| English Dictionary |
ABOUT
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does about mean?
• ABOUT (adjective)
The adjective ABOUT has 1 sense:
1. on the move
Familiarity information: ABOUT used as an adjective is very rare.
• ABOUT (adverb)
The adverb ABOUT has 7 senses:
1. (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
2. all around or on all sides
3. in the area or vicinity
4. used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction
5. in or to a reversed position or direction
6. in rotation or succession
7. (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
Familiarity information: ABOUT used as an adverb is common.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
On the move
Synonyms:
about; astir
Context example:
the whole town was astir over the incident
Similar:
active (characterized by energetic activity)
Sense 1
Meaning:
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
Synonyms:
about; approximately; around; close to; just about; more or less; or so; roughly; some
Context example:
20 or so people were at the party
Sense 2
Meaning:
All around or on all sides
Synonyms:
about; around
Context example:
she looked around her
Sense 3
Meaning:
In the area or vicinity
Synonyms:
about; around
Context example:
waited around for the next flight
Sense 4
Meaning:
Used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction
Synonyms:
about; around
Context example:
she sleeps around
Sense 5
Meaning:
In or to a reversed position or direction
Synonyms:
about; around
Context example:
suddenly she turned around
Sense 6
Meaning:
In rotation or succession
Context example:
turn about is fair play
Sense 7
Meaning:
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
Synonyms:
about; almost; most; near; nearly; nigh; virtually; well-nigh
Context example:
most everyone agrees
Context examples
If you don’t make a decision about this alliance, the universe will make it for you on the coming eclipses.
(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)
The next morning at sun-rise we continued our march, and arrived within two hundred yards of the city gates about noon.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
He had loosed the guard upon his tongue and talked about things that were not nice.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
I will give you my horse, and you shall give me the silver; which will save you a great deal of trouble in carrying such a heavy load about with you.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
Diana Chin, a researcher at Stanford University and Gary's trainer, points her finger to a perch about 20 inches away.
(Researchers study birds to improve how robots land, National Science Foundation)
Currently, comet 67P scales to about one pixel.
(Rosetta closing in on comet, NASA)
It would take about 300-1,000 viruses lined up side by side to equal the width of a human hair.
(Smartphone microscope detects nanoparticles and viruses, NIH)
“We have good science on chocolate, especially about dark chocolate on blood pressure,” says Dr. Luc Djoussé of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
(Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)
Dorothy blew the little whistle she had always carried about her neck since the Queen of the Mice had given it to her.
(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)
"I know how you must feel about me," Womble began.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"The moon is not shamed by the barking of dogs." (Native American proverb, tribe unknown)
"He who plants thorns must never expect to gather roses." (Arabic proverb)
"He who lives fast goes straight to his death." (Corsican proverb)