What does "roundhouse" mean?
A circular prison, especially a small local lockup or station house.
Roundhouse
/ˈɹaʊndˌhaʊs/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A circular prison, especially a small local lockup or station house.
- Grammar: roundhouse is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: arclike, backhand, backhander, backstroke.
- Useful contrasts: angular, direct, elliptical.
- Usage evidence: [T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night.
How to use "roundhouse"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "roundhouse" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "roundhouse" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "roundhouse" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "roundhouse" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "roundhouse" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "arclike" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "roundhouse", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A circular prison, especially a small local lockup or station house.
"[T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night."
- 2 a hook delivered with an exaggerated swing wordnet
- 3 A traditional circular dwelling elevated on stilts with a conical roof found in part of Southeast Asia.
"All the time six or eight large Chinese gongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many young men, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escape to the round house, where I slept very comfortably with half a dozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over my head."
- 4 workplace consisting of a circular building for repairing locomotives wordnet
- 5 A prehistoric dwelling typical of northwest Europe in the Iron Age and Bronze Age.
"A central stone slab cist containing the burial was surrounded by a circles of stones placed on edge, probably to represent the round house in which the deceased had lived."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 The uppermost room or cabin of any note upon the stern of a ship. historical
- 7 A privy near the bow of a vessel, especially as reserved for officers. historical
- 8 A circular building in which locomotives are housed, sometimes with a turntable.
"Crewe North Motive Power Depot is to be modernised completely. This includes the provision of a new coaling plant, ash handling plant, and two new locomotive sheds of the latest roundhouse type, each with 32 roads radiating from a 70-ft. dia. turntable."
- 9 A punch or kick delivered with an exaggerated sweeping movement. US
- 10 In the game of pinochle, a meld consisting of a queen and king in each of the four suits.
Verb
- 1 To punch or kick with an exaggerated sweeping movement. transitive
"We focused on the nerve-agent feint, and got roundhoused by the insurgent hook."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"[T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "roundhouse"?
Common synonyms include: arclike, backhand, backhander, backstroke, boathouse, bolo punch.
How do you use "roundhouse" in a sentence?
[T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night.
How do you pronounce "roundhouse"?
Pronounced /ˈɹaʊndˌhaʊs/.
Etymology
From round + house, a calque of Dutch rondhuis (“guardhouse”). First attested in the Mid-15th c.