surround

Surround is defined as to enclose or circle around.

(verb)

  1. An example of surround is when new redwood trees grow around a fallen tree.
  2. An example of surround is when a fence is placed around the edge of a lot in the city.

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See surround in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

  1. to cause to be encircled on all or nearly all sides: police surrounded the house
    1. to form an enclosure around; encompass: a wall surrounds the city
    2. to be present on all or nearly all sides of; encircle: lush fields surround the cottage
  2. to enclose (a fort, military unit, etc.) with troops so as to cut off communication or retreat; invest

Origin: ME surrounden, altered (as if < sur-, sur- + round) < surunden, to overflow < OFr suronder < LL superundare < L super- (see super-) + undare, to move in waves, rise < unda, a wave (see water)

noun

Chiefly Brit. something serving as a border, etc.

See surround in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds
  1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle.
  2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication.
noun
  1. Something, such as fencing or a border, that surrounds: a fireplace surround.
  2. a. The area around a thing or place: inflammation extending to the surround of the eye.
    b. Surroundings; environment: “It was the country, the flat agricultural surround, that so ravished me” (Listener).
  3. A method of hunting wild animals by surrounding them and driving them to a place from which they cannot escape.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English surrounden, to inundate

Origin: , from Old French suronder

Origin: , from Late Latin superundāre

Origin: : Latin super-, super-

Origin: + Latin undāre, to rise in waves (from unda, wave; see wed-1 in Indo-European roots)

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