merry-go-round
UK /ˈmɛɹiɡə(ʊ)ˌɹaʊnd/ · US /ˈmɛɹiɡoʊˌɹaʊnd/ noun
Forms merry-go-rounds
- noun Synonym of carousel (“a pleasure ride, typically found at amusement parks and fairs and accompanied by music, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which are fixed various seats, frequently shaped like horses or other animals, cars, etc., which may also move up and down”).
- noun (rail transport, often attributive) A freight train of hopper wagons which loads and unloads its cargo while moving continuously on a circular track, often incorporating a balloon loop.
- noun (chiefly US) A piece of playground equipment consisting of a circular platform that is made to revolve by pushing while users stand on it.
- noun A bustle of activity; also, a meaningless cycle of activity.
- noun (baseball) A series of singles and doubles that allows the batting team to score while still having runners on base who can be driven in by the next batter. “Russell kept the merry-go-round moving with an RBI single that advanced Henderson to third.”
- noun (Kenya) An informal cooperative scheme in which members (often women) regularly contribute money to a pool, the collected money being then paid out to one of the members; this is repeated so that every member eventually receives money. The collected money may also be invested, or loaned to members.
Synonyms
giddy-go-round go-round merry-go-around merry-go-whirl roundabout whirligig carousel chit fund ROSCA susu tanda carrousel
Etymology
From merry (adjective) + go round (verb).
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any revolving contrivance for affording amusement; esp., a ring of flying hobbyhorses.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “merry-go-round”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details