revolve
to center or focus on something
To be mainly about one thing or person, or to depend mostly on it, especially in the phrase "revolve around."
[something] revolves around [something/someone]
- The plot revolves around a young lawyer who uncovers a secret.
- Most of our arguments revolve around money and how to spend it.
- Her research revolves around climate change and public policy.
- Their entire business model revolves around subscription fees.
- Much of his life revolves around caring for his parents.
- The movie revolves around a love story.
- Our meeting will revolve around the new project.
- Her work revolves around helping sick children.
- The class today will revolve around grammar.
- His day revolves around his job.
to move in orbit around something
To move around another thing in a circle or in an almost circle, especially when talking about planets, moons, or satellites.
[something] revolves around [something]
- The Earth revolves around the Sun once every year.
- Many satellites revolve around our planet in carefully planned orbits.
- In this model, each electron is shown as a small sphere that revolves around the nucleus.
- The moon revolves around the Earth approximately every 27 days.
- These asteroids revolve around the Sun in a wide belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- The Earth revolves around the Sun.
- The moon revolves around our planet.
- Small satellites revolve around the Earth.
- These planets revolve around a distant star.
- The model shows how the planets revolve around the Sun.
to turn around a central axis
To turn around and around on a central point, like a wheel or a chair turning.
[something] revolves
- The wheels began to revolve as the train pulled away from the station.
- A small motor makes the platform revolve so all sides of the product can be seen.
- The chair can revolve, allowing you to turn toward the door or the window.
- As the handle is turned, the internal shaft revolves and moves the mechanism.
- The sculpture slowly revolves, changing how the light falls on it.
- The big wheel slowly revolves.
- This office chair can revolve.
- The small motor makes the fan blades revolve.
- The door revolves when you push it.
- The machine stops when the drum does not revolve.
to turn an idea over in the mind
To think about the same idea many times, often carefully or with worry.
[something] revolves in [someone]'s mind
- The same troubling question revolved in his mind all night.
- She let the idea revolve in her thoughts before giving an answer.
- For days, the conversation revolved in my head, and I kept wondering what I should have said.
- He spent the afternoon letting different possibilities revolve in his mind.
- The problem revolved in her thoughts until she finally found a solution.
- The question revolved in his mind all night.
- Her mistake revolved in her thoughts for many days.
- The plan kept revolving in my head as I walked home.
- That memory still revolves in my mind.
- The idea revolved in his mind before he spoke.
- Base: revolve
- 3rd Person Singular: revolves
- Present Participle: revolving
- Past: revolved
life revolves around [something]
1to organize life mainly around something
To have most of your time and energy used for one main thing.
- At this stage, her life revolves around work.
- In that town, everything revolves around the local football team.
revolve around
1to have something as the main focus
To be mainly about one thing or person, or to depend very much on it.
- The discussion will revolve around budget cuts and how to handle them.
- Several small moons revolve around the distant planet.
- Their holiday plans revolve around the children’s school schedule.
- The model shows how the planets revolve around the Sun.
the world revolves around [someone/something]
1to see someone as the center of everything
To think that someone or something is the most important thing in life, and that everything should be for them.
- He acts like the world revolves around him and never thinks about other people.
- For many parents, it can feel as if the world revolves around their children.