To move in a circular path, to visit someone casually, or to be sufficient for everyone.
To spin in circles, to visit a friend at home, or to be enough for everyone in a group.
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To move in a circle or to travel around an obstacle.
"The earth goes round the sun once every year."
And yet it moves — it goes round.
— Attributed to Galileo Galilei, after his trial (1633); traditional paraphrase.
To visit someone informally, usually at their home.
"I'm going round to Sarah's after dinner — want to come?"
To be sufficient in quantity for all the people present.
"There aren't enough chairs to go round, so some people will have to stand."
For a rumour, illness, or idea to spread or circulate among people.
"There's a nasty flu going round the office this week."
To travel in a circular path around something.
To spin in circles, to visit a friend at home, or to be enough for everyone in a group.
Primarily British English; American English prefers 'go around'. The sense of 'visiting someone' is very conversational. The sense of 'being enough for everyone' (e.g. 'Is there enough to go round?') is a fixed idiomatic expression.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "go round" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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