about

Adjective

1. Moving around or in motion; astir.
   • out and about; up and about
   • After my bout with Guillan-Barre Syndrome, it took me 6 months to be up and about again.
   • 'John, I have observed that you are often out and about of nights, sometimes as late as half past seven or eight.[…]' - [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934,...
2. In existence; being in evidence; apparent.
   • This idea has been about for a while but has only recently become fashionable.
   • To my mind, transportation engineering is similar to flying in the 1930s — it has been about for some time but it has taken the present economic jolt to shake it out of its infancy, in the same way that the war started...
   • Although it has been about for some time now, I like the typeface Sauna. - 2005, IDG Communications, Digit, numbers 89-94:
3. Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood.
   • I had my keys just a minute ago, so they must be about somewhere.
   • Watch out, there's a thief about.

Adverb

1. On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around.
   • I looked about at the scenery that surrounded me.
   • Why, then, I see, ’tis time to look about, / When every boy Alphonsus dares control. - 1599, Robert Greene, The Comical History of Alphonsus King of Aragon, III-ii:
   • all the blessings / Of a glad father compass thee about - 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest
2. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
   • Bits of old machinery were lying about.
   • ... the tocsins of immemorial strife were sounding all about, the fierce old bell pealing out its periodical summons from the airy heights of the Palazzo Vecchio, and armed men, fierce and furious, swarming about the...
   • Feathers were strewn about—white feathers! With them were several splotches of dried blood splattered across the dirt. Matthew's heart sank. He knew whose feathers those were! Something terrible had happened here. -...
3. From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.
   • walking about; rushing about; jumping about; thrashing about
   • 1769, King James Bible, Oxford Standard text, 1 Timothy, v,13, And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought...
   • He and Gerald usually challenged the rollers in a sponson canoe when Gerald was there for the weekend; or, when Lansing came down, the two took long swims seaward or cruised about in Gerald's dory, clad in their...
4. Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.
   • messing about; fooling about; loafing about
5. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
   • It’s about as cold as it was last winter.
   • He owes me about three hundred dollars.
   • Dinner’s about ready.
6. Near; in the vicinity.
   • I looked round at the people standing about, and observed them curiously in their peculiar relation to it all. - 1879, Scribner's Monthly, an Illustrated Magazine for the People, page 212:
7. To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction.
   • to face about; to turn oneself about
   • Mr. Carter, whose back had been turned, turned about and faced his niece. - 1888, Horatio Alger, The Errand Boy:
   • Dykhuizen has the story the other way about, that Dewey decided in 1939 that he wished no longer to continue as "Emeritus Professor in Residence" and so informed Columbia in the knowledge that this would involve a...

   1. (nautical) To the opposite tack: see go about.

      • We went about and headed offshore.
      • Before he goeth about, he will shoot off a piece; and, being about, will put forth another light, upon the poop […] - 1809, The Harleian Miscellany: a collection of scarce, curious, and entertaining pamphlets and tracts...
8. In succession, one after another.
   • When he had finished, he drew his plaid around his head, and went slowly down to the little dell, where he used every day to offer up his morning and evening prayers, and where we have often sat together on Sabbath...
9. In rotation or revolution.
   • What an Arme he has, he turn'd me about with his finger and his thumbe, as one would set up a Top. - 1908 [c. 1606], William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Coriolanus, Oppidan Library, page 96:
   • Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant. - 1897 [c. 1610], William Shakespeare, The Tempest, ed. by F.S. Boas, page 27:
   • "turn and turn about is fair play : you saw the rat that was killed in the parlor." "Turn about [is] fair play, indeed!" cried the cat. "Then all of you get to your spits; I am sure that is turn about!" "Nay, "said the...
10. In the course of events.
    • to bring about, to come about
11. In circuit or circumference; circularly.
    • The island was a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
    • Indeede I am in the waste two yards about. - c. 1597-1602, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor
    • ... a more easie way, though it were farther about. - 1904 [1600?], Richard Hakluyt, The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques & Discoveries of the English Nation Made by Sea Or Over-land to the Remote and Farthest...
12. By a circuitous way; circuitously.
    • God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea. - 1790, The Christian's Complete Family Bible: Containin the Whole of the Sacred Text of the Old and New Testaments, with the Apocrypha at...

Preposition

1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.
   • The snake was coiled about his ankle.
   • So look about you; know you any here? - c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
   • Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: - 1769, King James Bible, Oxford Standard text, Proverbs, iii, 3
2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
   • Rubbish was strewn about the place.
   • The children were running about the room.
   • He was well known about town.
3. Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.

   1. (with 'to' and verb infinitive) See about to.

   2. (with present participle, obsolete or dialect) On the point or verge of.

      • [It] was held, that the latter requirement was fulfilled by an affidavit declaring that "the defendant was about leaving the State permanently." - 1866, Charles Daniel Drake, A treatise on the law of suits by attachment...
4. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of.
   • He talked a lot about his childhood.
   • We must do something about this problem.
   • He is very mad about all the pranks.

   Synonyms: apropos as for

5. Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on.
   • just going about their business
   • Have you much hay about?
   • “What’s Mary doin'?” “Oh! oo’s about th’ butter.”
6. Within or in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place.
   • I can’t find my reading glasses, but they must be somewhere about the house.
   • John’s in the garden, probably somewhere about the woodshed.
   • Carausius was born of mean parentage about Cleves in Germany, he rose in the Army by his bravery, and was appointed [...] Governor of Bononia or Bolougne in France, and Admiral […] - 1777, Edward Ledwich, Antiquitates...
7. On one’s person; nearby the person.
   • I had no weapon about me but a stick.
   • The policy covers all belongings and other personal things that somebody can carry about them.
   • At this assurance the traveller rose, and approached Alice softly. He drew away her hands from her face, when she said gently, "Have you much money about you?" / "Oh the mercenary baggage!" said the traveller to...
8. On or near (one's person); attached as an attribute to; in the makeup of, or at the command of.
   • He has his wits about him.
   • There was an air of confidence about the woman.
   • Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold...

Verb

1. To change the course of (a ship) to the other tack; to bring (a ship) about.
   • The Channel at Archer's Hope Point lies close by the Shoar, and makes such an Angle there by reason of Hog Island, that going up or down the River, let the Wind be where it will, they must there bring the contrary Tack...
   • Mr. Whalen:] they had "abouted ship." They had changed the course to put her into the wind— - 1937, United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Amending the Merchant Marine Act of 1936: Hearing Before the Committee on...
   • ... and we were abouting ship every watch or so. - 1950, Sea Breezes:
2. To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier).
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:about.

Wikipedia

about