English Explanatory Dictionary

about

English dictionary entry

Meanings

prep
  1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.
  2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
  3. Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.
  4. See about to.
  5. On the point or verge of.
  6. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of.
  7. Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on.
  8. Within or in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place.
  9. On one’s person; nearby the person.
  10. On or near (one's person); attached as an attribute to; in the makeup of, or at the command of.
adv
  1. On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around.
  2. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
  3. From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.
  4. Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.
  5. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
  6. Near; in the vicinity.
  7. To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction.
  8. To the opposite tack: see go about.
  9. In succession, one after another.
  10. In rotation or revolution.
  11. In the course of events.
  12. In circuit or circumference; circularly.
adj
  1. Moving around or in motion; astir.
  2. In existence; being in evidence; apparent.
  3. Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood.
verb
  1. To change the course of (a ship) to the other tack; to bring (a ship) about.
  2. To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier).

Pronunciation

/əˈbaʊ̯t/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-about.wav en-us-about.ogg /əˈbɐʊ̯t/ /əˈbʌʊ̯t/ /əˈbɜʊ̯t/ /əˈbəʊ̯t/ en-ca-about-real.ogg En-ca-about.ogg [əˈbɵu̯t] [əˈbɛ̈ʊ̯t] /əˈbɛʊ̯t/ /əˈbɛʊ̯/ [əˈbɛʊ̯ʔ] /əˈbæʊ̯t/ /əˈbaːt/ /əˈbuːt/

Word forms

about aboot abowt a. ab. abt. abouts abouting abouted

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *ana- Proto-West Germanic *ana- Old English on-? Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bi Proto-West Germanic *bī Proto-West Germanic *bi- Proto-Indo-European *úd Proto-Germanic *ūt Proto-West Germanic *ūtō Proto-West Germanic *ūtan Proto-West Germanic *biūtan Old English būtan Old English onbūtan Middle English aboute English about Preposition and adverb from Middle English aboute, abouten, from Old English abūtan, onbūtan, from on (“in, on”) + būtan (“outside of”), itself from be (“by”) + ūtan (“outside”). Cognate with Old Frisian abûta (“outside; except”). Adjective from Middle English about (adverb).

Synonyms

about anent apropos apropos of as far as as for as regards as relates to as respects as to concerned with connected with concerning dealing with in reference to in regard to in regards to in relation to in respect of IRT in terms of on re referring to regarding relating to relative to respecting with regard to with respect to WRT touching around active mobile astir

Antonyms

by the by by the way irrespective of malapropos in passing regardless of

Derived words

about east about face about-face about me aboutness about one's ears about one's person about page about ship about-sledge about sledge about that life about time about-turn about turn along about around about arse about arse about face arse about tit ask me one about sport balls about bally about bandy about bang about bash about bat about be about be all about beat about beat about the bush bonce about boss about brace about bring about bucket about bugger about buggerise about buzz about cast about clown about come about cut about dart about dick about discuss about don't even think about it doss about eastabout facts don't care about your feelings faff about fall about fall about the place fanny about fart about ferret about fetch about fiddle about flail about fluff about

Translations

Danish: omkring Dutch: om- Dutch: in tegenovergestelde richting Esperanto: returnen Finnish: ympäri Korean: 거꾸로 Macedonian: о́братно Old English: wiþersīnes Polish: wstecz Russian: обра́тно Slovene: o Tamil: சுற்று
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