about
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
Old English onbūtan, from on + būtan (“‘outside’”).
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: /əˈbaʊt/, X-SAMPA: /@"baUt/
- (Canadian) IPA: [əˈbʌut], [əˈbɛʉt], X-SAMPA: [@"bVut], [@"bE}t]
- Audio (US)help, file
- Audio (CAN)help, file
- Rhymes: -aʊt
- Hyphenation: a‧bout
[edit] Preposition
about
- Around; all round; outside or on every side of.
- If thou beest not immortal look about you. - Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, II-iii
- Bind them about thy neck. - Proverbs 3:3
- 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?- Edward Bulwer
- 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. - Thomas Babington Macaulay
- Roving still about the world. - John Milton
- Near; not far from; -- determining approximately time, size, quantity.
- To-morrow, about this time. - Exodus 9:18
- She is about my height. - Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, IV-iv
- He went out about the third hour. - Matthew 20:3 (Note: This use passes into the adverbial sense.)
- In concern with; engaged in; intent on.
- I must be about my Father's business. - Luke 2:49
- (Before a verbal noun or an infinitive): On the point or verge of; going; in act of.
- Paul was now about to open his mouth. - Acts 18:14
- Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching.
- To treat about thy ransom. - John Milton
- She must have her way about Sarah. - Anthony Trollope
[edit] Translations
around
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in the immediate neighborhood of
over or upon different parts of
near
in concern with
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on the point or verge of
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concerning
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
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[edit] Adverb
about (not comparable)
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Positive |
Superlative |
- On all sides; around.
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- 'Tis time to look about. - Shakespeare, King Lear, IV-vii
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- In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
- Here and there; around; in one place and another.
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- Wandering about from house to house. - 1 Timothy 5:13
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- Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; -- also of quantity, number, time.
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- There fell ... about three thousand men. - Exodus 22:28
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- To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn one's self about.
[edit] Derived terms
terms derived from about (adverb)
[edit] Translations
on all sides
in circuit
here and there
nearly
to a reserved position
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] Anagrams
[edit] French
[edit] Noun
about m. (plural abouts)
