8 entries under this word

Round

Round, a.

adjective

a. [O. Fr. roond, roont, roind, reond, N. Fr. rond, from Lat. rotundus; D. rond, Ger., Dan., & Sw. rund. See ROTUND.]

Sense 1. Having every portion of the surface or of the circumference equally distant from the center; spherical; circular, or having a form approaching this; orbicular; globular; as, a round ball.

The firm, spacious globe Of this round world. Milton.

Sense 2. Having the form of a cylinder; cylindrical; as, the barrel of a musket is round.

Sense 3. Having a curved form, especially that of an arc of a circle or ellipse; not angular or pointed; as, a round arch.

Sense 4. Full; complete; not broken.

Pliny put a round number near the truth, rather than the fraction. Arbuthnot.

Sense 5. Not inconsiderable; large.

Three thousand ducats! ’tis a good round sum. Shak.

Sense 6. Complete and consistent; fair; candid; honest; frank;—applied to conduct. [Obs. or rare.]

Round dealing is the honor of man's nature. Bacon.

Let her be round with him. Shak.

Sense 7. 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.

Sense 8. Fully or plumply stated; positive; decided; without reserve;—said of a statement or assertion.

I will a round, unvarnished tale deliver. Shak.

Round bodies (Geom.), the sphere, right cone, and right cylinder. — Round game, a game, as of cards, which does not admit of partnerships, but in which each individual plays on his own account. Hoyle. — Round number, a number that ends with a cipher, and may be divided by 10 without a remainder; a complete or full number; also, sometimes, a whole number approximately near the truth. — Round robin, a written petition, memorial, remonstrance, or instrument, signed by names in a ring or circle, so as not to show who signed it first. “No round robin signed by the whole main-deck of the Academy or the Porch.” De Quincey. — Round table, the table about which sat King Arthur and his knights. See KNIGHT. — Round tower, one of certain lofty towers, tapering from the base to a conical cap or roof, which crowns the summit;—found chiefly in Ireland. They are of great antiquity, and vary in height from thirty-five to one hundred and twenty feet. Some stand on circular and some on square bases. — Round trot, one in which the horse throws out his feet roundly; a full, brisk, quick trot. Addison. — Round turn (Naut.), one turn of a rope round a timber. — At a round rate, rapidly. Dryden.

Synonyms— Circular; spherical; globular; globose; orbicular; orbed; cylindrical; full; plump; rotund.

Round, n.

noun

n. 1. That which is round, as a circle, a globe, a sphere. “In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled.” Milton.

  1. A series of events ending where it began; a series of like events recurring in continuance; a cycle; a periodical revolution. “An Indian round of still returning woes.” Smith.
  2. 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; when used, we throw away. Granville. The feast was served; the bowl was crowned; To the king’s pleasure went the mirthful round. Prior.

  1. A series of duties which must be performed in turn, and then repeated.
  2. A circular dance.

Knit your hands, and beat the ground, In a light, fantastic round. Milton.

  1. That which goes round a whole circle or company; as, a round of applause.
  2. Rotation, as in office; succession. Holyday.
  3. The step of a ladder; a rundle or rung.

All the rounds like Jacob’s ladder rise. Dryden.

  1. 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.
  2. (Mus.) A short vocal piece, resembling a catch, in which three or four voices follow each other round in a species of fugue in the unison.
  3. (Mil.) A general discharge of fire-arms by a body of troops, in which each soldier fires once.
  4. A brewer’s vessel for holding beer. Simmonds.
  5. A vessel filled with liquor, as for drinking. [Rare.]
  6. (Naut.) See ROUND-TOP.

Gentleman of the round, a gentleman soldier, but of low rank, only above the lance-pesade, whose office it was to visit and inspect the sentinels and advanced guards; also, one of a number of disbanded soldiers who have betaken themselves to the trade of begging. [Obs.]

Worm-eaten gentlemen of the round, such as have vowed to sit in the skirts of the city, let your provost and his half dozen halberdiers do what they can. B. Jonson.

— Round of beef, a cut of the thigh through and across the bone. — Round of cartridges and balls, one cartridge to each man; as, to supply a regiment with a single round, or with twelve rounds, of cartridges.

Round, adv.

adverb

1. On all sides; around. Round he threw his baleful eyes. Milton.

  1. Circularly; in a circular form or manner; as, a wheel turns round.
  2. From one side or party to another; as, to come or turn round; that is, to change sides or opinions.
  3. By or in a circuit; by a course longer than the direct course; back to the starting point.
  4. Through a circle, as of friends or houses.

The invitations were sent round accordingly. W. Scott. All round, over the whole place; in every direction.

Round, prep.

preposition

prep. 1. On every side of; around; as, the people stood round him; the sun sheds light round the earth.

Sense 2. About; as, to go round the city; to wind a cable round the windlass.

Round the tree All other beasts that saw, with like desire, Longing and envying stood. Milton.

To come or get round, to gain advantage over by flattery or deception; to circumvent. [Colloq.]

Round, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. ROUNDED; p. pr. & vb. n. ROUNDING.] 1. To make circular, spherical, or cylindrical; as, to round a silver coin; to round the edges of any thing. Worms with many feet, that round themselves into balls, are bred chiefly under logs of timber. Bacon. 2. To surround; to encircle; to encompass. [Obs.] The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow. Shak. 3. To bring to fullness or completeness; to complete. Our little life is rounded with a sleep. Shak. 4. To give a round or convex figure to; to make round and protuberant. The figures on our modern medals are raised and rounded to very great perfection. Addison.

  1. To move about; to go round.
  2. To make full, smooth, and flowing; as, to round periods in writing. Swift.

To round in (Naut.), to haul upon a rope; especially, to haul upon the weather-braces.—To round up, to haul up; usually, to haul up the slack of a rope through its leading block, or to haul up a tackle which hangs loose, by its fall. Totten.

Round, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To grow or become round or full. The queen, your mother, rounds apace. Shak. So rounds he to a separate mind, From whence clear memory may begin. Tennyson. 2. To go round, as a guard. [Obs. and rare.] They . . . nightly rounding walk. Milton. To round to (Naut.), to turn the head of the ship toward the wind.

Round, v. i.

verbintransitive

[From roun, q. v.] 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.

Round, v. t.

verbtransitive

To whisper to; to speak in a whisper to. [Obs.] “If a man round an ass in the ear, and say closely.” Holland.