Definition of: "been around" with explanation and origin
Definition of: been around with explanation and origin? Meaning of been around with examples in English idiom dictionary.
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Definition of: "been around" with explanation and origin
been around
(has/have/had) been around
Meaning
- (existed) been present and active.
- to have gained worldly experience.
- to have seen or experienced several things in one’s life.
- to describe life experiences.
- to denote that one is not easily fooled.
Examples in Sentences
- This is not a new viral video; it’s been around for a couple of years.
- They have been around long enough to see a few things.
- If John had been around, he would not have allowed the loading of the ship due to bad weather.
- You can’t fool someone that has been around since the 60s.
- I have been around long enough to learn a few valuable lessons.
- There is nothing new about laptops; they’ve been around for years.
- I have been around the block a few times.
Origin
In the history of idioms that have been established by native English speakers, “have been around” needs to be separated and sectioned off initially since “around” can be dated back to the 1300s and carries a very literal definition, as well as a figurative one. For ESL students, this could be another of the tough and confusing phrases that English-speaking individuals use quite often. The etymology of the idiom is quite simple, as it means to have gained worldly experience. As proverbs go, it is one of the more common ones to have been developed by English-speaking individuals, but also one whose meaning tends to confuse those who see English as a difficult language.
The Origins of been around
Expert, LifeEnglish
Related Dictionary
- English Definition & Meaning Dictionary
- English Idioms and phrases Dictionary
- Dictionnaire Français
- Dictionnaire d'expressions idiomatiques et de phrases en français
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English Idioms and phrases
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a figurative, non-literal meaning that is understood culturally and differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the words together have a meaning that is different from the dictionary definitions of the individual words (although some idioms do retain their literal meanings – see the example "kick the bucket" below). By another definition, an idiom is a speech form or an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements.[3] For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.
To evoke the desired effect in the listener, idioms require a precise replication of the phrase: not even articles can be used interchangeably (e.g. "kick a bucket" only retains the literal meaning of the phrase but not the idiomatic meaning).
Idioms should not be confused with other figures of speech such as metaphors, which evoke an image by use of implicit comparisons (e.g., "the man of steel"); similes, which evoke an image by use of explicit comparisons (e.g., "faster than a speeding bullet"); or hyperbole, which exaggerates an image beyond truthfulness (e.g., "more powerful than a locomotive"). Idioms are also not to be confused with proverbs, which are simple sayings that express a truth based on common sense or practical experience.
