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About   /əbˈaʊt/   Listen
preposition
About  prep.  
1.
Around; all round; on every side of. "Look about you." "Bind them about thy neck."
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?"
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." "Roving still about the world."
4.
Near; not far from; determining approximately time, size, quantity. "To-morrow, about this time." "About my stature." "He went out about the third hour." Note: This use passes into the adverbial sense.
5.
In concern with; engaged in; intent on. "I must be about my Father's business."
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."
7.
Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching. "To treat about thy ransom." "She must have her way about Sarah."


adverb
About  adv.  
1.
On all sides; around. "'Tis time to look about."
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."
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."
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?"
Round about, in every direction around.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"About" Quotes from Famous Books



... boats, and the masts: This the commodore seemed to think an unreasonable sum, and endeavoured to persuade them to work by the day; but that proposal they would not hearken to; so it was at last agreed, that the carpenters should have to the amount of about six hundred pounds; and that the smiths should be paid for their iron-work by weight, allowing them at the rate of three pounds a hundred nearly for the small work, and forty-six shillings for ...
— A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11 • Robert Kerr
... knowledge of the end leads to the perfect voluntary; inasmuch as, having apprehended the end, a man can, from deliberating about the end and the means thereto, be moved, or not, to gain that end. But imperfect knowledge of the end leads to the imperfect voluntary; inasmuch as the agent apprehends the end, but does not deliberate, and ...
— Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) - From the Complete American Edition • Saint Thomas Aquinas
... faint glimmer of light over the sea as they neared the shore, and they saw anchored at a little distance a small ship, and could see the men moving about her deck; for the wind had risen. Mr. Brenton found a man whom he knew, in whose charge he left the horses, and then a fisherman ...
— Happy Days for Boys and Girls • Various
... praying about everything is characteristic of the Elf, and more than once her uninstructed little soul has grieved over the strange way our prayers are sometimes answered. One day she came rushing in full of excitement. ...
— Things as They Are - Mission Work in Southern India • Amy Wilson-Carmichael
... about all he can 'tend to financially lookin' out for them notes he indorsed for Tom Hotchkiss. Tom left him holdin' the bag, ye know—er—haw! ...
— The Mission of Janice Day • Helen Beecher Long


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