1 C1 idiomatic formal
Literary/archaic: to suddenly turn and attack or rebuke someone sharply.
"She rounded upon her accusers with a fierce and passionate defence."
inseparable
round upon
C1 formal inseparable transitive
An archaic or literary variant of 'round on': to suddenly turn and attack or criticise someone sharply.
In plain English
To suddenly face someone and speak to them angrily or aggressively — an old-fashioned way of saying 'round on'.
What does "round upon" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To wheel around upon someone — the physical image of turning to face a person.
Actually means
To suddenly face someone and speak to them angrily or aggressively — an old-fashioned way of saying 'round on'.
Usage tip
This is a more literary or archaic form of 'round on'. Found in 19th and early 20th century literature. Modern speakers almost always use 'round on' instead. May appear in classic English texts.
Words that pair with "round upon"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
accuser critic opponent companion questioner
How to conjugate "round upon"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
round upon
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rounds upon
he/she/it
Past simple
rounded upon
yesterday
Past participle
rounded upon
have + pp
-ing form
rounding upon
continuous
Hear "round upon" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "round upon" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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