Dictionary

revolve en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈvɒlv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɹɪˈvɑlv/ (General-American)
• /ɹɪˈvɔlv/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English revolven (“to change direction”), borrowed from Old French revolver (“to reflect upon”), from Latin revolvere (“turn over, roll back, reflect upon”), from re- (“back”) + volvō (“roll”); see voluble, volve.

Meanings

1. The rotation of part of the scenery within a theatrical production.
2. The rotating section itself.
   • […] a revolving stage, two-level platforms stage left and stage right, and a large bridge that connected the platforms midstage, twelve feet up off the revolve. 2003, Gary Philip Cohen, The Community Theater Handbook, page 134:
3. (obsolete) A radical change; revolution.

Forms

revolve en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɹɪˈvɒlv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɹɪˈvɑlv/ (General-American)
• /ɹɪˈvɔlv/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English revolven (“to change direction”), borrowed from Old French revolver (“to reflect upon”), from Latin revolvere (“turn over, roll back, reflect upon”), from re- (“back”) + volvō (“roll”); see voluble, volve.

Meanings

1. (archaic, qualifier:Physical movement., transitive) To bring back into a particular place or condition; to restore.
2. (qualifier:Physical movement., transitive) To cause (something) to turn around a central point.
3. (intransitive, qualifier:Physical movement.) To orbit a central point (especially of a celestial body).
   • The Earth revolves around the sun.
4. (intransitive, qualifier:Physical movement.) To rotate around an axis.
   • It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
   • The Earth revolves once every twenty-four hours.
5. (intransitive, qualifier:Physical movement.) To move in order or sequence.
   • The program revolves through all the queues before returning to the start.
6. (archaic, qualifier:Mental activity., transitive) To ponder on; to reflect repeatedly upon; to consider all aspects of.
   • These are the difficulties which arise to me on revolving this scheme […]. 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter LXXXII”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC:
   • He sits silent, revolving many thoughts, at the foot of St. Edmund’s Shrine. 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “chapter 6, Monk Samson”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):
7. (obsolete, qualifier:Mental activity., transitive) To read through, to study (a book, author etc.).
   • This having heard, strait I again revolv’d / The Law and Prophets. 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

revolver · revolve around · revolvement · revolvable · revolvency · the world doesn't revolve around you · unrevolved

Relateds

revolution

Translations (68)

mww tig (to orbit a central point) · ps اړول (to turn on an axis) · ja 回る (to turn on an axis) · sv snurra runt (to turn on an axis) · it ricorrere (to recur in cycles) · de sich drehen (to turn on an axis) · pt girar (to turn on an axis) · ps څرخول (to orbit a central point) · cmn 運轉 /运转 (to turn on an axis) · th หมุน (to turn on an axis) · jv ider (to turn on an axis) · ps تاوول (to turn on an axis) · de sich drehen (to orbit a central point) · el περιστρέφω (to recur in cycles) · th วน (to orbit a central point) · ru враща́ться (to orbit a central point) · jv mubeng (to turn on an axis) · ckb خۆلاندن (to orbit a central point) · eo rivolui (to orbit a central point) · id edar (to turn on an axis) · ru повторя́ться (to recur in cycles) · pl kręcić się (wokół) (to orbit a central point) · cmn 圍繞 /围绕 (to orbit a central point) · pl wirować (to turn on an axis) · sq dredh (to turn on an axis) · ms edar (to turn on an axis) · es girar (alrededor de) (to orbit a central point) · el σκέπτομαι (to ponder on) · es rotar (to turn on an axis) · kk айналу (to turn on an axis) · bg въртя се (to turn on an axis) · sv kretsa (to orbit a central point) · pl kręcić się (to turn on an axis) · th เวียน (to recur in cycles) · th โคจร (to orbit a central point) · ru крути́ться (to orbit a central point) · pt orbitar (to orbit a central point) · bg обмислям (to ponder on) · ru враща́ться (to turn on an axis) · el περιστρέφομαι (to turn on an axis) · it ruotare (to turn on an axis) · fr retourner (to turn on an axis) · hu kering (to orbit a central point) · ja 回転する (to turn on an axis) · it orbitare (to orbit a central point) · ota دونمك (to orbit a central point) · th หมุน (to orbit a central point) · fi kiertää (to orbit a central point) · fr retourner (to orbit a central point) · ota دونمك (to turn on an axis) · fr tourner (to turn on an axis) · cmn 考慮 /考虑 (to ponder on) · hi घूमना (to orbit a central point) · kaw hidĕr (to turn on an axis) · ckb خۆلاندن (to turn on an axis) · mww tig (to turn on an axis) · el περιστρέφομαι (to orbit a central point) · qu muyuy (to orbit a central point) · cmn 旋轉 /旋转 (to turn on an axis) · fi pyöriä (to turn on an axis) · fi pohtia (to ponder on) · fr tourner (to orbit a central point) · ru обду́мывать (to ponder on) · ru верте́ться (to orbit a central point) · ps تاوول (to orbit a central point) · sv rotera (to turn on an axis) · th วน (to recur in cycles) · la vertō (to turn on an axis)