Word: about Part of Speech: adv Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *ana- Proto-West Germanic *ana- Old English on-? Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder. 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). Pronunciation: /əˈbaʊ̯t/, /əˈbɐʊ̯t/, /əˈbʌʊ̯t/, /əˈbɜʊ̯t/, /əˈbəʊ̯t/ 1. On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around. Labels: not-comparable Example: I looked about at the scenery that surrounded me. Example: Why, then, I see, ’tis time to look about, / When every boy Alphonsus dares control. 2. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down. Labels: not-comparable Example: Bits of old machinery were lying about. Example: ... the tocsins of immemorial strife were sounding all about, the fierce old bell pealing out its periodical summons from the airy heights of the Palazzo Vecchio, and armed men, fierce and furious, swarming about the streets. 3. From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity. Labels: not-comparable Example: walking about; rushing about; jumping about; thrashing about Example: 1769, King James Bible, Oxford Standard text, 1 Timothy, v,13, And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 4. Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity. Labels: not-comparable Example: messing about; fooling about; loafing about 5. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost. Labels: not-comparable Example: It’s about as cold as it was last winter. Example: He owes me about three hundred dollars. 6. Near; in the vicinity. Labels: not-comparable Example: I looked round at the people standing about, and observed them curiously in their peculiar relation to it all. 7. To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction. Labels: not-comparable Example: to face about; to turn oneself about Example: Mr. Carter, whose back had been turned, turned about and faced his niece. 8. To a reversed order, direction, or condition; half round; in (or to, or from) the opposite direction. Labels: not-comparable Example: We went about and headed offshore. Example: Before he goeth about, he will shoot off a piece; and, being about, will put forth another light, upon the poop […] 9. In succession, one after another. Labels: not-comparable, obsolete, rare Example: 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. In rotation or revolution. Labels: not-comparable, obsolete, rare Example: What an Arme he has, he turn'd me about with his finger and his thumbe, as one would set up a Top. Example: Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant. 11. In the course of events. Labels: not-comparable, obsolete, possibly Example: to bring about, to come about 12. In circuit or circumference; circularly. Labels: archaic, not-comparable Example: The island was a mile about, and a third of a mile across. Example: Indeede I am in the waste two yards about. 13. By a circuitous way; circuitously. Labels: archaic, not-comparable Example: God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea.