About Definition
ə-bout
adverb
Here and there; in all directions.
Travel about.
Webster's New World
On every side; all around.
Look about.
Webster's New World
In circumference; around the outside.
Ten miles about.
Webster's New World
Approximately.
About four years old, about room temperature.
Webster's New World
In the opposite direction; to a reversed position.
Turn it about.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
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preposition
Around; on all sides of.
Webster's New World
In the vicinity of; around.
Explored the rivers and streams about the estate.
American Heritage
Here and there in; everywhere in.
Rambling about the town.
Webster's New World
Near to in time or space.
Born about 1960, keeping my keys about me.
Webster's New World
Concerned with; attending to.
Go about your business.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
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adjective
Astir; on the move.
He is up and about again.
Webster's New World
In the vicinity; prevalent.
Typhoid is about.
Webster's New World
Being in evidence or existence.
Rumors are about concerning his resignation.
American Heritage
Ready; likely immediately.
I was about to speak.
Webster's New World
Willing or inclined.
I'm not about to exercise regularly.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
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Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to About
- be what something is all about
Origin of About
-
From Middle English aboute, abouten, from Old English abūtan, onbūtan, from on (“in, on”) + būtan (“outside of”), from be (“by”) + ūtan (“outside”).
From Wiktionary
-
Middle English from Old English onbūtan on in on būtan outside ud- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Middle English about (adverb).
From Wiktionary
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