be roundabout

[bi ˈraʊndəbaʊt]

verb phrase

ser indireto, andar à volta

1. To express oneself in an indirect, circuitous, or lengthy manner rather than getting straight to the point

Stop being roundabout and just tell me what you want.

Deixa de ser indireto e diz-me o que queres.

2. To take a circuitous route or approach instead of the most direct path

He was being roundabout in his explanation, taking too long to get to the main point.

Ele estava a andar à volta na sua explicação, demorando muito tempo a chegar ao ponto principal.

NYC Slang

beat around the bush, go around in circles

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

ser indireto, enrolar

Common in casual speech; 'enrolar' is more colloquial

Rio de Janeiro

enrolar, dar volta

Colloquial usage common in informal contexts

São Paulo

ser indireto, andar às voltas

More formal tendency in business contexts

Portugal

ser indireto, andar à volta

Preferred in formal and informal speech

beat around the bush

take the scenic route

dance around the subject

hem and haw

go around in circles

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