around in English
- around⇄adv. 1. in a circle.
Ex. He spun around like a top.
2. in circumference.
Ex. The tree measures four feet around.
3. on all sides; in every direction.
Ex. A dense fog lay around.
4. (Especially U.S.) here and there; - around⇄around, preposition, adverb.
- around⇄expr. have been around, (Informal.) to be experienced in worldly ways; possess wisdom or sophistication.
Ex. One could see by his charm and elegant manners that the young prince had been around. - around⇄prep. 1. in a circle about.
Ex. He has traveled around the world.
2. closely surrounding.
Ex. She had a coat around her shoulders.
3. on all sides of.
Ex. Woods lay around the house.
4. (Informal.) in many parts of;
around in Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ
around in Sindhi سنڌي
around in Telugu తెలుగు
around
Part of Speech
Preposition, Adverb, Adjective
Pronunciation
/əˈraʊnd/
Definitions
1. (Preposition) In a circle or on all sides of; surrounding.
2. (Adverb) In or to various places, directions, or positions.
3. (Adjective) Situated or placed around something.
4. (Preposition) Approximately or about (used with numbers or quantities).
Usage Examples
- "The children ran around the playground."
- "She looked around the room, searching for her keys."
- "We walked around the city for hours."
- "There were around 50 people at the event."
Etymology
The word "around" comes from Middle English "around" or "aroun," derived from Old English "on rūn," meaning "in a circle." It has evolved over time to cover a broader range of meanings related to position, direction, and approximation.
Synonyms
- About
- Surrounding
- Circling
- Nearby
- Over
Antonyms
- Inside
- Within
- Center
- Inward
- Close
Translations
| Language | Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | alrededor | ahl-reh-deh-dor |
| French | autour | oh-toor |
| German | um | oom |
| Italian | intorno | in-tor-noh |
| Chinese | 周围 | zhōuwéi |
| Japanese | 周り | mawari |
| Korean | 주위 | juwi |
| Russian | вокруг | vokrug |
| Arabic | حول | hawl |
| Hindi | आसपास | ās-pās |
| Bengali | চারপাশে | chār-pāśe |
| Punjabi | ਆਲੇ ਦੁਆਲੇ | āle duāle |
| Telugu | చుట్టూ | chuṭṭū |
| Tamil | சுற்றி | suṟṟi |
| Marathi | आजुबाजु | ājubāju |
| Gujarati | આસપાસ | ās-pās |
| Malayalam | ചുറ്റും | chuṟṟuṁ |
| Odia | ଚାରିପାଶେ | chāri-pāśe |
| Assamese | চাৰিপাছৰ | chāri-pāśar |
| Kannada | ನಚೆಲ್ಲಿ | nacelli |
| Urdu | آس پاس | ās-pās |
| Sinhalese | පරිසරය | parisaraya |
| Malay | sekitar | seh-kee-tar |
| Thai | รอบๆ | ròp-ròp |
| Vietnamese | xung quanh | sung kwan |
| Swahili | kote | koh-teh |
Regional Pronunciation Variations
The pronunciation of "around" can differ based on regional accents. In American English, the "r" sound is often pronounced clearly, while in British English, the "r" is softer, and in some regions, the vowel sound may shift slightly, sounding like "a-round" rather than "uh-round."
Historical Usage
Historically, the word "around" has been used in English for centuries, often in a directional or locational sense. It has evolved from its earlier meaning of "encircling" to cover a wide range of metaphorical and figurative uses, such as referring to time, events, and approximations.
Cultural Nuances
The word "around" is used to describe not only physical movement or location but also intangible or abstract concepts. For instance, "around the world" refers to traveling or experiences across global cultures. In some contexts, it may also signify inclusivity, such as in phrases like "bring everyone around" or "bring it all around," suggesting involvement or unity.
More Information
"Around" is a versatile word that can function as a preposition, adverb, or adjective, depending on the context. It is frequently used to describe physical movement, placement, or direction, but it can also be used in figurative or abstract senses. Over time, "around" has expanded to include meanings related to approximation, such as in the phrase "around 100 people," indicating a close estimation. The word is crucial in everyday speech and is used across numerous situations in both formal and informal contexts.