[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

about \about"\, prep. oe. aboute, abouten, abuten; as.
   =abutan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan
   outward, from ut out. see but, out.
   1913 webster
   1. around; all round; on every side of. "look about you."
      --shak. "bind them about thy neck." --prov. iii. 3.
      1913 webster

   2. in the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or
      proximity to; near, as to place; by or on one's person.
      "have you much money about you?" --bulwer.
      1913 webster

   3. over or upon different parts of; through or over in
      various directions; here and there in; to and fro in;
      throughout.
      1913 webster

            lampoons . . . were handed about the coffeehouses.
                                                  --macaulay.
      1913 webster

            roving still about the world.         --milton.
      1913 webster

   4. near; not far from; -- determining approximately time,
      size, quantity. "to-morrow, about this time." --exod. ix.
      18. "about my stature." --shak.
      1913 webster

            he went out about the third hour.     --matt. xx. 3.
      1913 webster

   note: this use passes into the adverbial sense.
         1913 webster

   5. in concern with; engaged in; intent on.
      1913 webster

            i must be about my father's business. --luke ii. 49.
      1913 webster

   6. before a verbal noun or an infinitive: on the point or
      verge of; going; in act of.
      1913 webster

            paul was now aboutto open his mouth.  --acts xviii.
                                                  14.
      1913 webster

   7. concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching. "to
      treat about thy ransom." --milton.
      1913 webster

            she must have her way about sarah.    --trollope.
      1913 webster
see also:
but out 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

about \about"\, adv.
   1. on all sides; around.
      1913 webster

            'tis time to look about.              --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. in circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the
      outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.
      1913 webster

   3. here and there; around; in one place and another.
      1913 webster

            wandering about from house to house.  --1 tim. v.
                                                  13.
      1913 webster

   4. nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in
      quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as
      high; -- also of quantity, number, time. "there fell . . .
      about three thousand men." --exod. xxii. 28.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster

   to bring about, to cause to take place; to accomplish.

   to come about, to occur; to take place. see under come.
      

   to go about, to set about, to undertake; to arrange; to
      prepare. "shall we set about some revels?" --shak.

   round about, in every direction around.
      1913 webster
see also:
to bring about to come about come to go about to set about round about 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

about
     adj : on the move; "up and about"; "the whole town was astir over
           the incident" syn: aboutp, astirp
     adv 1: of quantities imprecise but fairly close to correct;
            "lasted approximately an hour"; "in just about a
            minute"; "he's about 30 years old"; "i've had about
            all i can stand"; "we meet about once a month"; "some
            forty people came"; "weighs around a hundred pounds";
            "roughly $3,000"; "holds 3 gallons, more or less"; "20
            or so people were at the party" syn: approximately,
             close to, just about, some, roughly, more or
            less, around, or so
     2: 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" syn: around
     3: in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about";
        "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
        syn: around
     4: 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" syn: around
     5: in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face";
        "brought the ship about"; "suddenly she turned around"
        syn: around
     6: in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"
     7: of actions or states slightly short of or not quite
        accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for
        `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for
        `almost'; "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" syn: just about, almost, most, all
        but, nearly, near, nigh, virtually, well-nigh
see also:
aboutp astirp approximately close to just about some 
roughly more or less around or so almost 
most all but nearly near nigh 
virtually well-nigh 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

122 moby thesaurus words for "about":
   again, aimlessly, all but, all over, all round, almost,
   along toward, alongside, anent, any which way, anyhow, anywise,
   approximately, apropos, apropos of, around, as for, as regards,
   as respects, as to, at close quarters, at hand, at random, back,
   back and forth, backward, beside, carelessly, casually, circa,
   circuitously, close, close about, close at hand, close by,
   close to, close upon, concerning, encircling, everywhere,
   far and wide, fast by, haphazard, haphazardly, hard, hard by,
   helter-skelter, here and there, hereabout, hereabouts,
   in all directions, in connection with, in point of, in re,
   in reference to, in regard to, in relation to, in relation with,
   in respect to, in reverse, in spitting distance, in the air,
   in the neighborhood, in the vicinity, involving, just about,
   more or less, most, much, near, near at hand, near enough to,
   near upon, nearabout, nearabouts, nearby, nearly, nigh, nigh about,
   not far, not far from, of, on, on every side, only a step,
   pertaining to, pertinent to, plus ou moins, practically, prevalent,
   random, randomly, re, referring to, regarding, relating to,
   relative to, respecting, roughly, round, round about, some,
   somewhere about, speaking of, surrounding, thereabout, thereabouts,
   through, throughout, to and fro, touching, up and down, upon,
   upwards of, well-nigh, with, with regard to, with respect to,
   within call, within earshot, within hearing, within reach

About >> A Words
About, definition of term: About
about_pag1.html

Go About >> G Words
Go About, definition of term: Go About
go+about_pag1.html

Set About >> S Words
Set About, definition of term: Set About
set+about_pag1.html

Think About >> T Words
Think About, definition of term: Think About
think+about_pag1.html

Worry About >> W Words
Worry About, definition of term: Worry About
worry+about_pag1.html

Get About >> G Words
Get About, definition of term: Get About
get+about_pag1.html

Come About >> C Words
Come About, definition of term: Come About
come+about_pag1.html

Bandy About >> B Words
Bandy About, definition of term: Bandy About
bandy+about_pag1.html

Care About >> C Words
Care About, definition of term: Care About
care+about_pag1.html

Be About >> B Words
Be About, definition of term: Be About
be+about_pag1.html

Page 1 2 Next