To do something in an indirect and complicated way: “I don’t know why he had to go ________ to do that.”
| ROUND ABOUT | 148 |
| NR | 90 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 79 |
| OUT OF HIS WAY | 49 |
| BEAT AROUND THE BUSH | 44 |
| AROUND THE BUSH | 39 |
| ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 36 |
| TO ALL THAT TROUBLE | 26 |
| ROUND THE BUSH | 24 |
| AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 20 |
| IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY | 19 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND | 17 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND | 16 |
| ROUNDABOUT WAY | 13 |
| LONG WAY AROUND | 12 |
| ALL AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 11 |
| AROUND THE WORLD | 11 |
| ALL AROUND THE BUSH | 10 |
| IN SUCH A ROUNDABOUT WAY | 10 |
| ALL AROUND THE WORLD | 9 |
| AROUND ABOUT | 9 |
| OUT OF THE WAY | 9 |
| BEATING AROUND THE BUSH | 8 |
| ALL AROUND | 7 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 7 |
| HARD WAY | 7 |
| TO SO MUCH TROUBLE | 7 |
| THROUGH ALL THAT | 6 |
| WAY AROUND | 6 |
| DO IT THE HARD WAY | 5 |
| SO FAR | 5 |
| SO FAR AROUND | 5 |
| SO ROUNDABOUT | 5 |
| SUCH A ROUNDABOUT WAY | 5 |
| ALL AROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 4 |
| ALL THAT TROUBLE | 4 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND HIS ELBOW | 4 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND ROBINSON’S BARN | 4 |
| AROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 4 |
| AROUND THE BARN | 4 |
| AROUND THE HORN | 4 |
| LONG WAY ROUND | 4 |
| ROUND THE WORLD | 4 |
| TO ALL THE TROUBLE | 4 |
| TO BEAT AROUND THE BUSH | 4 |
| TO SUCH EXTREMES | 4 |
| ALL AROUND HIS ELBOW | 3 |
| ALL AROUND THE BARN | 3 |
| ALL AROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH | 3 |
| ALL OUT | 3 |
| ALL ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 3 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD | 3 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND THE BARN | 3 |
| AROUND | 3 |
| AROUND AND AROUND | 3 |
| HOG-WILD | 3 |
| IN CIRCLES | 3 |
| LONG WAY | 3 |
| ROUND HIS ELBOW | 3 |
| THROUGH ALL THAT TROUBLE | 3 |
| TO SUCH LENGTHS | 3 |
| ABOUT | 2 |
| ABOUT IT THAT WAY | 2 |
| ALL AROUND IT | 2 |
| ALL AROUND THE BLOCK | 2 |
| ALL OVER | 2 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 2 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUSH | 2 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND THE WORLD | 2 |
| AROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS NOSE | 2 |
| AROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMBS | 2 |
| AROUND THE CORNER | 2 |
| AROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH | 2 |
| BEAT ABOUT THE BUSH | 2 |
| ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 2 |
| ROUND ROBIN | 2 |
| ROUND ROBIN’S BARN | 2 |
| ROUND ROBINSON’S BARN | 2 |
| ROUND THE BARN | 2 |
| ROUND THE BUSH ABOUT IT | 2 |
| SO FAR OUT | 2 |
| TO ALL THAT BOTHER | 2 |
| TO DO IT THE HARD WAY | 2 |
| TO GREAT LENGTH | 2 |
| TO SUCH ENDS | 2 |
| TO SUCH LENGTH | 2 |
| TO THAT TROUBLE | 2 |
| WAY ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 2 |
| ABOUT IT | 1 |
| ABOUT IT IN SUCH A DIFFICULT MANNER | 1 |
| ABOUT IT LIKE THAT | 1 |
| ABOUT IT THE HARD WAY | 1 |
| ALL AROUND BY LAURA’S HOUSE | 1 |
| ALL AROUND CREATION | 1 |
| ALL AROUND HIS ELBOW TO HIS THUMB | 1 |
| ALL AROUND HIS THUMB | 1 |
| ALL AROUND HIS THUMB TO GET TO HIS ELBOW | 1 |
| ALL AROUND JONSES’S FARM | 1 |
| ALL AROUND PETE CHINNERBERRY’S BARN | 1 |
| ALL AROUND ROBIN’S BARN | 1 |
| ALL AROUND ROBIN’S HILL | 1 |
| ALL AROUND ROBINSON’S BARN | 1 |
| ALL AROUND THE CORNER | 1 |
| ALL AROUND THE ELEPHANT’S SNOUT TO GET TO HIS TAIL | 1 |
| ALL AROUND THE HOUSE TO GET TO THE BARN | 1 |
| ALL AROUND THE HUMP | 1 |
| ALL AROUND THE STUMP | 1 |
| ALL INTO THIS | 1 |
| ALL OUT OF THE WAY | 1 |
| ALL OVER CREATION | 1 |
| ALL OVER THE LOT | 1 |
| ALL OVER TOWN | 1 |
| ALL ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 1 |
| ALL ROUND THE HOUSE | 1 |
| ALL THAT BOTHER | 1 |
| ALL THAT ROUND-ABOUT WAY | 1 |
| ALL THAT WAY | 1 |
| ALL THAT WAY AROUND | 1 |
| ALL THAT WAY ROUND | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND GOLDDER’S KNOBS | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND HIS ELBOW | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND IT | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BARN | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND ROBIN | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BUSH | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND ROBIN’S BARN | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND THE BUSH | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND THE POST | 1 |
| ALL THE WAY ROUND THE SALAD BOWL | 1 |
| ALL THIS WAY | 1 |
| ALL WAY ROUND LINDAMOOD’S NEW GROUND | 1 |
| ALL WAY ROUND THE BARN | 1 |
| ALL WAY ROUND THE WORLD | 1 |
| AND BEAT AROUND THE BUSH | 1 |
| AND DO THAT THE HARD WAY | 1 |
| AND TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE | 1 |
| AROUND ABOUT THE BUSH | 1 |
| AROUND ABOUT WAY | 1 |
| AROUND BY WHITESIDE | 1 |
| AROUND CHINA | 1 |
| AROUND HIS ELBOW | 1 |
| AROUND HIS ELBOW TO REACH HIS THUMB | 1 |
| AROUND HIS THUMB | 1 |
| AROUND IN CIRCLES | 1 |
| AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN AND IN THE BACK DOOR | 1 |
| AROUND ROBIN’S BARN | 1 |
| AROUND SO FAR | 1 |
| AROUND SO MUCH | 1 |
| AROUND THE BEND | 1 |
| AROUND THE COUNTRY MILE | 1 |
| AROUND THE ELBOW TO GET TO THE THUMB | 1 |
| AROUND THE FENCE | 1 |
| AROUND THE FOUR BASES | 1 |
| AROUND THE HILL | 1 |
| AROUND THE LONG WAY | 1 |
| AROUND THE MOUNTAIN | 1 |
| AROUND THE MULBERRY TREE | 1 |
| AROUND THE ROSEY | 1 |
| AT IT BALD-HEADED | 1 |
| AT IT SO AWKWARDLY | 1 |
| BACKWARD | 1 |
| BACKWARDS | 1 |
| BACKWARDS WAY | 1 |
| BASS-ACKWARDS | 1 |
| BE SO DEVIOUS | 1 |
| BE SO ROUNDABOUT | 1 |
| BE SO TECHNICAL | 1 |
| BEAT AROUND BUSH | 1 |
| BEAT AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 1 |
| BEAT AROUND THE BUSH ABOUT IT | 1 |
| BEAT AROUND THE BUSHES | 1 |
| BEATING THE DEVIL AROUND THE STUMP | 1 |
| BEATING THE DEVIL ROUND THE BUSH | 1 |
| BEHIND MY BACK | 1 |
| BLUNDERING AROUND | 1 |
| BY THE WAY OF THE NORTH | 1 |
| BY WAY OF HIS ELBOW TO HIS MOUTH | 1 |
| BY WAY OF NORDMONT | 1 |
| BY WAY OF PANAMA CANAL | 1 |
| CARELESS | 1 |
| CATAWAMPUS | 1 |
| CHASE HIS TAIL AROUND THE POST | 1 |
| CLEAR AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 1 |
| CLEAR AROUND THE BLOCK | 1 |
| CLEAR AROUND THE BUSHES AND COME IN THE BACK WAY | 1 |
| CLEAR AROUND THE MUSHROOM | 1 |
| CLEAR OUT AROUND IT | 1 |
| COCKEYED | 1 |
| DEVIOUS METHOD | 1 |
| DO ALL THE UNNECESSARY TALKING | 1 |
| EAST TO GO WEST | 1 |
| FOOL AROUND | 1 |
| FROM HERE TO TIMBUKTU | 1 |
| FROM ZIG TO ZAG | 1 |
| FUSSING AROUND | 1 |
| GALAVANTING | 1 |
| GOOF IT UP | 1 |
| HARD WAY AROUND | 1 |
| HAYWIRE | 1 |
| HIT ALL AROUND IT | 1 |
| HORSE-END TO | 1 |
| IN A ROUNDABOUT FASHION | 1 |
| IN SUCH A SLAPHAZARD WAY | 1 |
| IN THAT ROUNDABOUT WAY | 1 |
| IN THE BACK DOOR | 1 |
| INTO SUCH DETAIL | 1 |
| LEFTHANDED | 1 |
| MAKE SO MUCH WORK FOR HIMSELF | 1 |
| MAKE SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT | 1 |
| MESS IT ALL UP | 1 |
| MESS THINGS UP | 1 |
| MOISHE KAPOYR | 1 |
| NH | 1 |
| OFF AT A TANGENT | 1 |
| ON HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 1 |
| OVERBOARD | 1 |
| PALAVER OVER THAT | 1 |
| ROB PETE TO PAY PAUL | 1 |
| ROUND ABOUT ABOUT IT | 1 |
| ROUND ABOUT IT | 1 |
| ROUND ABOUT MRS. SMITH’S BARN | 1 |
| ROUND ABOUT THE BUSH | 1 |
| ROUND AND ABOUT THE BUSH | 1 |
| ROUND AND ROUND | 1 |
| ROUND HELL’S HALF ACRE | 1 |
| ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS HAND | 1 |
| ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS MOUTH | 1 |
| ROUND HIS ELBOW TO GET TO HIS THUMBS | 1 |
| ROUND HIS FIST TO GET TO HIS THUMB | 1 |
| ROUND IN A CIRCLE | 1 |
| ROUND IN CIRCLES | 1 |
| ROUND JOSH’S BARN | 1 |
| ROUND NELLIE’S BARN | 1 |
| ROUND THE BEND | 1 |
| ROUND THE CORNER | 1 |
| ROUND THE DEVIL’S ELBOW | 1 |
| ROUND THE HOUSE | 1 |
| ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH | 1 |
| ROUNDABOUT | 1 |
| RUN ALL AROUND IT | 1 |
| SHIFTLESS | 1 |
| SIXES AND SEVENS | 1 |
| SO FAR AFIELD | 1 |
| SO IN AND OUT | 1 |
| SO INDIRECTLY | 1 |
| STRAIGHT OUT | 1 |
| SUCH A HASSLE | 1 |
| SUCH A ROUNDABOUT ROUTE | 1 |
| TAKE A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE | 1 |
| TAKE A ROUNDABOUT WAY | 1 |
| TAKE THE HARD WAY | 1 |
| TAKE THE LONG WAY | 1 |
| TAKING UP ALL THAT TIME | 1 |
| THAT CRAZY WAY | 1 |
| THAT FAR | 1 |
| THE HARD WAY | 1 |
| THE LONG WAY | 1 |
| THE LONG WAY AROUND | 1 |
| THE LONG WAY ROUND | 1 |
| THIS WAY | 1 |
| THIS WAY ROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL OF THAT | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL OF THIS | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL THAT RIGAMAROLE | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL THE RIGAMAROLE | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL THE TROUBLE | 1 |
| THROUGH ALL THOSE CIRCLES | 1 |
| THROUGH CHINA TO GET TO NEW YORK | 1 |
| THROUGH SO MANY MANEUVERS | 1 |
| THROUGH THAT RIGAMAROLE | 1 |
| THROUGH THAT RUBE GOLDBERG CONTRAPTION | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT EFFORT | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT FUSS | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT MESS | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT RIGAMAROLE | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT TROUBLE FOR | 1 |
| TO ALL THAT WORK | 1 |
| TO ALL THE BOTHER | 1 |
| TO ALL THE WORK | 1 |
| TO ALL THIS FUSS | 1 |
| TO AN EXTREME | 1 |
| TO BE IN SUCH A FLIP | 1 |
| TO BE SO DEVIOUS | 1 |
| TO BEAT AROUND THE BUSH TO DO THAT | 1 |
| TO BEAT THE BRUSH | 1 |
| TO CHINA | 1 |
| TO DO SUCH A SIMPLE THING IN SUCH A COMPLICATED WAY | 1 |
| TO EXTREMES | 1 |
| TO HELL AND BACK | 1 |
| TO NEW YORK BY WAY OF CALIFORNIA | 1 |
| TO NEW YORK BY WAY OF NEW JERSEY | 1 |
| TO SO MUCH DETAIL | 1 |
| TO SO MUCH EFFORT | 1 |
| TO SUCH BOTHER | 1 |
| TO SUCH EFFORT | 1 |
| TO SUCH PAINS | 1 |
| TO SUCH TROUBLE | 1 |
| TO THAT LENGTH | 1 |
| TO THAT MUCH TROUBLE | 1 |
| TO THAT PAINS | 1 |
| TO THE EXTREME | 1 |
| TO TOWN | 1 |
| WAY AROUND THE BUSH | 1 |
| WAY OUT OF HIS WAY | 1 |
| WAY ROUND | 1 |
| WAY ROUND THE BARN | 1 |
| WAY ROUND THE BUSH | 1 |
| WAY ROUND THE FENCE | 1 |
| WHIP THE DEVIL AROUND THE STUMP | 1 |
| WITH HIM IT’S ALWAYS WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS | 1 |
DARE Data Summary by Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.