1 B1 informal
To telephone a number of people in succession, often to gather or share information.
"I rang round all the hotels in town but couldn't find a single vacancy."
inseparable
ring round
B1 informal inseparable transitive/intransitive
To phone several different people one after another, usually to find information or spread news.
In plain English
To call lots of people on the phone one by one.
What does "ring round" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To contact a group of people by phone to organise something or pass on a message.
"Could you ring round the team and let everyone know the meeting is cancelled?"
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To ring (call) all the way around a group of people.
Actually means
To call lots of people on the phone one by one.
Usage tip
Primarily British English. The American equivalent is 'call around'. Often used when someone needs to find something out or coordinate a group.
Words that pair with "ring round"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
friends agencies hospitals everyone family contacts
How to conjugate "ring round"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
ring round
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rings round
he/she/it
Past simple
rang round
yesterday
Past participle
rung round
have + pp
-ing form
ringing round
continuous
Hear "ring round" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "ring round" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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