About word meaning and definition

[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"
[adv] in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about"; "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
[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"
[adv] in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face"; "brought the ship about"; "suddenly she turned around"
[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"
[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"
[adv] in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"

\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.
\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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