circumnavigate

present singular third person circumnavigates · participle present circumnavigating · participle past circumnavigated · past circumnavigated

1. transitiveTo travel completely around somewhere or something (especially the Globe), especially by sail.

   We circumnavigated the Mediterranean.

   2 more examples

   On horses they circumnavigated the fields, comparing the progress of the harvest on the two halves.

   2016, Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad, Fleet, published 2017, page 50

   One of the things making the trip possible is Rutherford’s microlight aircraft. Microlights are small one or two-seat planes used for leisure or personal transport. If she completes her trip, Rutherford will also claim the record for the youngest person to circumnavigate the world solo in a microlight aircraft.

   2021 August 18, Rebecca Cairns, “This teenage aviator hopes to be the youngest woman to fly solo around the world”, in CNN, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2022

   Synonyms: compass, environ

2. transitiveTo circumvent or bypass.

   Rebel of the tournament: Saudi Arabia’s Malek Al Hawsawi, who circumnavigated Fifa’s ban on jewellery by keeping his ring in his mouth.

   2006 July 9, “Magic month of memories”, in Times of London

   Synonyms: go around

3. intransitivenauticalTo sail around the world.

   Jack and Lura Francis, both fairly tall, circumnavigated on a Westsail 32.

   1997, Diana Jessie, The Cruising Woman's Advisor, →ISBN, page 30

   2 more examples

   Patrick Childress, who solo circumnavigated on a Catalina 27 in 1982, stresses the value of eggs, which will keep at least six weeks if previously unrefrigerated and oiled with vegetable shortening.

   1992, Richard Henderson, Singlehanded Sailing, →ISBN, page 225

   Chay Blyth was the first when he circumnavigated in British Steel in 292 days in 1970 in a voyage that some predicted would end in certain death.

   2004 March 10, Edward Gorman, “Van den Heede rewarded for perseverance”, in Times of London