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surround

suh-ROWND/səˈɹaʊnd/

Verbsurrounds, surrounding, surrounded

Noun pluralsurrounds

4 meanings of surround

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To be all around something on every side.

    Like a fence that goes all the way around a yard.

    Tall trees surround the small house.

    Fans surrounded the singer after the show.

    Similarencircle, ring, enclose, circle, encompass

    Note
  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To close in around something on all sides so it cannot get out.

    Like a net closing around fish so none can swim away.

    Officers surround the building so no one can slip out.

    The children surrounded the puppy so it couldn't wander off.

    Similarencircle, besiege, trap, corner

  3. 3
    nounBritishcountable
    A fence, border, or edge that goes around something.

    Like a picture frame, but around something bigger like a fireplace.

    They fitted a wooden surround around the fireplace.

    The garden bed had a neat stone surround.

    Similarborder, frame, casing, edging, trim

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    verbobsoletetransitive
    To travel all the way around something.
    Note

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Origin

It comes from an old French word, which came from Latin. The Latin parts mean 'over' and 'to rise in waves', from the word for 'wave'. It first meant 'to flood or overflow'.