About
[ə'baʊt]
Definition
(adj.) on the move; 'up and about'; 'the whole town was astir over the incident' .
(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'; 'suddenly she turned around'.
(adv.) used of movement 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; all but; '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'.
Checked by Laurie--From WordNet
Definition
(prep.) Around; all round; on every side of.
(prep.) In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person).
(prep.) Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
(prep.) Near; not far from; -- determining approximately time, size, quantity.
(prep.) In concern with; engaged in; intent on.
(prep.) On the point or verge of; going; in act of.
(prep.) Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching.
(adv.) On all sides; around.
(adv.) In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
(adv.) Here and there; around; in one place and another.
(adv.) Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; -- also of quantity, number, time.
(adv.) To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn one's self about.
Checked by Jo
Synonyms and Synonymous
prep. [1]. Around, round, encircling, surrounding.[2]. Near, near to, not far from.[3]. Concerning, touching, respecting, relating to, relative to, with respect to, with reference to, in regard to, with regard to.[4]. Through, over.
ad. [1]. Around, here and there.[2]. Nearly, near, approximately, not far from.[3]. Ready, in a state of readiness, on the point.
Checked by Llewellyn
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Almost, {with_respect_to}, near, nearly, touching, concerning, surrounding,relative_to, relating_to, {in_relation_to}, approximately, touching, roughly,generally
ANT:Afar, {away_or_afar_from}, precisely, exactly
Inputed by Erma
Definition
prep. round on the outside: around: here and there in: near to: concerning: engaged in.—adv. around: nearly: here and there.—Bring about to cause to take place; Come about to take place; Go about to prepare to do; Put about disturbed; To be about to be astir; Turn about alternately.
Inputed by Cecile
Examples
- You ought not to have come today, she said in an altered voice; and suddenly she turned, flung her arms about him and pressed her lips to his. Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence.
- Constantly she talked to me about what I should do to be thy wife. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- I could tell you a story about that same uncle, gentlemen, that would rather surprise you. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- But how about the foresight and the moral retrogression? Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- One sees very little about it in the newspapers and popular magazines, in spite of the fact that it is the keystone, so to speak, of the motion-picture industry. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Which means, I suppose, that you are not quite clear about your case? Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- About a mile west from where I had been stopping a road comes up from the southeast, joining that from La Grange to Memphis. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Let it suffice h ere to state that Rutherford assumes that the greater mass of the atom consis ts o f negatively charged particles rotating about a positive nucle us. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
- It's all show with Minnie, about Martha. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- Better be happy old maids than unhappy wives, or unmaidenly girls, running about to find husbands, said Mrs. March decidedly. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- Odessa is about twenty hours' run from Sebastopol, and is the most northerly port in the Black Sea. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- I told Catherine and Ferguson about him and Ferguson was very impressed. Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell To Arms.
- I never had the feeling in the house before,' said Mrs Boffin; 'and I have been about it alone at all hours of the night. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Sure enough, as indicated by the change of commanders, the enemy was about to assume the offensive. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- He only told me a little about his parents and grandparents, and almost all in answer to my questions. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- There was something most startlingly familiar about him, exclaimed Mr. Philander, And yet, bless me, I know I never saw him before. Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan of the Apes.
- As I had sufficient hopes of the will to be in a flutter about it, Allan and I agreed to go down to the court that morning. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- I took passage on a steamer at Ripley, Ohio, for Pittsburg, about the middle of May, 1839. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- But if you have followed recent events so closely you must have read about Lord St. Simon and his wedding? Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- Still, a person may hesitate about the probability of the son of a king being a philosopher. Plato. The Republic.
- What did this fellow say about Bulstrode? George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- You talk in such a way about 'mamma' it is enough to make one jealous of the old lady. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- His strength returned, and a month after the visit of Thomasin he might have been seen walking about the garden. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- Together they set about designing the machine to make it as nearly perfect as possible in adaptation to the needs of modern business. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- I know all about it now. Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell To Arms.
- We'll see about that, said Hopkins. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- What were you about? Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- I never made any plans about what I'd do when I grew up. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- What if my complaint be about to take a turn, and I am yet destined to enjoy health? Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- Meantime the whole hall was in a stir; most people rose and remained standing, for a change; some walked about, all talked and laughed. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
Inputed by Cecile