Indirect or circuitous in approach; a circular road junction where traffic flows around a central island. Not direct or straightforward in method or speech.
From 'round' + 'about,' first used in the 15th century to mean 'circuitous.' The traffic engineering sense emerged in early 20th century Britain as a solution to intersection congestion, spreading globally as urban planning evolved.
Traffic roundabouts perfectly embody their name - instead of the direct confrontation of a four-way stop, they create a circular dance where everyone yields and flows, turning potential conflict into graceful movement around a shared center.
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