1
general::
Phrase(s): round something up
1. to collect a group of people or things; to organize people or things into a group. • The cowboys rounded up the cattle for market. • See if you can round some helpers up. 2. to change a number to the next higher whole number. (See also round off to something.) • I rounded up 8.789 to 9. • You should round $65.99 up to $66., Phrase(s): round someone or something up
to locate and gather someone or something. • Please round the suspects up for questioning. • The police rounded up the two possible suspects.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
Collect or gather in a body, as in We'll have to round up some more volunteers for the food drive, or The police rounded up all the suspects. This term comes from the West, where since the mid-1800s it has been used for collecting livestock by riding around the herd and driving the animals together. By about 1875 it was extended to other kinds of gathering together.
American Heritage Idioms