| about | |
| 1. prep. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of. | |
| 2. prep. Near; not far from; approximately; regarding time, size, quantity. | |
| 3. prep. On the point or verge of. | |
| the show is about to start; I am not about to admit to your crime | |
| 4. prep. On one's person; nearby the person. | |
| 5. prep. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout. | |
| 6. prep. Concerned with; engaged in; intent on. | |
| 7. prep. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of; to affect. | |
| He knew more about what was occurring than anyone. | |
| 8. prep. (figurative) In or near, as in mental faculties or (literally) in possession of; in control of; at one's command; in one's makeup. | |
| He has his wits about him. | |
| 9. prep. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place. | |
| 10. adv. Not distant; approximate. | |
| 11. adv. On all sides; around. | |
| 12. adv. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down. | |
| 13. adv. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost. | |
| about as cold; about as high | |
| 14. adv. Near; in the vicinity. | |
| 15. adv. In succession; one after another; in the course of events. | |
| 16. adv. On the move; active; astir. | |
| 17. adv. To a reversed order; half round; facing in the opposite direction; from a contrary point of view. | |
| to face about; to turn oneself about | |
| 18. adv. (nautical) To the opposite tack. | |
| 19. adv. (obsolete) Preparing; planning. | |
| 20. adv. (archaic) In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; in circumference. | |
| a mile about, and a third of a mile across | |
| 21. adv. (chiefly North America, colloquial) Going to; on the verge of; intending to. | |
| 22. adj. Moving around; 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. | |
| 23. adj. In existence; being in evidence; apparent | |
