go-around
UK[ˈɡəʊ əˌraʊnd]US[ˈɡoʊ əˌraʊnd]
n
an instance of an aircraft abandoning a landing attempt and circling to make another approach.
n
a way of dealing with or avoiding a problem or difficult situation.
Morpheme Breakdown
go
around
go
around
Etymology
the compound noun 'go-around' is a modern formation from the phrasal verb 'to go around'. the verb 'go' has ancient proto-germanic roots, deriving from gāną, carrying the core sense of movement. the adverb 'around' originates from the old english phrase 'on rūnd', meaning 'in a circle'. in aviation terminology, the literal sense of an aircraft moving in a circular pattern to reattempt landing emerged in the 20th century. this concrete meaning was then metaphorically extended to describe any circumlocutory method for handling a problem, illustrating a common pattern where a physical action gives rise to an abstract procedural term.
Analysis
Structure: go + around
go (from old english 'gān', meaning to move or proceed; verb base). around (from middle english, meaning in a circle or on all sides; adverbial particle).
Examples
the pilot initiated a go-around due to another plane on the runway.
we need a better go-around for handling customer complaints.
his usual go-around when asked a difficult question is to change the subject.