ROUND

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does round mean? 

• ROUND (noun)
  The noun ROUND has 14 senses:

1. a charge of ammunition for a single shot

2. an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs

3. a regular route for a sentry or policeman

4. (often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order)

5. the activity of playing 18 holes of golf

6. the usual activities in your day

7. (sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive

8. the course along which communications spread

9. a serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic)

10. a cut of beef between the rump and the lower leg

11. a partsong in which voices follow each other; one voice starts and others join in one after another until all are singing different parts of the song at the same time

12. an outburst of applause

13. a crosspiece between the legs of a chair

14. any circular or rotating mechanism

  Familiarity information: ROUND used as a noun is familiar.

• ROUND (adjective)
  The adjective ROUND has 3 senses:

1. having the shape or form of a circle

2. (of sounds) full and rich

3. (mathematics) expressed to the nearest integer, ten, hundred, or thousand

  Familiarity information: ROUND used as an adjective is uncommon.

• ROUND (verb)
  The verb ROUND has 7 senses:

1. wind around; move along a circular course

2. make round

3. pronounce with rounded lips

4. attack in speech or writing

5. bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state

6. express as a round number

7. become round, plump, or shapely

  Familiarity information: ROUND used as a verb is common.

• ROUND (adverb)
  The adverb ROUND has 1 sense:

1. from beginning to end; throughout

  Familiarity information: ROUND used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ROUND (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A charge of ammunition for a single shot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

one shot; round; unit of ammunition

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

ammo; ammunition (projectiles to be fired from a gun)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

cycle; rhythm; round

Context example:

the never-ending cycle of the seasons

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

interval; time interval (a definite length of time marked off by two instants)

Meronyms (parts of "round"):

phase; phase angle (a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A regular route for a sentry or policeman

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

beat; round

Context example:

in the old days a policeman walked a beat and knew all his people by name

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

itinerary; path; route (an established line of travel or access)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(often plural) a series of professional calls (usually in a set order)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

we enjoyed our round of the local bars

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

call (a visit in an official or professional capacity)

Domain usage:

plural; plural form (the form of a word that is used to denote more than one)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The activity of playing 18 holes of golf

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

round; round of golf

Context example:

a round of golf takes about 4 hours

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

golf; golf game (a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes; the object is use as few strokes as possible in playing all the holes)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The usual activities in your day

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

daily round; round

Context example:

the doctor made his rounds

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

habitude (habitual mode of behavior)

Sense 7

Meaning:

(sports) a division during which one team is on the offensive

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

bout; round; turn

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

division; part; section (one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole)

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "round"):

top; top of the inning (the first half of an inning; while the visiting team is at bat)

bottom; bottom of the inning (the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat)

Holonyms ("round" is a part of...):

period of play; play; playing period ((in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The course along which communications spread

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Context example:

the story is going the rounds in Washington

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

course; path; track (a line or route along which something travels or moves)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A serving to each of a group (usually alcoholic)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

round; round of drinks

Context example:

he ordered a second round

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

helping; portion; serving (an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A cut of beef between the rump and the lower leg

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

cut of beef (cut of meat from beef cattle)

Meronyms (parts of "round"):

round steak (a lean cut of beef from between the rump and the shank)

Sense 11

Meaning:

A partsong in which voices follow each other; one voice starts and others join in one after another until all are singing different parts of the song at the same time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

round; troll

Context example:

they enjoyed singing rounds

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

partsong (a song with two or more voice parts)

Sense 12

Meaning:

An outburst of applause

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

there was a round of applause

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

applause; clapping; hand clapping (a demonstration of approval by clapping the hands together)

Sense 13

Meaning:

A crosspiece between the legs of a chair

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

round; rung; stave

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

crosspiece (a transverse brace)

Holonyms ("round" is a part of...):

folding chair (a chair that can be folded flat for storage)

feeding chair; highchair (a chair for feeding a very young child; has four long legs and a footrest and a detachable tray)

rocker; rocking chair (a chair mounted on rockers)

side chair; straight chair (a straight-backed chair without arms)

Sense 14

Meaning:

Any circular or rotating mechanism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

circle; round

Context example:

the machine punched out metal circles

Hypernyms ("round" is a kind of...):

rotating mechanism (a mechanism that rotates)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "round"):

disc; disk (a flat circular plate)

Derivation:

round (wind around; move along a circular course)

• ROUND (adjective)

Declension: comparative and superlative

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the shape or form of a circle

Synonyms:

circular; round

Similar:

barrel-shaped (having the general shape of a barrel)

wheel-like (round like a wheel)

roundish (somewhat round in appearance or form)

ringlike (having the shape of a ring)

pinwheel-shaped (having the round shape of a pinwheel)

pear-shaped (having a round shape tapered at one end)

pancake-like (resembling a pancake in shape)

nutlike (resembling a nut in shape and size)

moon-round; moonlike (resembling the moon in shape)

goblet-shaped (resembling the shape of a goblet)

disc-shaped; disclike; discoid; discoidal; disk-shaped; disklike (having a flat circular shape)

cumuliform (shaped like a cumulus cloud)

coccoid (spherical; like a coccus)

capitate (being abruptly enlarged and globose at the tip)

bulb-shaped; bulblike; bulbous (shaped like a bulb)

ball-shaped; global; globose; globular; orbicular; spheric; spherical (having the shape of a sphere or ball)

apple-shaped (having the general shape of an apple)

Also:

rounded (curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged)

Antonym:

square (having four equal sides and four right angles or forming a right angle)

Derivation:

roundness (the property possessed by a line or surface that is curved and not angular)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(of sounds) full and rich

Synonyms:

orotund; pear-shaped; rotund; round

Context example:

pear-shaped vowels

Similar:

full ((of sound) having marked deepness and body)

Derivation:

roundness (the fullness of a tone of voice)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(mathematics) expressed to the nearest integer, ten, hundred, or thousand

Context example:

in round numbers

Similar:

inexact (not exact)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Derivation:

roundness (the quality of being round numbers)

• ROUND (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wind around; move along a circular course

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

round the bend

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

round (any circular or rotating mechanism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make round

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

round; round off; round out

Context example:

round the edges

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "round"):

purse (contract one's lips into a rounded shape)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

rounder (a tool for rounding corners or edges)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Pronounce with rounded lips

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

labialise; labialize; round

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

articulate; enounce; enunciate; pronounce; say; sound out (speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Attack in speech or writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe

Context example:

The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "round"):

abuse; blackguard; clapperclaw; shout (use foul or abusive language towards)

claw (attack as if with claws)

vitriol (subject to bitter verbal abuse)

rip (criticize or abuse strongly and violently)

whang (attack forcefully)

barrage; bombard (address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage)

blister; scald; whip (subject to harsh criticism)

rubbish (attack strongly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

brush up; polish; polish up; round; round off

Context example:

polish your social manners

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

hone; perfect (make perfect or complete)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Express as a round number

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

round; round down; round off; round out

Context example:

round off the amount

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Become round, plump, or shapely

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

fill out; flesh out; round

Context example:

The young woman is fleshing out

Hypernyms (to "round" is one way to...):

gain; put on (increase (one's body weight))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

• ROUND (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

From beginning to end; throughout

Synonyms:

around; round

Context example:

frigid weather the year around

 Context examples 

The bisulfite-treated sample is subjected to another round of amplification and subsequently analyzed by shotgun sequencing.

(MethylC-Seq, NCI Thesaurus)

Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and burst into a hearty fit of laughter.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The groom escaped into the stables, and White Fang backed away before Collie's wicked teeth, or presented his shoulder to them and circled round and round.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Five—only five to be sitting round that table.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

There was a good crowd round the booking-office, so I got quite close to them without being seen.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Where her lips touched the girl they left a round, shining mark, as Dorothy found out soon after.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The head is broad and slightly rounded between the widely set, moderately pointed pricked ears.

(Australian Cattle Dog, NCI Thesaurus)

“How delightful that will be!” cried Isabella, turning round.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The B-prolymphocytes are medium-sized, round lymphoid cells with prominent nucleoli.

(B-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus/WHO)

A small, round cell found in the lower part (or base) of the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.

(Basal cell, NCI Dictionary)