Make the rounds

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 07, 2008 at 20:06

In Reply to: Make the rounds posted by Zekiye Toksever on July 07, 2008 at 14:12:

: Do you know what is the meaning of 'make the rounds'?

It means, literally, to make a routine tour around a building or area by a regular route. (Note that the words "tour" and "around" also contain the idea of circularity.) A hospital matron makes the rounds of the hospital wards to inspect them; a postman makes the rounds of his area to deliver letters; a night watchman makes the rounds of a building to check that all is well. Figuratively, a joke or rumour can also "make the rounds" of a community. (VSD)