# about

Pronunciation: say "uh-BOWT" /əˈbaʊ̯t/

## Preposition

1. Concerning, on the subject of, or on account of.
   - Simple: On the subject of, or connected with, something.
   - _She asked me about my plans for the summer._
   - _There's nothing you can do about the weather._
3. Used to name the essential point, chief concern, or real purpose of something, often in the phrases all about and not about.
   - Simple: Used to say what the main point or real reason for something is.
   - _Good teaching is all about asking the right questions._
   - _The protest was never really about the parking fees._
4. On the point of doing something, followed by 'to' and a verb (formerly also a verb in -ing); in the negative, unwilling to.
   - Simple: Going to do something very soon. With not, it means you refuse or do not intend to do it.
   - _Hurry, the shop is about to close._
   - _I'm not about to apologize for telling the truth._
5. Occupied with, engaged in or intent on.
   - Simple: Busy doing or dealing with something.
   - _What are you about, creeping around at this hour?_
   - _The nurses went about their rounds._
6. As an attribute or part of the makeup of; at the command of.
   - Simple: Belonging to someone as a quality, as in 'he has his wits about him'.
   - _There's something about her voice that calms people._
   - _He had a shifty look about him._
10. Around a place or thing: on every side of it, here and there in it, or near it; now chiefly literary or British.
   - Simple: Around a place or thing: all around it, in different parts of it, or near it.
   - _He wore a heavy chain about his neck._
   - _The soldiers gathered about the fire._
13. On one's person, carried with or near one.
   - Simple: On your body or in your pockets, carried with you.
   - _The prisoner had nothing about him but a comb._
   - _She always kept a pencil about her._

## Adverb

2. Nearly, approximately or almost, of quantity, degree, time or manner.
   - Simple: Roughly, more or less, close to a number, time, or state.
   - _It's about ten miles to the coast._
   - _We're about done here._
7. Around; in various directions or in various places, here and there, especially after verbs of moving, looking or lying.
   - Simple: Around, in many different directions or in different places.
   - _The children ran about in the garden until dark._
   - _He paced about, waiting for the call._
8. Used after verbs to suggest aimless or unproductive activity, chiefly in informal British use.
   - Simple: Used with verbs to mean wasting time or playing, as in 'messing about'.
   - _They were just larking about in the pool._
   - _He's been lazing about all day._
9. Nearby, or present in the area.
   - Simple: Nearby, in the area, as in 'people standing about'.
   - _Keep your voice down, there may be guards about._
   - _The village was quiet, with no one about._
14. Turned around so as to face or move the opposite way, or so that an order or situation is reversed.
   - Simple: Round to face the other way, as in 'turn about' or 'the other way about'.
   - _The sergeant barked, and the platoon turned about._
   - _You've got it the wrong way about: she left him._
15. In the course of events, into being or happening; now found only in the set phrases bring about (to cause) and come about (to happen).
   - Simple: Into happening, only in 'bring about' and 'come about'.
16. In sailing, onto the opposite tack by turning the bow through the wind, chiefly with go, come or put.
   - Simple: In sailing, round onto the other tack, as in 'go about' or 'ready about'.
   - _The helmsman put the ship about to avoid the reef._
   - _Tacking means going about again and again._

## Adjective

11. In existence, in circulation or in evidence; chiefly British.
   - Simple: Existing or in circulation, present in the world for people to notice.
   - _Cheap imitations have been about for years._
   - _There are some good bargains about at the moment._
12. Moving around and active, especially out of bed after rest or illness, or out of the house.
   - Simple: Up and moving around, especially after illness, as in 'up and about'.
   - _The farmer was up and about before dawn._
   - _We were out and about all weekend._

## Verb

17. To turn or be turned round to face or head the opposite way, as a soldier on parade or a sailing ship changing tack. *(rare)*
   - Simple: To turn round to face the other way, like a soldier on parade or a sailing ship.

## Adverb

18. In circumference, measured all the way around. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: In old use, all the way around, measuring the distance around something.
19. By a roundabout route, not directly. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: In old use, by a roundabout way, not straight.
   - _With the bridge washed out, our guide had to take us a long way about._
   - _Rather than cross the marsh, they went the long way about, by the old causeway._
20. One after another, in succession or by turns. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In old use, one after another, in turn.
21. Round and round, in rotation or revolution. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: In old use, round and round, spinning like a top.

## Origin

Old English abūtan or onbūtan became Middle English aboute, abouten. The Old English word joined on ("in, on") and būtan ("outside of"), which was itself made from be ("by") and ūtan ("outside"). Old Frisian abûta ("outside, except") is a cognate.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/about (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).