in the round

1. Of a theater, having a stage that is surrounded on all sides by the audience; performed or staged in such a manner. I've never seen a play that's done in the round like this before. I love theaters that are in the round.

2. From all angles, perspectives, or aspects. The new biography of the former president is the first body of work to really show him in the round.

3. Of a sculpture, shaped or crafted in complete detail, so as to be independent of a supporting background. The artist was commissioned to create a bust of the new prime minister in the round.

in the round

Visible from all sides, as in Jerry's done an excellent job in this interview, really portraying the senator in the round . This expression, which dates from about 1800, was at first used for a free-standing piece of sculpture (as opposed to a relief on a wall), and a century later for a theatrical stage (called theater-in-the-round) so placed that the audience could see a performance from all sides. Since the 1920s it has also been used figuratively for someone or something seen three-dimensionally, as in the example.

in the round

1. With the stage in the center of the audience.

2. Fully shaped so as to stand free of a background: a sculpture in the round.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Shprintzel	-	Yiddish
Jakob	YAH-kawp (German), YAH-kob (Danish)	German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Slovene
Maleko	-	Hawaiian
Yuliya	YOO-lee-yah (Russian)	Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Deryck	-	English (Rare)
Hibiki	hee-bee-kee	Japanese