roundabout way
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An indirect route or method: A longer, less direct path or approach to a destination or goal. This often implies a deliberate or necessary avoidance of the most straightforward path.
- A circuitous manner of speaking or acting: Expressing something or achieving an objective in a manner that is not frank, simple, or direct.
Examples of Usage
- Noun: (We used an indirect route.) (He used an indirect, circuitous manner of speaking.) (Her indirect method was effective.)
Advanced Usage
- "In a roundabout way": This adverbial phrase is commonly used to describe how something is said, done, or achieved. (She admitted it indirectly.) (It was secured indirectly.)
Variants and Related Words
- Roundabout (adjective): Not direct; circuitous.
- Roundabout (noun, British English): A circular junction where traffic moves around a central island; a traffic circle or rotary.
Synonyms
- Circuitous route/path: A path that is longer than the most direct way because it bends or winds.
- Indirect method/approach: A way of doing something that is not the simplest or most straightforward.
- Meandering path: A path that follows a winding course.
Related Phrases
- Beat around the bush: To avoid talking about something directly. This idiom is specifically related to the "manner of speaking" meaning of "roundabout way."
Noun
- a roundabout road (especially one that is used temporarily while a main route is blocked)