about

Meaning

Prep

1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.
2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
3. Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.
4. (dialectal, obsolete) Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.
5. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of.
6. Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on.
7. Within or in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place.
8. On one’s person; nearby the person.
9. (figuratively) On or near (one's person); attached as an attribute to; in the makeup of, or at the command of.

Adv

1. (not-comparable) On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around.
2. (not-comparable) Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
3. (not-comparable) From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.
4. (not-comparable) Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.
5. (not-comparable) Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
6. (not-comparable) Near; in the vicinity.
7. (not-comparable) To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction.
8. (not-comparable) To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction.
9. (not-comparable, obsolete, rare) In succession, one after another.
10. (not-comparable, obsolete, rare) In rotation or revolution.
11. (not-comparable, obsolete, possibly) In the course of events.
12. (archaic, not-comparable) In circuit or circumference; circularly.
13. (archaic, not-comparable) By a circuitous way; circuitously.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Moving around or in motion; astir.
2. (not-comparable) In existence; being in evidence; apparent.
3. (not-comparable) Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood.

Verb

1. (uncommon) To change the course of (a ship) to the other tack; to bring (a ship) about.
2. (humorous, possibly, uncommon) To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier).

Synonyms

approximately

around

concerning

regarding

roughly

nearly

almost

on

🔛

some

circa

near

of

or so

at

to

round

close to

more or less

astir

as regards

for

upon

by

toward

with regard to

towards

close

nearby

just about

from

over

pertaining to

nigh

with

virtually

with reference to

re

as to

on account of

just

than

a

🅰️

round about

practically

perhaps

probably

on top

closely

afoot

only

Translations

environ

ungefähr

etwa

à peu près

circa

aproximadamente

über

intorno

alrededor

ongeveer

over

sobre

au sujet de

approximativement

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈbaʊt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: aboute

Inherited from Old English: abūtan

Cognate with Old Frisian: abûta

Inherited from Middle English: about

In summary

Etymology tree
Proto-Germanic *ana-
Proto-West Germanic *ana-
Old English on-?
Proto-West Germanic *biūtan
Old English būtan
Old English onbūtan
Middle English aboute
English about
Preposition and adverb from Middle English aboute, abouten, from Old English abūtan, onbūtan, from on (“in, on”) + būtan (“outside of”), itself from be (“by”) + ūtan (“outside”). Cognate with Old Frisian abûta (“outside; except”).
Adjective from Middle English about (adverb).

Sentences

I found a little crowd of about twenty people surrounding the huge hole .

It's not I the wind spoke about .

I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about what it's like to live and work there .

I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies .

Matthew had questions about his ancestry and ended up meeting his biological father .

I feel quite ambivalent about the article .