style of theater-in-the-round: The play should be done in the round.
c. in complete detail; from all aspects: a character as seen in the round.
d. (of sculpture) not attached to a supporting background; freestanding.
43. make the rounds ,
a. to go from one place to another, as in making deliveries, paying social visits, or seeking employment.
b. Also, go the rounds . to be reported or told; circulate: another rumor making the rounds.
adv.
44. throughout or from the beginning to the end of a recurring period of time: all year round.
45. Also, 'round . around: The music goes round and round.
prep.
46. throughout (a period of time): a resort visited all round the year.
47. around: It happened round noon.
v.t.
48. to make round.
49. to free from angularity; fill out symmetrically; make plump.
50. to bring to completeness or perfection; finish.
51. Jewelry. to form (a gem) roughly (sometimes fol. by up ); girdle.
52. to end (a sentence, paragraph, etc.) with something specified: He rounded his speech with a particularly apt quotation.
53. to encircle or surround.
54. to make a complete circuit of; pass completely around.
55. to make a turn or partial circuit around or to the other side of: to round a corner.
56. to cause to move in a circle; turn around.
57. Phonet.
a. to make the opening at (the lips) relatively round or pursed during an utterance.
b. to pronounce (a speech sound, esp. a vowel) with rounded lips; labialize.
c. to contract (the lips) laterally. Cf. spread (def. 14), unround .
58. Math. to replace by the nearest multiple of 10, with 5 being increased to the next highest multiple: 15,837 can be rounded to 15,840; then to 15,800; then to 16,000.
v.i.
59. to become round.
60. to become free from angularity; become plump.
61. to develop to completeness or perfection.
62. to take a circular course; make a circuit, as a guard.
63. to make a turn or partial circuit around something.
64. to turn around as on an axis: to round on one's heels.
65. to reduce successively the number of digits to the right of the decimal point of a mixed number by dropping the final digit and adding 1 to the next preceding digit if the dropped digit was 5 or greater, or leaving the preceding digit unchanged if the dropped digit was 4 or less.
66. round off ,
a. to complete or perfect; finish.
b. to express as a round number, usually to the nearest multiple of 10.
67. round out ,
a. to complete or perfect: The new coin rounded out his collection.
b. to fill out; become rounder: She rounded out so nicely that everyone soon forgot she had been so ill.
68. round to , Naut. to turn a sailing vessel in the direction from which the wind is blowing.
69. round up ,
a. to drive or bring (cattle, sheep, etc.) together.
b. to assemble; gather: to round up all the suspects in an investigation.
[ 1250-1300; (adj.) ME rond, round ront, earlier reont rotundus round, circular (see ROTUND); (n.) ME, partly deriv. of the adj., partly rond, ronde (deriv. of ront ); (v.) ME, deriv. of the adj.; (adv. and prep.) ME, appar. aph. var. of AROUND ]
Syn. 9. whole, unbroken. 20. cylinder. 22. cycle, revolution, period.
Ant. 1. angular.
round 2
/rownd/ , v.t., v.i. Archaic.
to whisper.
[ bef. 1000; ME rounen, OE runian, deriv. of run a secret, RUNE 1 ]