roundhouse

plural roundhouses · alternative round house

1. A circular prison, especially a small local lockup or station house.First known use 15th c.

   [T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night.

   1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 137

2. A traditional circular dwelling elevated on stilts with a conical roof found in part of Southeast Asia.

   All the time six or eight large Chinese gongs were being beaten by the vigorous arms of as many young men, producing such a deafening discord that I was glad to escape to the round house, where I slept very comfortably with half a dozen smoke-dried human skulls suspended over my head.

   1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., page 110

3. archaeologyA prehistoric dwelling typical of northwest Europe in the Iron Age and Bronze Age.First known use 19th c.

   A central stone slab cist containing the burial was surrounded by a circles of stones placed on edge, probably to represent the round house in which the deceased had lived.

   2019, Alan Staniforth, Cleveland Way, page 66

4. historicalnauticalThe uppermost room or cabin of any note upon the stern of a ship.First known use 17th c.
5. historicalnauticalA privy near the bow of a vessel, especially as reserved for officers.First known use 19th c.
6. rail transportA circular building in which locomotives are housed, sometimes with a turntable.First known use 19th c.

   Archaeologists working on HS2 in Birmingham have uncovered the remains of what is believed to be the world's oldest railway roundhouse at Curzon Street station.

   2020 March 25, “Network News: HS2 work uncovers oldest roundhouse”, in Rail, page 16

   1 more example

   Crewe North Motive Power Depot is to be modernised completely. This includes the provision of a new coaling plant, ash handling plant, and two new locomotive sheds of the latest roundhouse type, each with 32 roads radiating from a 70-ft. dia. turntable.

   1948 November and December, “Crewe M.P.D. to be Modernised”, in Railway Magazine, page 372

7. USA punch or kick delivered with an exaggerated sweeping movement.First known use 20th c.
8. card gamesIn the game of pinochle, a meld consisting of a queen and king in each of the four suits.

present singular third person roundhouses · participle present roundhousing · participle past roundhoused · past roundhoused · alternative round house

1. transitiveTo punch or kick with an exaggerated sweeping movement.

   We focused on the nerve-agent feint, and got roundhoused by the insurgent hook.

   2008 March 16, Nathaniel Fick, “Worries Over Being ‘Slimed’”, in New York Times

   1 more example

   I'm on my feet and my fist is roundhousing and I feel flesh. I hit again, and teeth crack under my fist. I hear voices and they're shouting and a light burns into my face.

   2009, Diane Tullson, Riley Park, page 18