En·com·pass v. t. [imp. & p. p. Encompassed p. pr. & vb. n. Encompassing.] To circumscribe or go round so as to surround closely; to encircle; to inclose; to environ; as, a ring encompasses the finger; an army encompasses a city; a voyage encompassing the world.
    A question may be encompassed with difficulty.   --C. J. Smith.
    The love of all thy sons encompass thee.   --Tennyson.
 Syn: -- To encircle; inclose; surround; include; environ; invest; hem in; shut up.
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 encompassing
      adj 1: broad in scope or content; "across-the-board pay increases";
             "an all-embracing definition"; "blanket sanctions
             against human-rights violators"; "an invention with
             broad applications"; "a panoptic study of Soviet
             nationality"- T.G.Winner; "granted him wide powers"
             [syn: across-the-board, all-embracing, all-encompassing,
              all-inclusive, blanket(a), broad, panoptic, wide]
      2: closely encircling; "encompassing mountain ranges"; "the
         surrounding countryside" [syn: encompassing(a), surrounding(a)]