about

preposition aboot · abowt · a. · ab. · abt.

1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around. The snake was coiled about his ankle.
2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout. Rubbish was strewn about the place.
3. See about to.
4. dialectal, obsolete On the point or verge of. [It] was held, that the latter requirement was fulfilled by an affidavit declaring that "the defendant was about leaving the State permanently."
5. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of. He talked a lot about his childhood.
6. Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on. just going about their business
7. Within or in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place. I can’t find my reading glasses, but they must be somewhere about the house.
8. On one’s person; nearby the person. I had no weapon about me but a stick.
9. figuratively On or near (one's person); attached as an attribute to; in the makeup of, or at the command of. He has his wits about him.

Similar: about, anent, apropos, apropos of, as far as, as for, as regards, as relates to, as respects, as to, concerned with, connected with

adverb aboot · abowt · a. · ab. · abt.

1. not comparable On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around. I looked about at the scenery that surrounded me.
2. not comparable Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down. Bits of old machinery were lying about.
3. not comparable From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity. walking about;  rushing about;  jumping about;  thrashing about
4. not comparable Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity. messing about;  fooling about;  loafing about
5. not comparable Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost. It’s about as cold as it was last winter.
6. not comparable Near; in the vicinity. I looked round at the people standing about, and observed them curiously in their peculiar relation to it all.
7. not comparable To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction. to face about;  to turn oneself about
8. not comparable To the opposite tack: see go about. We went about and headed offshore.
9. not comparable, obsolete, rare In succession, one after another. When he had finished, he drew his plaid around his head, and went slowly down to the little dell, where he used every day to offer up his morning and evening prayers, and where we have often sat together on Sabbath afternoons, reading verse about with our children in the Bible.
10. not comparable, obsolete, rare In rotation or revolution. What an Arme he has, he turn'd me about with his finger and his thumbe, as one would set up a Top.
11. not comparable, obsolete, possibly In the course of events. to bring about, to come about
12. archaic, not comparable In circuit or circumference; circularly. The island was a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
13. archaic, not comparable By a circuitous way; circuitously. God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea.

Similar: around

adjective aboot · abowt · a. · ab. · abt.

1. not comparable Moving around or in motion; astir. out and about;  up and about
2. not comparable In existence; being in evidence; apparent. This idea has been about for a while but has only recently become fashionable.
3. not comparable Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood. I had my keys just a minute ago, so they must be about somewhere.

verb abouts · abouting · abouted · aboot · abowt

1. uncommon To change the course of (a ship) to the other tack; to bring (a ship) about. The Channel at Archer's Hope Point lies close by the Shoar, and makes such an Angle there by reason of Hog Island, that going up or down the River, let the Wind be where it will, they must there bring the contrary Tack on Board, and generally when they About the Ship as they call it, they are so nig
2. humorous, possibly, uncommon To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier). For quotations using this term, see Citations:about.