▸ round off PHRASAL VERB If you round off an activity with something, you end the activity by doing something that provides a clear or satisfactory conclusion to it. □ [V P n] The Italian way is to round off a meal with an ice-cream. □ [V n P ] This rounded the afternoon off perfectly. □ [V P + by ] He rounds off by proposing a toast to the attendants.
▸ round on PHRASAL VERB If someone rounds on you, they criticize you fiercely and attack you with aggressive words. □ [V P n] When she rounded on him furiously, he apologised.
▸ round up
1 PHRASAL VERB If the police or army round up a number of people, they arrest or capture them. □ [V P n] The police rounded up a number of suspects. □ [V n P ] She says the patrolmen rounded them up at the village school and beat them with rifle butts.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you round up animals or things, you gather them together. □ [V P n] He had sought work as a cowboy, rounding up cattle.
3 → see also round ➍ 2 , roundup
round|about /raʊ ndəbaʊt/ (roundabouts )
1 N‑COUNT A roundabout is a circular structure in the road at a place where several roads meet. You drive round it until you come to the road that you want. [BRIT ] in AM, use traffic circle 2 N‑COUNT A roundabout at a fair is a large, circular mechanical device with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars, on which children sit and go round and round. [BRIT ] in AM, use merry-go-round , carousel 3 N‑COUNT A roundabout in a park or school play area is a circular platform that children sit or stand on. People push the platform to make it spin round. [BRIT ] in AM, use merry-go-round 4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you go somewhere by a roundabout route, you do not go there by the shortest and quickest route. □ The party took a roundabout route overland.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you do or say something in a roundabout way, you do not do or say it in a simple, clear, and direct way. □ We made a bit of a fuss in a roundabout way.
6 round about → see round ➊
7 swings and roundabouts → see swing
round|ed /raʊ nd I d/
1 ADJ Something that is rounded is curved in shape, without any points or sharp edges. □ …a low rounded hill.
2 ADJ You describe something or someone as rounded or well-rounded when you are expressing approval of them because they have a personality which is fully developed in all aspects. [APPROVAL ] □ …his carefully organised narrative, full of rounded, believable and interesting characters.
roun|del /raʊ nd ə l/ (roundels ) N‑COUNT A roundel is a circular design, for example one painted on a military aircraft.
round|ers /raʊ ndə r z/ N‑UNCOUNT Rounders is a game played by two teams of children, in which a player scores points by hitting a ball thrown by a member of the other team and then running round all four sides of a square.
round|ly /raʊ ndli/ ADV If you are roundly condemned or criticized, you are condemned or criticized forcefully or by many people. If you are roundly defeated, you are defeated completely. □ Political leaders have roundly condemned the shooting.
rou nd-robin (round-robins ) also round robin N‑COUNT [usu N n] A round-robin is a sports competition in which each player or team plays against every other player or team. □ During the round-robin stage, teams often play twice in one day.
rou nd-shou ldered ADJ If someone is round-shouldered , they bend forward when they sit or stand, and their shoulders are curved rather than straight. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Cissie was round-shouldered and dumpy.
rou nd ta|ble (round tables ) also round-table , roundtable N‑COUNT [usu N n] A round table discussion is a meeting where experts gather together in order to discuss a particular topic. □ …a round-table conference of the leading heart specialists of America.
rou nd-the-clock → see clock
rou nd tri p (round trips )
1 N‑COUNT If you make a round trip , you travel to a place and then back again. □ The train operates the 2,400-mile round trip once a week.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A round-trip ticket is a ticket for a train, bus, or plane that allows you to travel to a particular place and then back again. [AM ] □ The airline has announced cheaper round-trip tickets between Los Angeles and cities it serves in Mexico. in BRIT, use return
round|up /raʊ ndʌp/ (roundups ) also round-up
1 N‑COUNT [adj N ] In journalism, especially television or radio, a roundup of news is a summary of the main events that have happened. □ [+ of ] First, we have this roundup of the day's news.
2 N‑COUNT When there is a roundup of people, they are arrested or captured by the police or army and brought to one place. □ [+ of ] There are reports that roundups of westerners are still taking place.
3 N‑COUNT A roundup is an occasion when cattle, horses, or other animals are collected together so that they can be counted or sold. [AM ] □ What is it that keeps a cowboy looking strong, young and ready for another roundup?
round|worm /raʊ ndwɜː r m/ (roundworms ) N‑VAR A roundworm is a very small worm that lives in the intestines of people, pigs, and other animals.
rouse /raʊ z/ (rouses , rousing , roused )
1 VERB If someone rouses you when you are sleeping or if you rouse , you wake up. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] Hilton roused him at eight-thirty by rapping on the door. □ [V ] When I put my hand on his, he stirs but doesn't quite rouse.