around
(adjective, adverb, preposition)
adjective
1. (informal, with the verb "to be") Alive; existing.
- The record store on Main Street? Yes, it's still around.
adverb
1. in the area or vicinity
- hanging around
- waited around for the next flight
Similar word(s): about
2. by a circular or circuitous route
- He came all the way around the base
- the road goes around the pond
3. used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction
- news gets around (or about)
- traveled around in Asia
- he needs advice from someone who's been around
Similar word(s): about
4. in a circle or circular motion
- The wheels are spinning around
5. (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
- weighs around a hundred pounds
Similar word(s): about, approximately, roughly, some
6. in or to a reversed position or direction
- suddenly she turned around
Similar word(s): about
7. to a particular destination either specified or understood
- she came around to see me
- I invited them around for supper
8. all around or on all sides
- dirty clothes lying around (or about)
- There were trees growing all around
- she looked around her
Similar word(s): about
9. in circumference
- the trunk is ten feet around
- the pond is two miles around
10. from beginning to end; throughout
- frigid weather the year around
Similar word(s): round
Sentences with around as an adverb:
- There are rumors going around that the company is bankrupt.
- She went around the office and got everyone to sign the card.
- Look around and see what you find.
- We moved the furniture around in the living room.
- The team wasn't doing well, but the new coach really turned things around.
- He used to stay up late but his new girlfriend changed that around.
- The patient was unconscious but the doctor brought him around quickly. (see bring around, come around)I didn't think he would ever like the new design, but eventually we brought him around. (see bring around, come around)
- Turn around at the end of this street.
- She spun around a few times.
- Stop kidding around. I'm serious.
- I asked around, and no-one really liked it.
- Shopping around can get you a better deal.
preposition
1. Defining a circle or closed curve containing a thing.
- I planted a row of lillies around the statue. The jackals began to gather around [someone or something].
2. Following the perimeter of a specified area and returning to the starting point.
- We walked around the football field. She went around the track fifty times.
3. Following a path which curves near an object, with the object on the inside of the curve.
- The road took a brief detour around the large rock formation, then went straight on.
4. (of distance, time) Near; in the vicinity of.
- I left my keys somewhere around here. I left the house around 10 this morning. There isn't another house here for miles around. I'll see you around [the neighbourhood, etc.]
5. At various places in.
- The pages from the notebook were scattered around the room. Those teenagers like to hang around the mall.