English

Alternative forms

• make the world go round
• make this world go around

Verb

make the world go around

1. (idiomatic) To play an essential role in causing the things in life to work as they should; to underlie the fulfillment of the needs of human existence.
   • 1907, O. Henry, "Cupid á la carte" in Heart of the West:

     "But say, Jeff, it's said that love makes the world go around. Let me tell you, the announcement lacks verification. . . . Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man's starving!"

   • 1992 March 22, Vincent Canby, "Review/Film Festival: Roundelay Of Love On an Isle In Wartime," New York Times (retrieved 5 Oct 2015):

     Gabriele Salvatores's "Mediterraneo" is a deliberately charming comedy whose most daring conceit is that love, in one form and another, makes the world go around.

   • 2012 April 18, C. J., "Mann knows it's a fine line between eccentric, crazy," Minneapolis StarTribune (retrieved 5 Oct 2015):

     "It takes all kinds of people to make this world go around. . . . We all need to work together," she said.

   • 2014 Jan. 15, Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin, "How to get your finances in home-buying shape," Washington Post (retrieved 5 Oct 2015):

     Money makes the world go around. And every year we make resolutions to save more of it, invest it more profitably and spend more wisely.

   • 2015 Sept. 12, Alisa Boswell, "FFA student talks about her passion," Potales News-Tribune (retrieved 5 Oct 2015):

     Waller said agriculture makes the world go around, and there would be no clothing and no food without it.

Usage notes

• Many nouns can be used as the subject of this predicate, but two common choices are "money" and "love".

Translations