round about, adv. and prep.
[See round adv. and about.
In Gower Confessio Amantis and Spenser F.Q. the inverted form about round is also used.]
A. adv.
1. In a ring or circle; all round; on all sides or in all directions.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8783 Rounde aboute, þen ar þey [stones] set. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 54 A litel plein, All round aboute wel besein With buisshes. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 386 Thus was the table set rownde aboute With goddys & goddesses. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxxi. 117 Euery chambre was walled and closed rounde aboute. 1526 Tindale Rom. xv. 19 From Jerusalem and the costes rounde aboute, vnto Illiricum. 1581 W. Blandy Castle of Policy 16 b, The souldiar standes readely furnisht to fight in the fielde, where he may looke round aboute. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 58 Under the fortification of the Castle round about, are stables for horses. 1655 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 86/2 Frequently looking back and round about, as greedy to be Revenged of the Enemy. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1707) 17 On the other side..stood a great square Tower, and round about, the rubbish of many other Buildings. 1725 Fam. Dict. s.v. Marchpane ¶2 The Paste must be carefully stirr'd to the Bottom, and also round about. 1768 Ross Helenore 66 When day was up, an' a' clear round about. 1859 Geo. Eliot A. Bede x, They work at different things—some in the mill, and many in the mines, in the villages round about. 1878 Browning Poets Croisic i, Yon hollow, crusted roundabout With copper where the clamp was. |
2. With a circular or encircling movement; so as to pass or turn right round.
| 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lvi. 14 Let anis the cop ga round about. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 824 Me think the warld rinnis round about. 1586 B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 188 Euerie one beganne to drink round about. 1611 Cotgr., Virevoulter, to..turne or wheele round about. 1648 Hexham ii, Rondt-om gaen, to goe Round about. |
3. To the opposite direction.
| 1582 Allen Martyrdom Campion (1908) 115 Which [psalms] finished turning himself round about to all the people, [he] said unto them in this sort. a 1800 Lady Maisry xii, She's turnd her right an roun about. 1901 M. Carmichael Life Walshe vi. 82 And do but turn round about and behold the gentle city of Lucca. |
4. By a circuitous path or route.
| 1870 Spurgeon Treas. David Ps. xxx. 2 He went at once to head-quarters, and not roundabout to fallible means. 1886 Holland Chesh. Gloss. s.v. Raind-abait, To go reawnd⁓abeawt for th' next road. |
B. prep.
1. So as to move or pass round; so as to encircle by moving round.
| 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop v. ix, I haue gone round aboute the countre and prouynce. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV, 8 b, The lord Scales roade round aboute hym. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. iv. 31 An old tale goes, that Herne the Hunter..Doth..Walke round about an Oake. 1605 ― Macb. iv. i. 4 Round about the Caldron go: In the poysond Entrailes throw. a 1639 Carew Beautiful Mistress 12 The darkness flies, and light is hurl'd Round about the silent world. 1735 Pope Prol. Sat. 186 He who now to sense, now nonsense leaning, Means not, but blunders round about a meaning. a 1833 Battle of Otterburn iv, He marchd up to Newcastle, And rode it round about. 1882 Blackmore Christowell ii, Tim went round about it,..and avoided the village. |
2. In a ring or circle about; on all sides of; in all directions from.
| 1535 Coverdale Exod. vii. 24 The Egipcians dygged rounde aboute y⊇ ryuer, for water to drinke. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. ii. 25 Attonce he wards and strikes; he takes and paies;..Before, behind, and round about him laies. 1632 Milton Penseroso 48 And hears the Muses in a ring, Ay round about Joves Altar sing. 1676 Grew Anat. Pl. (1682) 175 Sometimes they [sc. flowers] are placed round about the Branch, that is, Coronated. 1728 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Horse-Shoe, Shoes with swelling Welts or Borders round about them. 1833 Tennyson Lady of Shalott iv. i, Round about the prow she wrote ‘The Lady of Shalott’. 1871 Earle Philol. Eng. Tongue (1873) 8 Round about these, in a broken curve, are found the representatives of the Low Dutch family. |
3. Of time, amount, etc.: about; approximately; = around prep. 4 b.
| 1913 P. Reeves (title) Round about a pound a week. 1926 W. R. Inge Lay Thoughts 182 In the Middle Ages the births and deaths in the undrained towns were both round about 50 per thousand in each year. 1961 N. Cardus Sir T. Beecham 64 It was round about 1931 that he told me he was about to form a new orchestra in London. |