ring around

ring around

1. To form a circle around (someone or something). We ringed around the ancient tree to protect it from the woodcutters. A group of fans ringed around the celebrity, asking for autographs and reaching out for a hand shake.
2. To call a number of different people or organizations on the phone, especially to get certain information or try to organize something. I'm ringing around to different plumbers to see who can do the job for the least amount of money. Let's ring around and see if any of our friends want to go camping this weekend.
See also: around, ring
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ring around something

to circle something. The children ringed around the maypole, dancing and singing. The mourners had ringed around the coffin for the final ceremony.
See also: around, ring
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • go around and around
  • get (someone) around the table
  • get around the table
  • around and around
  • find way around
  • around (one's) ears
  • bomb around
  • gaze around
  • gaze around at (someone or something)
  • feel around (for someone or something)
References in classic literature
The others drew back and formed a ring around them.
The Adventures of Peter Pan
A couple of soldiers snapped the first ring around the neck of a powerful white slave, and one by one the rest of us were herded to our places, and the work of shackling us neck to neck commenced.
The Lost Continent
And yet they cheered and waved their spears in triumph, and then, instead of falling back upon us as we expected, they ran forward, for a hundred yards or so, after the flying groups of foemen, took possession of a rising knoll of ground, and, resuming their triple formation, formed a threefold ring around its base.
King Solomons Mines
I've developed a white ring around the border of my eye.
Replies The Doc Our expert answers your medical questions
The Elgin Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is organizing "Ring Around Elgin" to showcase more than a dozen area wedding and special event venues with a free, self-guided tour from 11 a.m.
18 years for sex assault:
We all laughed until one day I did run a ring around him and quit, left for a better job.
Kiss an Earth Pig
"Managing a Lotto syndicate of 47 members is a lot of work but it made it all the sweeter when we had to ring around to tell them all the good news."
[euro]47k joy for co-workers in syndicate
Surprisingly, the images also revealed a second inner ring around the central core.
Astronomers Spot An Extremely Rare Hoag-Type Galaxy
WE ARE used to hearing You'll Never Walk Alone ring around Anfield.
Sergio: Eu'll never walk alone
The Martian moon is not only cracking under pressure but will eventually shatter and form a ring around the Red Planet, a new study suggests.
Phobos to create ring around the red planet
The victim was found with an iron ring around his neck.
Probe into Sharjah man's death
She wore the ring around her neck under her nurse's uniform.
Appeal over stolen ring; BRITAIN IN BRIEF
During the summit of the heads of Caspian Sea countries in Astrakhan, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to create a railway ring around the Caspian Sea.
Iran plans to construct new line around Caspian Sea
They stay above water by wearing a rubber ring around their neck.
MAMAS AND SPA-PAS; Babies de-stress by floating about in their special PS40-a-session pool