round
- 01 A1 Beginner
adj.shaped like a circle or a ball.
adj.having a curved shape that forms a circle or sphere; lacking sharp corners.
Simple“The children sat at a large round table to eat their lunch.”
In context“The architect specified round windows for the upper floor to soften the building's otherwise harsh geometric profile.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.a number that is easy to use, usually ending in zero.
adj.expressed as a whole number or a multiple of ten, hundred, etc., for convenience.
Simple“Let's just call it a round fifty dollars to make the payment easier.”
In context“The accountant suggested using round figures in the initial presentation to avoid distracting the board with minor decimal discrepancies.”
Synonyms - 03 A2 Elementary
n.one stage of a game, competition, or a boxing match.
n.one of a series of repeated stages in a competition or a timed period of play in sports like boxing.
Simple“The boxer won the first round but started to look tired in the second.”
In context“After three rounds of intense negotiation, both parties finally agreed on a compromise regarding the environmental clauses.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
n.a set of drinks bought by one person for everyone in a group.
n.a single serving of something, typically alcoholic drinks, provided to every member of a group.
Simple“It is my turn to buy a round of drinks for the team.”
In context“He generously ordered a round of champagne for the entire table to celebrate the successful merger.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a single bullet or piece of ammunition for a gun.
n.a single unit of ammunition consisting of a projectile and its casing.
Simple“The soldier had only one round left in his rifle.”
In context“The forensic team recovered several spent rounds from the scene, which helped them identify the type of weapon used.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.a regular path someone takes to do their job, like a doctor or a mail carrier.
n.a regular circuit or series of visits made by someone in the course of their duties.
Simple“The doctor is doing her rounds in the hospital this morning.”
In context“The security guard completes his rounds every hour to ensure all external gates remain securely locked.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
- 08 B1 Intermediate
v.to change a number to the nearest whole number or ten.
v.to approximate a numerical value to the nearest whole number or power of ten.
Simple“You can round 9.8 up to 10 to make the math simpler.”
In context“The software is programmed to round all currency conversions to the nearest cent to maintain accounting accuracy.”
UsageOften used with 'up' or 'down'.
Synonyms - 09 A2 Elementary
prep.in a circle around something or on the other side of a corner.
prep.expressing movement or position in a circle or around a central point; also used for location on the further side of something.
Simple“They sat round the fire and told ghost stories all night.”
In context“The path winds round the base of the mountain, offering spectacular views of the valley below.”
Teacher's tipIn American English, 'around' is almost always preferred for this sense.
- 10 A2 Elementary
Usage round of tariffs · round trip
From Middle English round, rounde, from Old Northern French roünt, rund, Old French ront, runt, reont ( > French rond), from both Late Latin retundus and the original Latin rotundus. The noun developed partly from the adjective and partly from the corresponding French noun rond. Doublet of rotund.
From Middle English rounen, from Old English rūnian (“to whisper, talk low, talk secrets, consipre, talk secretly”), from Proto-Germanic rūnōną (“to talk secrets, whisper, decide”), raunijaną (“to investigate, examine, prove”), from Proto-Indo-European (e)rewə-, (e)rwō- (“to trace, find out, look out”). Cognate with Scots roun (“to converse with in whispers, speak privately”), Middle Low German rūnen (“to whisper”), Middle Dutch ruinen (“to whisper”), German raunen (“to whisper, murmur”), Old English rūn (“whisper, secret, mystery”), Swedish röna (“to meet with, experience”). More at rune.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.