aboutprep/əˈbaʊ̯t/

• 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?
• 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.
• 3

  Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.

• 4

  obsoletedialectalIndicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.

  • [It] was held, that the latter requirement was fulfilled by an affidavit declaring that "the defendant was about leaving the State permanently."
• 5

  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.
• 6

  Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on.

  • just going about their business
  • Have you much hay about?
• 7

  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.
• 8

  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.

aboutadv/əˈbaʊ̯t/

• 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.
• 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 streets.
• 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 not.
• 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.
• 6

  Near; in the vicinity.

  • I looked round at the people standing about, and observed them curiously in their peculiar relation to it all.
• 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.
• 8

  nauticaltransportTo a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction.

  • 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 […]

aboutadj/əˈbaʊ̯t/

• 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.
• 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 the development of flying to its current stage.
• 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.

aboutverb/əˈbaʊ̯t/

• 1

  nauticaltransportTo 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 on Board, and generally when they About the Ship as they call it, they are so nigh the Shoar, that a Man may almost fling a Finger-stone on Board.
  • Mr. Whalen:] they had "abouted ship." They had changed the course to put her into the wind—
• 2

  To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier).

  • For quotations using this term, see Citations:about.