revolve

Etymology

From Middle English revolven (“to change direction”), borrowed from Old French revolver (“to reflect upon”), from Latin revolvere, present active infinitive of revolvō (“turn over, roll back, reflect upon”), from re- (“back”) + volvō (“roll”); see voluble, volve.

verb

1. (Physical movement.)
   1. (transitive, now rare) To bring back into a particular place or condition; to restore.
   2. (transitive) To cause (something) to turn around a central point.
   3. (intransitive) To orbit a central point (especially of a celestial body).
      The Earth revolves around the sun.
   4. (intransitive) To rotate around an axis.
      The Earth revolves once every twenty-four hours.
   5. (intransitive) To move in order or sequence.
      The program revolves through all the queues before returning to the start.
2. (Mental activity.)
   1. (transitive, now rare) To ponder on; to reflect repeatedly upon; to consider all aspects of.
   2. (transitive, obsolete) To read through, to study (a book, author etc.).

noun

1. (theater) The rotation of part of the scenery within a theatrical production.
2. (theater) The rotating section itself.
   […] a revolving stage, two-level platforms stage left and stage right, and a large bridge that connected the platforms midstage, twelve feet up off the revolve. 2003, Gary Philip Cohen, The Community Theater Handbook, page 134
3. (obsolete) A radical change; revolution.