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Table of contents

1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Preposition 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Adverb 1.4.1 Derived terms 1.4.2 Translations

English

Etymology

Old English aboute, abouten, abuten; Anglo-Saxon ābutan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan outward, from ut out. See But, Out

Pronunciation

• SAMPA : /'/
• IPA : /ə'bɑʊt/

Preposition

1. Around; all round; on every side of.

   Quotations

   • If thou beest not immortal look about you. - Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, II-iii
   • Bind them about thy neck. - Proverbs 3:3

2. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person).

   Quotations

   • Have you much money about you? - Bulwer

3. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.

   Quotations

   • Lampoons ... were handed about the coffeehouses. - Macaulay
   • Roving still about the world. - Milton

4. Near; not far from; -- determining approximately time, size, quantity.

   Quotations

   • 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.

5. In concern with; engaged in; intent on.

   Quotations

   • I must be about my Father's business. - Luke 2:49

6. (Before a verbal noun or an infinitive): On the point or verge of; going; in act of.

   Quotations

   • Paul was now about to open his mouth. - Acts 18:14

7. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching .

   Quotations

   • To treat about thy ransom. - Milton
   • She must have her way about Sarah. - Trollope

Translations

• Chemehuevi : -vacɨ (1, 3)
• Dutch: om (1), omheen (2), bij (2), in de buurt (2), rond (1,3), ongeveer (4), op het punt staan (6)
• Esperanto: ĉirkaŭ (1–4), kun (2, on one's person), ĉirkaŭe en (3), tra (3), atenta pri (5), ...-ota (6), pri (7)
• Finnish: ympärillä (1), ympäri (1, 3), joka puolella (1), [noin]] (4), suunnilleen (4), lähes (6), melkein (6), elative case (7)
• German: über
• Indonesian: sekitar , sekeliling , kira-kira , dekat , tentang , mengenai , hendak , akan
• Polish: o (o czymś - about something)
• Slovak: predl
• Spanish: alrededor (1), cerca (2,4), a punto (6), sobre (7)
• Swedish: om (1,7), runt (1), på (2), på väg att (6), angående (7)

Adverb

1. On all sides; around.

   Quotations

   • 'Tis time to look about. - Shakespeare, King Lear, IV-vii

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.

   Quotations

   • Wandering about from house to house. - 1 Timothy 5:13

4. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; -- also of quantity, number, time.

   Quotations

   • There fell ... about three thousand men. - Exodus 22:28

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.

Derived terms

• bring about
• come about
• go about
• round about
• set about

Translations

• Dutch: rond (1,2), rond- (3), ongeveer (4), om- (5)
• Esperanto: ĉirkaŭe (1–3), proksimume (4), ĉirkaŭ (4), returnen (5)
• French: Environ
• Ido: Cirkum
• Indonesian: sekitar , sekeliling , kira-kira , dekat , tentang , mengenai , hendak , akan
• Swedish: runt (1,2,3), ungefär (4)
• Spanish: alrededor (1,2,3,4)