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Meaning of ABOUT

Pronunciation:  u'bawt

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [adv]  (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct; "lasted approximately an hour"; "in just about a minute"; "he's about 30 years old"; "I've had about all I can stand"; "we meet about once a month"; "some forty people came"; "weighs around a hundred pounds"; "roughly $3,000"; "holds 3 gallons, more or less"; "20 or so people were at the party"
  2. [adv]  in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about"; "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
  3. [adv]  all around or on all sides; "dirty clothes lying around (or about)"; "let's look about for help"; "There were trees growing all around"; "she looked around her"
  4. [adv]  in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face"; "brought the ship about"; "suddenly she turned around"
  5. [adv]  to or among many different places or in no particular direction; "wandering about with no place to go"; "people were rushing about"; "news gets around (or about)"; "traveled around in Asia"; "he needs advice from someone who's been around"; "she sleeps around"
  6. [adv]  (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for `almost'; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most everyone agrees"
  7. [adv]  in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"
 
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 Synonyms: all but, almost, approximately, around, close to, just about, more or less, most, near, nearly, nigh, or so, roughly, some, virtually, well-nigh
 

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. \A*bout"\, prep. [OE. aboute, abouten, abuten; AS.
[=a]butan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan
outward, from ut out. See {But}, {Out}.]
1. Around; all round; on every side of. ``Look about you.''
   --Shak. ``Bind them about thy neck.'' --Prov. iii. 3.
2. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or
   proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person).
   ``Have you much money about you?'' --Bulwer.
3. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in
   various directions; here and there in; to and fro in;
   throughout.
         Lampoons . . . were handed about the coffeehouses.
                                               --Macaulay.
         Roving still about the world.         --Milton.
4. Near; not far from; -- determining approximately time,
   size, quantity. ``To-morrow, about this time.'' --Exod.
   ix. 18. ``About my stature.'' --Shak.
         He went out about the third hour.     --Matt. xx. 3.
Note: This use passes into the adverbial sense.
5. In concern with; engaged in; intent on.
         I must be about my Father's business. --Luke ii. 49.
6. Before a verbal noun or an infinitive: On the point or
   verge of; going; in act of.
         Paul was now aboutto open his mouth.  --Acts xviii.
                                               14.
7. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching. ``To
   treat about thy ransom.'' --Milton.
         She must have her way about Sarah.    --Trollope.

  2. \A*bout"\, adv.
1. On all sides; around.
         'Tis time to look about.              --Shak.
2. In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the
   outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
3. Here and there; around; in one place and another.
         Wandering about from house to house.  --1 Tim. v.
                                               13.
4. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in
   quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as
   high; -- also of quantity, number, time. ``There fell . .
   . about three thousand men.'' --Exod. xxii. 28.
5. To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite
   direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to
   turn one's self about.
{To bring about}, to cause to take place; to accomplish.
{To come about}, to occur; to take place. See under {Come}.
{To go about}, {To set about}, to undertake; to arrange; to
   prepare. ``Shall we set about some revels?'' --Shak.
{Round about}, in every direction around.
 
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Thesaurus Terms
 
 Related Terms: again, aimlessly, all but, all over, all round, almost, along toward, alongside, anent, any which way, anyhow, anywise, approximately, apropos, apropos of, around, as for, as regards, as respects, as to, at close quarters, at hand, at random, back, back and forth, backward, beside, carelessly, casually, circa, circuitously, close, close about, close at hand, close by, close to, close upon, concerning, encircling, everywhere, far and wide, fast by, haphazard, haphazardly, hard, hard by, helter-skelter, here and there, hereabout, hereabouts, in all directions, in connection with, in point of, in re, in reference to, in regard to, in relation to, in relation with, in respect to, in reverse, in spitting distance, in the air, in the neighborhood, in the vicinity, involving, just about, more or less, most, much, near, near at hand, near enough to, near upon, nearabout, nearabouts, nearby, nearly, nigh, nigh about, not far, not far from, of, on, on every side, only a step, pertaining to, pertinent to, plus ou moins, practically, prevalent, random, randomly, re, referring to, regarding, relating to, relative to, respecting, roughly, round, round about, some, somewhere about, speaking of, surrounding, thereabout, thereabouts, through, throughout, to and fro, touching, up and down, upon, upwards of, well-nigh, with, with regard to, with respect to, within call, within earshot, within hearing, within reach
 

 

 

 

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