roundhouse

Etymology

From round + house.

noun

1. A circular prison, especially a small local lockup or station house.
   [T]he gentlemen in the coffee room insisted upon the watch being called, or a constable. With considerable difficulty the two heroes were carried off to the round-house, and there lodged for the night. 1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 137
2. (nautical, now chiefly historical) The uppermost room or cabin of any note upon the stern of a ship.
3. (nautical, now historical) A privy near the bow of a vessel, especially as reserved for officers.
4. (rail transport) A circular building in which locomotives are housed.
   Crewe North Motive Power Depot is to be modernised completely. This includes the provision of a new coaling plant, ash handling plant, and two new locomotive sheds of the latest roundhouse type, each with 32 roads radiating from a 70-ft. dia. turntable. 1948 November and December, “Crewe M.P.D. to be Modernised”, in Railway Magazine, page 372
   Archaeologists working on HS2 in Birmingham have uncovered the remains of what is believed to be the world's oldest railway roundhouse at Curzon Street station. March 25 2020, “Network News: HS2 work uncovers oldest roundhouse”, in Rail, page 16
5. (archaeology) A prehistoric dwelling typical of northwest Europe in the Iron Age and Bronze Age.
   A central stone slab cist containing the burial was surrounded by a circles of stones placed on edge, probably to represent the round house in which the deceased had lived. 2019, Alan Staniforth, Cleveland Way, page 66
6. (chiefly US) A punch or kick delivered with an exaggerated sweeping movement.
7. (card games) In the game of pinochle, a meld consisting of a queen and king in each of the four suits.

verb

1. To punch or kick with an exaggerated sweeping movement.
   We focused on the nerve-agent feint, and got roundhoused by the insurgent hook. March 16, 2008, Nathaniel Fick, “Worries Over Being ‘Slimed’”, in New York Times
   I'm on my feet and my fist is roundhousing and I feel flesh. I hit again, and teeth crack under my fist. I hear voices and they're shouting and a light burns into my face. 2009, Diane Tullson, Riley Park, page 18