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单词 about
释义

† aboutv.1

Forms: 1600s–1700s about, 1800s about (past tense).
Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: about adv.
Etymology: < about adv. (compare sense 4b at that entry).In past tense about apparently showing assimilation and loss of the ending.
Nautical. Obsolete.
transitive (only with ship as object). To change the course of (a sailing vessel) to the opposite tack; = to put about at put v. Phrasal verbs 1. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of wind > get into the current of the wind [verb (transitive)] > cause to go about
wend1556
to put about1607
wind1623
staya1625
about1694
cast1769
1694 Philos. Trans. 1693 (Royal Soc.) 17 984 Generally when they About the Ship as they call it, they are so nigh the Shoar, that [etc.].
1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World vi. 198 The nearer I approach'd to her, the less I liked her, and could not but think it adviseable to about ship, and crowd from her.
1807 J. R. Jewitt Jrnl. kept at Nootka Sound 5 They about ship and went to sea.
1856 E. B. Kelly Autobiogr. ix. 69 Seeing them to be a frigate and seventy-four, we ‘about ship’ and stood away.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online December 2020).

† aboutv.2

Origin: Apparently a borrowing from French. Etymon: French aboutir.
Etymology: Apparently < French aboutir (of a tumour or swelling) to swell up (1538 in Middle French), (of trees) to bud (although this is apparently first attested later: 1751), probably partly < a- ad- prefix + bouter to push, to hit, to project (see butt v.1), with change of conjugation, and partly < a- ad- prefix + bout end (see butt n.5). Compare French bouter (of buds) to germinate, to sprout (1530 in Middle French in this sense), specific sense development of bouter to push, to project (see butt v.1).
Obsolete. rare. Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
intransitive. Of a tree: to bud. Of a tumour or swelling: to grow, to develop. Only as present or past participle.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > bud > [verb (intransitive)]
gemc1150
bud1398
buttona1500
embud1603
knot1611
about1725
gemmate1846
the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > swelling > swell [verb (intransitive)]
swellOE
bell?c1225
boll1362
risea1398
blast1578
about1725
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique Abouting, a term used by the French Gardiners to denote that the Trees are budded; as it signifies, in regard to Animals, the making a kind of a Head or Abscess.
1731 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Abouted, budded.
1800 N. Salmon Sheridan’s Pronouncing & Spelling Dict. Abouted, budded, rising in small heads or buds.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2021).

aboutadv.prep.1adj.int.

Brit. /əˈbaʊt/, U.S. /əˈbaʊt/
Forms:

α. Old English onbuton, Old English–Middle English anbutan, Old English–Middle English onbutan, late Old English unbuton (transmission error), late Old English–Middle English onbuten, Middle English anbowght, Middle English anbowt, Middle English anbuton, Middle English onbute.

β. Old English abuta (rare), Old English abutotan (transmission error), Old English habutan (rare), Old English–early Middle English abutan, Old English–early Middle English abuton, Old English–Middle English abuten, early Middle English abeotan, early Middle English abeoten, early Middle English abotan, early Middle English abutæn, early Middle English abutenn, early Middle English abuttenn, Middle English abhowte, Middle English abhute, Middle English abode, Middle English abohut, Middle English abohutt, Middle English abot, Middle English abote, Middle English aboughte, Middle English abouȝt, Middle English abouȝte, Middle English abouȝten, Middle English abougth, Middle English abouten, Middle English abouute, Middle English abowght, Middle English abowgth, Middle English abownten (perhaps transmission error), Middle English abowot, Middle English abowt, Middle English abowten, Middle English abowtt, Middle English abowtyn, Middle English abute, Middle English abuuten, Middle English habout, Middle English obout, Middle English oboute, Middle English obowte, Middle English obut, Middle English obute, Middle English 1600s abut, Middle English–1500s abouet, Middle English–1500s abought, Middle English–1500s abowte, Middle English–1700s aboute, Middle English– about, 1500s abowth; English regional 1800s abeawt (northern), 1800s– abaout (midlands), 1800s– abawt (midlands), 1800s– aboot (northern and north midlands), 1800s– abootan (northern), 1800s– abouten (southern), 1900s– abowt (northern); U.S. regional 1800s abaout, 1800s abeout, 1900s– aboot, 1900s– abouten, 1900s– about'n, 1900s– abowoot, 1900s– erbout; Scottish pre-1700 aboute, pre-1700 abowt, pre-1700 abowte, pre-1700 abut, pre-1700 abute, pre-1700 1700s– about, 1800s– aboot; also Irish English 1800s abouten (Wexford), 1800s– abut (Wexford), 1900s– aboot (northern).

See also abaht adv. and prep.
Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: on- prefix, but adv.
Etymology: < on- prefix + but adv. (see forms at that entry). Compare Old Frisian abūta (adverb) outside. Compare but prep. Compare also later bout prep., bout adv. See also thereabout adv. and later round about adv. and prep.The β. forms show the usual reduction of the unaccented prefix on- to a- (see a- prefix3), already attested in Old English by the late 10th cent. (see A. Campbell Old Eng. Gram. (1959) §474). Compare Old English ymbūtan and umbe prep. In Old English, the preposition is construed either with the dative or with the accusative.
A. adv.
I. Expressing actual or implied motion or direction.
1. In rotation or revolution; round in a circular course. Now rare except in figurative use with verbs.to bring about: see to bring about at bring v. Phrasal verbs 1. to come about: see to come about at come v. Phrasal verbs 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > [adverb] > not in a straight course > in a winding course
aboutOE
aboutsa1387
windingly1576
zigzag1754
mazily1845
zag1906
zigzaggedly1921
OE Ælfric De Temporibus Anni (Cambr. Gg.3.28) v. §4. 42 Ealle ða steorran þe hire [sc. the firmament] on fæste sind turniað onbutan [OE Tiber. A.iii abutan] mid hire.
OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1900) II. 242 Þa earman bærmenn gebundene to earðan wendon hi abutan [L. ridiculam in uertiginem rotabantur], woldon forð gan.
c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Bodl.) (1981) l. 706 (MED) Let þenne turnen hit tidliche abuten.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8701 Þrie he [sc. Merlin] eode abuten. wið-innen & wið-uten.
c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 642 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 318 And þare-þoruȝ eorneth þat watur faste a-boute fram þe se, And þare-ate wellen springuth out and eft eorneth In aȝe.
a1393 J. Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) ii. 1227 (MED) Now herke how thilke unstable whel, Which evere torneth, wente aboute.
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. 1083 (MED) Þe sodiak hath thries gon aboute.
c1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess 645 So turneth she hyr false whel Aboute.
a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid (1959) vii. vi. 91 As..the round tap of tre Hyt with the twynyt quhip dois quhirl, we se..smyttyn wyth the tawys dois rebound, And rynnys about, abowt, in cirkill round.
1573 T. Tusser Fiue Hundreth Points Good Husbandry (new ed.) f. 10v To make the repent it, or yere about go.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. v. 154 What an Arme he has, he turn'd me about with his finger and his thumbe, as one would set vp a Top. View more context for this quotation
1669 J. Worlidge Systema Agriculturæ iii. 26 Ere the Year be about it may yield you three such Crops.
1720 R. Welton tr. T. Alvares de Andrade Sufferings Son of God I. viii. 200 I see..all Things..as if they were whirl'd about by the Quick Rotation of a Wheel.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine sig. Sf3v Winch, a cylindrical piece of timber, furnished with an axis... It is turned about by means of an handle resembling that of a draw-well.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxxiv. 328 ‘Here's flesh!’ cried Squeers, turning the boy about... ‘Here's firmness, here's solidness!’
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses i. ii. [Nestor] 30 Three, Mr Deasy said, turning his little savingsbox about in his hand.
2.
a. All over or around; in various directions; in a circuitous course; to and fro; (also referring to things scattered over a surface) up and down, here and there.
ΚΠ
OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1881) I. 346 Crist ferde ða abutan geond þa Iudeiscan byrig bodigende godspel.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1001 & þanon wendon in Wihtland & þær him ferdon onbuton swa swa hi sylf woldon, & him nan þing ne wiðstod.
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 43 (MED) On ald mon þet iiii deoflen ledden abuten.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 8675 Cnihtes eoden up-ward, cnihtes eoden dun-ward. cnihtes eoden abuten, & ȝeorne biheolden.
?a1300 Iacob & Iosep (Bodl.) (1916) l. 453 (MED) Iacob of þis corn aboute sende anon To frendes þat for hunger maden muche mon.
c1300 Life & Martyrdom Thomas Becket (Harl. 2277) (1845) l. 76 (MED) Heo thider com, And ȝeode aboute as a best.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 1022 (MED) Sche goþ aboute into þe gardyn for to gader floures.
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 600 (MED) Þe brydel barred aboute, with bryȝt golde bounden.
?a1425 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. i. pr. iii. 72 That I..be fordryven with tempestes blowynge aboute.
1445 tr. Claudian's De Consulatu Stilichonis in Anglia (1905) 28 271 (MED) Her heerys blake arn dressid aboute with precious shynyng golde.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 275 What arn þi dysciplys þat folwyn þe A-boute?
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 33 (MED) Full sharp ar thise showers that renys aboute.
1597 A. Hartwell tr. D. Lopes Rep. Kingdome of Congo ii. i. 109 Which way is very large and competent, though it go somewhat about incompasse.
1611 Bible (King James) Deut. xxxii. 10 Hee ledde him about, he instructed him. View more context for this quotation
1676 A. Marvell Mr. Smirke sig. F The little Emissaryes..hawk about from London to Westminster.
1751 Earl of Chatham Lett. to Nephew (1804) ii. 5 I have been moving about from place to place.
a1797 E. Burke Thoughts on Scarcity (1800) 1 Idle tales spread about by the industry of faction.
1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. 373 He had been willing to be the right hand of Dundee: but he would not be ordered about by Cannon.
1891 J. C. Atkinson Forty Years Moorland Parish 324 Birds hopping slowly and desultorily about.
1913 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 22 Feb. 6/1 Managers understand all about the twaddle that is bandied about.
1943 D. Welch Maiden Voy. xvi. 132 The soup..was delicious; pieces of pimento swam about in it like goldfish.
1995 D. McLean Bunker Man 69 With every step a barrel of beer slushed about in Rob's belly.
b. With verbs denoting activity, with the sense of movement weakened or absent: at large, freely; in an aimless, idle, or frivolous manner; without any definite purpose.For the more established phrasal verbs with this sense, as to fool about, to mess about, to muck about, etc.: see the verbs. Earliest in to play about at play v. Phrasal verbs 1.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > intention > unintentional or unplanned character > [adverb] > unintentionally or involuntarily > aimlessly
about1638
designlessly1659
aimlessly1818
purposelessly1840
round1848
divaguely1857
objectlessly1860
motivelessly1867
unmeaningly1871
footlessly1916
1638 A. Cowley Loves Riddle i. sig. B2 May none of your young lambes become a prey To the rude Wolfe, but play about securely.
1835 A. W. Fonblanque Eng. under Seven Admin. (1837) III. 213 That lean, hobbling old fellow,..pottering about in an incapacity for any thing but to fall to and enjoy other men's meat.
1851 T. Parker in J. Weiss Life & Corr. T. Parker (1863) II. 105 All my bettying about in literature and philosophy.
1923 R. Seton Memories Many Years 113 There I met the Uruguayan idling about.
1942 N. Balchin Darkness falls from Air vii. 120 Come on—I'm damned if I'm going to be written off by a nosecap through just goofing about.
1949 N. Coward Diary 28 June (2000) 130 Gertie frigging about as usual.
1965 B. Friel Philadelphia, here I Come! 19 Get out of my road, will you, and quit eejiting about!
1988 P. White Let. 5 June (1994) xvi. 617 I hate farting about in anybody's house at night.
1992 I. Rankin Good Hanging 225 Chief Inspector Lauderdale just laughed, thinking Rebus was clowning about as per usual.
c. On the move, afoot, astir; in evidence; prevalent.out and about: see out adv., int., and prep. Phrases 1. up and about: see up adv.2 7d.
ΚΠ
1745 D. Giddings Jrnl. in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. (1912) XLVIII. 299 9 [May]. A little better this morning... 10. I was still out of case but keept about.
1815 M. Birkbeck Notes Journey through France 62 The wife of one of the labourers was about, and seemed perfectly hearty.
1819 W. Scott Bride of Lammermoor II. xvi. 237 Ye see I was trumpeter at the castle, and had allowance for blawing at break of day, and at dinner-time, and other whiles when there was company about.
1881 H. James Portrait of Lady I. xv. 182 Naturally there's not much going on there when there's such a lot of illness about.
1933 Punch 31 May 597 There doesn't seem to be anyone about in this cock-eyed town.
1960 Times 24 Mar. 14/6 Later that morning I found a mosque with the door standing open, and no one about.
1996 D. Brimson & E. Brimson Everywhere we Go xi. 154 We left the game early and went to the back of the away end to find the gates open and nobody about.
3. In turn, in succession (around a circle of people, etc.); alternately (between two people). Now U.S. regional (rare) and in turn about and turn and turn about: see turn n. Phrases 1a.month about: see month n.1 Phrases 1d. week and week about: see week n. Phrases 3c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the future or time to come > succession or following in time > [adverb]
aboutOE
by rewc1225
by ordera1382
sue?a1425
in orderc1425
successively1439
suingly1453
seriatly?a1475
consequently1477
seriatim1495
in sequencea1575
successive1593
succeedingly1602
consequentially1607
subalternately1632
successfully1651
epassyterotically1652
consequent1692
serially1841
consecutively1847
solid1938
the world > time > change > alternation > rotation > [adverb]
aboutOE
whilemeala1382
by whiles1382
in coursea1400
in turna1500
circularly1648
in rotation1771
round-by-round1933
rotationally1950
OE Ælfric Old Test. Summary: Judges (Laud) Epil., in S. J. Crawford Old Eng. Version of Heptateuch (1922) 415 Se consul sceolde him eallum wisian..to anes geares fyrste; feng þonne oðer to, [to] oðres geares firste, to þam ylcan anwealde, & eode swa abutan be heora gebyrdum & be heora geþingðum.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 11435 Þer maȝen sitten to sixtene hundred & ma. al turn abuten.
c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 32 Lat euery felawe telle his tale aboute.
a1500 in R. L. Greene Early Eng. Carols (1935) 283 (MED) They prayd the harper Kepe sum store, And lette vs drynke a bowght [rhyme route].
1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 217 They drank dreichlie about.
a1600 J. Melvill Autobiogr. & Diary (1842) 78 Everie man about gaiff his not thairof.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World xv. 434 When by themselves, they drink about from one to another; but when any of us came among them, then they would always drink to one of us.
a1738 T. O'Carolan Seórsa Brabston (George Brabazon) in T. Ó Máille Amhráin Chearbhalláin (1916) 177 Sing, dance, drink his health about.
1799 E. Meeke Harcourt IV. x. 192 Let's be merry—drink about, good folks—never mind Poll, I am master to-day!
1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod ii. i. 50 Butts..at which the inhabitants were to shoot, up and down, (called in the poetical legends ‘shooting about’) upon all feast days.
c1817 J. Hogg Tales & Sketches III. 199 We have often sat together..reading verse about with our children in the Bible.
1872 H. W. Longfellow John Endicott ii. ii, in Christus III. 24 Come, drink about! Remember Parson Melham, And bless the man who first invented flip!
1953 V. Randolph & G. P. Wilson Down in Holler 166 A man in Forsyth..said: ‘Maw used to call me an' Fred up a morning about to make the fire.’ That is, she called the two boys on alternate mornings, so that the task was evenly divided.
1953 V. Randolph & G. P. Wilson Down in Holler 166 The two men in Christian County... ‘By God, I'll chop the damn' thing to pieces!’ one yelled. ‘Good idea, Tom,’ cried the other. ‘Fetch the ax, an' we'll take a lick about.’ He meant that they would take turns a-chopping.
4.
a. So as to face in the opposite way; from front to back or back to front; half round. Also (rarely): around by a small angle; to one side, aside, away.to bring about (from insensibility, etc.): see to bring about 4 at bring v. Phrasal verbs 1. to come about: see to come about 4 at come v. Phrasal verbs 1. to send to the right about: see right about n. 2a. to turn about: see to turn about 2b at turn v. Phrasal verbs 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > [adverb] > (turned) round or about
aboutOE
round about1539
roundc1540
around1590
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 1st Ser. (Royal) (1997) xx. 341 Gif þu sumne clað sceawast, ne miht þu hine ealne togædere geseon, ac wentst abuton þæt ðu ealne hine geseo.
OE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Tiber. B.iv) anno 1009 Ealle Eastcentingas frið wið þone here genamon,..& se here þa sona æfter þam wende abuten [lOE Laud abuton] oð he com to Wihtlande, & þær æghwær..hergodon & bærndon.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 2482 He foren a-buten bi adad, Ful seuene nigt he ðer abiden.
c1330 (?c1300) Bevis of Hampton (Auch.) 4071 (MED) Aboute he ternde þe deistrer.
c1405 (c1390) G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) Prol. l. 15 And sodeynly he plighte his hors aboute.
a1425 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Bodl.) l. 8864 (MED) Whan we turnede aboute.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 271 He smote his horse on the nose, that he turned aboute.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Prov. xii. A Or euer thou canst turne the aboute, the vngodly shal be ouerthrowne.
1583 T. Stocker tr. Tragicall Hist. Ciuile Warres Lowe Countries iii. 112 b The nose of one of them so touched vpon the shore of the Ryuer, as that she was not able well to turne her selfe about.
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. xi. 127 The French and English wheeling about, charged the Turks most furiously.
a1671 T. Fairfax Short Mem. (1699) 51 He..made them face about, and march again into the Town.
1722 D. Defoe Moll Flanders 239 I took my opportunity to turn about and take up what was behind me.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey I. 67 I faced about, and took a short turn or two before the door.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop ii. xl. 14 Kit..faced about upon the ladder like some dexterous tumbler.
1881 H. James Portrait of Lady I. xix. 258 She was seated at the piano, and had abruptly wheeled about on the stool when she first spoke.
1935 C. Day Lewis Time to Dance & Other Poems 35 The oil ran out and cursing they turned about Losing a hundred miles to find a landing-place.
1959 ‘J. Winton’ We joined Navy iii. 43 The Beattys were marched, doubled, halted, turned about, marched, doubled, halted and turned about once more.
1995 J. Banville Athena 31 She twisted about to peer at me wide-eyed where I stood by the window.
b. Nautical. On or to the opposite tack. Frequently with verbs of motion. about ship: change course to the opposite tack (see also about v.1).to go about: see to go about 4a at go v. Phrasal verbs 1. to put about: see to put about 1 at put v. Phrasal verbs 1. to tack about: see tack v.1 7a.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > use of wind > [adverb] > about or on to opposite tack
about1588
1588 T. P. tr. A. Perez de Guzman Orders Voy. Eng. sig. Bv If she change her course, or make about. Before she goeth about, she will shoot off a peece: and being about, wil put foorth an other light vpon the Poope.
1595 Drake's Voy. (1849) 22 They had the winde of us, but we soone regained it upon them, which made them tacke about.
1633 Stafford Pac. Hib. (1821) xvi. 337 They tacked about, and made for Kinsale.
1678 G. Harvey Casus Medico-chirurgicus 83 About ship again, steer large; orders were immediately given to distil an Antiscorbutic Water or Spirit.
1690 London Gaz. mmdlxx. 3 The French Admiral fired a Gun and went about Ship, and stood to the Westward.
1700 J. Tyrrell Gen. Hist. Eng. II. 833 Tacking about, and so getting Windward of them, they..gain'd a great Advantage.
1748 T. Smollett Roderick Random I. iv. 23 Come, Rory—about ship, my lad, we must steer another course I think.
1769 W. Falconer Universal Dict. Marine ii Refuser, to fall off again, when in stays; expressed of a ship that will not go about, or stay.
1801 Naval Mag. 3 App. 1/2 About ship; or Ready About O—is the word of command to the sailors to prepare for tacking or going about.
1836 F. Marryat Mr. Midshipman Easy II. x. 291 Don't you think we had better go about?
1836 F. Marryat Mr. Midshipman Easy III. iv. 68 The Aurora was put about.
1850 H. Melville White-jacket xvii. 89 I was startled from my hammock by the cry of ‘All hands about ship and shorten sail!’.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Ready about! and About-ship! are orders to the company to prepare for tacking.
1912 J. Masefield Widow in Bye St. ii. xxxix The wise shipman puts his ship about Seeing the gathering of those waters wan.
1924 Jrnl. Royal Anthropol. Inst. 54 126 The accompanying diagrams will explain the nature of the manœuvre ‘about ship’.
1957 Mod. Lang. Notes 72 98 It will be necessary to twist the helm to bring the ship about on a successful tack.
1986 D. Carey Battlestations! i. 7 He brought the ship about in a stylish tack.
5. In circumference; in circuit; in measurement around the circumference or edge, rather than directly across. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > curvature > roundness > [adverb] > in form or manner of circle or ring > in or upon circumference
aboutc1400
a-ring1614
circumferentially1863
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) 2233 (MED) He..orpedly strydez..on a bent þat brode watz aboute.
c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1029 The circuit a myle was aboute Walled of stoon.
c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) i. 1762 (MED) Þis rounde worlde whiche is so large aboute.
1466 in Publ. Mod. Lang. Soc. (1907) 22 602 (MED) My lorde came into the felde..A fyne girdill of golde large about the nethir bordure of his plates, and his spere xv Inches large aboute.
1517 R. Torkington Oldest Diarie Englysshe Trav. (1884) 20 The seyd Ill ys v c myle a bowte.
1584 A. Barlowe in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (1589) iii. 732 The sauages were neuer at it [sc. Schycoake], onely they speake of it, by the report of their Fathers, and other men, whome they haue heard affirme it, to be about one daies iourney about.
1587 R. Hakluyt tr. R. de Laudonnière Notable Hist. Foure Voy. Florida f. 61v A more easie waye, though it were farther aboute.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) i. ii. 37 Indeede I am in the waste two yards about . View more context for this quotation
a1649 J. Winthrop Hist. New Eng. (1853) I. 279 Our men surrounded the swamp, being a mile about, and shot at the Indians.
1718 J. Addison Remarks Italy (ed. 2) 237 I have seen old Roman Rings so very thick about, and with such large Stones in 'em.
1728 J. Morgan Compl. Hist. Algiers I. i. 212 Algiers..measures barely one league about.
1753 Scots Mag. June 307/1 Some of the stones measured three inches about.
1822 A. Cunningham Sir Marmaduke Maxwell v. iii. 121 He would walk fifteen rough miles about, Rather than ride along the nearer way.
1869 M. Savage Woman of Business xvi, in Appletons' Jrnl. 31 July 551/2 How provoking to be so near..and yet to have to go ten miles about!
1993 W. Baldwin Hard to catch Mercy viii. 243 Both men were small and broad about, and both had neat, trimmed mustaches.
II. Expressing position.
6.
a. Around the outside; on every side, all round. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > [adverb] > in motion
aboutc1325
on footc1400
afoot1786
astir1856
the world > action or operation > [adverb] > in action or operation
aboutc1325
afoot?1585
abroach1611
on1830
OE Seven Sleepers (Julius) (1994) 52 Swilc feoh.., þe wæs on ealdum dagum geslagen, on Decius caseres timan, and wæs his anlicnys on agrafen and his nama þær eall onbutan awriten.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1090 Se cyng & se eorl mid ormætre fyrde besæton þone castel abuton.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 125 Castel þe haueð dich abuten & weater beo i þe dich.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 618 Þe King to þan castle forð mid his ferde; þer he lei abuten.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) l. 4940 Enfryd edwines broþer, þo he sey þis wo aboute, To cadwal he wende & mercy him cryede vor doute.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 2220 (MED) A cite nobul, enclosed comeliche aboute wiþ fyn castel-werk.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Ecclus. xlvi. 19 He inwardly clepide the almyȝty Lord, in aȝenfiȝting the enemys aboute stondende on eche side.
c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women 1694 Ardea beseged was aboute.
1472 in H. J. F. Swayne Churchwardens' Accts. Sarum (1896) 6 (MED) A Belle of silver wryttyn abowte with ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 612/2 I lyste a garment, or border it rounde about with a lyst.
1582 S. Batman Vppon Bartholome, De Proprietatibus Rerum 489 Noble riuers, the Rine and Danubius,..and many other, that runne by Fraunce, that moisten the Countreyes all about.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) v. i. 183 Now all the blessings Of a glad father, compasse thee about . View more context for this quotation
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 2 Dunkerk is..strongly fortified all about.
1712 J. James tr. A.-J. Dézallier d'Argenville Theory & Pract. Gardening 25 A low Terrass-Wall, from whence you have a View of the Country round about.
a1800 W. Cowper Gratitude in W. Hayley Life & Posthumous Writings Cowper (1803) II. App. 268 Compass'd about with the goods..of leisure..I indulge my poetical moods.
1822 P. B. Shelley Let. 25 Jan. (1964) II. 381 Debts responsibilities, & expenses will emmesh [sic] you round about.
1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country ii. 109 The haschisch-man..Then shows him how to smoke himself about With Paradise.
1923 C. F. Saunders Southern Sierras Calif. 75 All about are rounded hills.
1952 J. Lait & L. Mortimer U.S.A. Confidential ii. xxiii. 279 Many joints in Wichita and round about keep open all night to sell mixed drinks.
1992 C. McCarthy All Pretty Horses (1993) i. 42 The prairie..lay blue and silent all about.
b. In every direction, towards every side. Chiefly in relation to sight, with verbs such as look, gaze, etc.
ΚΠ
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 12908 Þa bi-sæh þat wif abuten.
a1350 (?c1225) King Horn (Harl.) (1901) l. 1087 (MED) He lokede aboute myd is collede snoute.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) 159 (MED) Behold aboute now, y praye.
c1400 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. ii. 184 And ȝaf pardoun for panis poundmel, aboute.
a1450 (c1410) H. Lovelich Merlin (1932) III. l. 20641 Gaweyn caste his Eyen abowte.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 76 (MED) Myn eyn be not lokynge abowte.
1568 D. Lindsay Complaint Bagsche in Wks. (1931) I. 97 Luke best about, Quhen thow art hiest.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. vii. 9 When she lookt about, and nothing found But darknesse and dread horrour,..She almost fell againe into a swound. View more context for this quotation
1643 Sir T. Browne Religio Medici (authorized ed.) i. §13 The wisedome of God receives small honour from those vulgar heads that rudely stare about, and with a grosse rusticity admire his workes. View more context for this quotation
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 62 By fits he deals his fiery Bolts about . View more context for this quotation
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 11 When I could look about, I could see nothing but Distress round us.
1789 ‘P. Pindar’ Subj. for Painters 69 She cast about her eyes in thought profound.
1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 136 Lusty thuds were dealt about.
1850 H. Melville White-jacket lxiii. 304 Slowly opening his eyes, he glanced about at the glittering knives and saws.
1935 W. Faulkner Pylon 270 He took a short fountain pen from his shirt and glanced about.
1964 I. Murdoch Italian Girl i. v. 65 The tears seemed suddenly to spurt from her eyes, falling all about.
1995 V. Chandra Red Earth & Pouring Rain (1996) 227 Sanjay..looked about with the eager curiosity of a foreigner.
7. In the vicinity, nearby; in some place or various places nearby; all over a surface.
ΚΠ
OE Ælfric Old Eng. Hexateuch: Num. (Claud.) xiv. 13 Ða Egyptiscean..& ða ðe her eardiað abutan [L. habitatores terrae huius].
c1225 (?c1200) St. Juliana (Royal) l. 442 (MED) Þer ha mahten sar iseon, alle þet ter seten & abuten weren.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 6276 Arwen fluȝen ouer wal. al abuten ouer-al.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 7601 (MED) Hii rerde abbeis..As teoskesburi & oseneye, & aboute oþer mo.
c1390 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Vernon) (1867) A. ii. 129 (MED) Fauuel..lette sompne alle men in Cuntre [v.r. schyres] aboute.
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Ecclus. xlvi. 19 Enemyes stondynge aboute [L. circumstantes] on ech side.
c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women 720 Women that were neighebores aboute.
1480 W. Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxliv. sig. u1v They caught a gyde that knewe all the contre aboute.
1539 Bible (Great) Psalms lxxvii. 18 The voyce of thy thonder was hearde rounde aboute.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. xi. 13 That all the ayre about with smoke and stench did fill.
1657 J. Alrichs Let. 25 May in Pennsylvania Arch. (1877) V. 285 Some of the dry goods, entirely scattered about, were wet and injured by the quantity of water in the ship.
1662 Duchess of Newcastle Publick Wooing iii. xxv, in Playes Written 395 Enter the Lady Prudence, to give her Answer to her Suter the Stranger: The Assembly standing about, the Lady and Suter take their places.
1723 D. Defoe Hist. Col. Jack (ed. 2) 39 One of our Room-Keepers says, he saw a Couple of young Rogues..hanging about here.
1784 E. Allen Reason xiii. §4. 450 The manuscripts of scripture..were in a loose and confused condition, scattered about in the world.
1859 J. M. Jephson & L. Reeve Narr. Walking Tour Brittany vi. 71 Lying about was what seemed to me to be the old altar-stone.
1899 G. B. Burgin Bread of Tears i. iii. 51 She hadn't a soul above blots: they were dotted copiously about on every page.
1941 Coast to Coast 207 We..stood about waiting for someone to start talking.
1992 F. McLynn Hearts of Darkness i. v. 117 Bleached skulls and skeletons and dried uninjured human corpses or parts of them lay about in dozens.
III. Expressing approximation. Nearly, approximately, more or less.
8. With numbers, quantities, and measures: approximately.In this use distinguished from the preposition (sense B. III.) by being able to premodify the subject or object of a clause or the object of a preposition.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > approximate quantity or amount > [adverb]
somec888
aboutOE
thereabouts1413
thereabout1534
thereby1563
nearabout1567
thereupona1676
thereaway1815
nearabouts1834
somewheres1859
let us say1863
OE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Tiber. B.i) anno 1055 Man sloh ðær mycel wæl - abutan feower hund manna oððe fife.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough interpolation) anno 656 Swa abutan iii mile to Þrokonholt, & fra Þrokonholt riht þurh al ðe fen.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1127 Soðfeste men..sæidon, þes þe heom þuhte, þet þær mihte wel ben abuton twenti oðer þritti hornblaweres.
c1225 (?c1200) St. Juliana (Bodl.) l. 629 (MED) Wenden alle..abute fif hundret.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 4953 (MED) Þis was in þe ȝer of grace six hundred..& aboute vour & þritti.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Deeds v. 36 A noumbre of men consentide, aboute foure hundrid.
c1438 Bk. Margery Kempe (1940) ii. 234 (MED) A woman..abowtyn iij scor ȝer of age.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) I. 27 Whan they se you but aboute twenty thousande.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Josh. iv. C Aboute a fortye thousande men ready harnessed to the warre, wente before the Lorde.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde f. 274 [Norway] hath also a peculiar pestilence which they caule Leem or Lemmer..a lyttle foure footed beaste abowte the byggenesse of a ratte with a spotted skynne.
1611 Bible (King James) Exod. xxxii. 28 There fell of the people that day about three thousand men. View more context for this quotation
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) ii. vii. 178 The Period between the Flood and the Exitus of the People out of Egypt was about 800 Years.
1712 E. Cooke Voy. S. Sea 35 About 30 more had the Scurvy.
1774 J. Pringle Disc. Air 22 An ordinary candle consumes, as it is called, about a gallon of air in a minute.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §328 The iron came to about, or rather above, a blue heat.
1801 M. Edgeworth Forester in Moral Tales I. 25 A girl of about seven years old.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 348 In 1685 London had been, during about half a century, the most populous capital in Europe.
1879 J. N. Lockyer Elem. Lessons Astron. (new ed.) vi. 36. 208 Light travels about 186,000 miles a second.
1915 D. Haig Diary 20 Jan. in War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 (2005) 93 About 11 officers are now to be added to my Staff.
1942 National Geographic Mag. June 730/2 It was a four-and-a-half-foot barracuda, motionlessly regarding us from about 15 feet away.
2001 E. Schlosser Fast Food Nation vii. 150 Each steer deposits about fifty pounds of manure every day.
9. With general expressions of quantity and quality: very nearly, pretty much; more or less.
a. Modifying adjectives and quantifiers. rare before 19th cent.
ΚΠ
?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 148v (MED) When it is about leuke warme, be he sette þer þat al moste þe water atteyne to þe vmbilic.
1785 R. Barker in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 75 354 An hollow about large enough to contain a thrush's nest.
1803 Evangelical Mag. Mar. 90 His congregation at church increased, and he appeared to be about ready to enter into the field of usefulness.
1828 W. Cobbett List Mr. Cobbett's Wks. in Paper against Gold (rev. ed.) (end matter) 12 (advt.) In about every one of these works I have pleaded the cause of the working people.
1835 D. P. Thompson Adventures Timothy Peacock vii. 59 Our breakfast is about ready.
1853 C. Dickens Bleak House xxi. 211 You're about right respecting the bond.
1897 ‘O. Rhoscomyl’ For White Rose Arno (U.K. ed.) 206 We've had about enough of your plots.
1930 Daily Express 6 Oct. 16/2 Honours were about even.
1982 R. Hall Just Relations i. iii. 31 So's that'll bring yer mouth down about level with me ear, then I shan't miss yer pearls a wisdom.
2000 J. M. Gray Gift for Little Master 80 Consultants on a daily rate about equal to Delores's yearly take-home before taxes.
b. Modifying comparatives of equivalence, as about as well as, about as relevant to, etc.
ΚΠ
1600 J. Pory tr. J. Leo Africanus Geogr. Hist. Afr. ii. 97 The greatest prince in all this region hath vnder his command well nigh fifteene hundreth horsemen, and about so many footemen as the prince of Tenueues.
1660 S. Fisher Rusticus ad Academicos iii. 159 That Taylor which having an inch of cloath granted him for his minds sake, about so much as will serve for a pattern, incroaches so as to steal an ell or enough to make a suit of.
1754 E. Burt Lett. N. Scotl. I. xi. 269 Wine is filled about as fast as it can go round.
1799 J. Austen Let. 2 June (1995) 42 He was better yesterday than he had been for two or three days before, about as well as when he was at Steventon.
1845 E. M. Kern Jrnl. 23–24 Dec. in D. Jackson & M. L. Spence Exped. J. C. Frémont (1973) II. 57 The men started for camp, bringing with them..a large sack of sage-seed, about as digestible as sand.
1882 Sir W. Harcourt in Times 13 June 10/2 This amendment was about as relevant to the clause as it would be if it related to sheep-stealing.
1935 W. Faulkner Pylon 90 I guess you heard him about as plain as I did.
1962 C. W. Jacobsen Oriental Rugs ii. 297 The distinguishing feature of this rug is the loose ends of stitch yarn at the back of the rug, about the same effect as we find in the Cashmere shawl.
2005 T. Hall Salaam Brick Lane iii. 64 There's about as much chance of being nicked as the Beatles getting back together.
c. Modifying superlative adjectives. Frequently used to denote probability rather than strict approximation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > approximate quantity or amount > [adverb] > nearly (of amount)
well-nigheOE
nighOE
well-nearc1175
almostc1261
nighwhatc1300
nara1400
neara1400
anighsta1425
muchwhata1513
wellmost1548
most1629
nighly1694
nearly1769
partly1781
mostly1805
most1808
mostlings1816
about1827
nearabouts1834
fairly1840
welly1859
approaching1951
1827 Times 5 Nov. 3/6 She ran as well as a mare could do, having on her back 28lb. more than Souvenir, (about the best mare of her year).
1834 D. Crockett Narr. Life xii. 85 I came to the edge of an open parara, and looking on before my dogs, I saw in and about the biggest bear that ever was seen in America.
1842 E. Miall in Nonconformist 2 335 The money-Moloch of our country..is about the grimmest, fiercest, most implacable god.
1880 H. Smart Social Sinners I. ix. 182 The first two are about the nicest girls in all London.
1929 Daily Express 7 Nov. 13/2 Jackson's points victory was about the most easily gained of the night.
1969 J. E. Lousley Wild Flowers of Chalk & Limestone (ed. 2) vii. 90 This must be about the finest Military Orchid seen in England.
2005 C. Stross Accelerando i. 34 It's about the nearest thing to sensory deprivation she can arrange.
10. Modifying verbs: very nearly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > part of whole > [adverb] > for the most part
nigheOE
almostOE
three-quarters1677
e'enamost1735
about1769
1769 E. Taylor Lady's, Housewife's, & Cookmaid's Assistant 29 A large ham will take three hours roasting; when it is about done enough, take off the paper, and strew it over with grated bread, and shred parsley.
1794 J. Rutherford Diss. Bible Princ. iv. iii. 68 John the Baptist, having now fulfilled his ministry, and about finished the work the God of love..had given him to do.
1850 E. P. Whipple Ess. & Rev. I. 299 The difference between duty and conduct..about measures the difference between the real and the actual.
1864 A. Trollope Can you forgive Her? I. xvii. 140 I'm about done for.
1932 H. Crane Let. 22 Apr. (1965) 412 It certainly has about made a nervous wreck of me.
1956 A. Wilson Anglo-Saxon Attitudes i. iii. 60 When you resigned in November, I'd about had politics, as much as the Labour Party'd about had you.
1991 New Yorker 25 Nov. 110/1 ‘Post-Stylistic’ about describes the spirit of this year's Carnegie International.
1992 R. Kenan Let Dead bury their Dead v. 102 Sister, supper's about done. Go wash up.
IV. Followed by the infinitive (with to, †for, †for to). (Probably a development of sense A. 2a.)
11.
†a. Engaged in or busied with plans or preparations to do something; planning, conspiring, or scheming to do something. Obsolete.See also sense B. 11c.to go about to: see to go about 3 at go v. Phrasal verbs 1.
ΚΠ
a1225 (c1200) Vices & Virtues (1888) 133 (MED) Aure to feawe men bien abuten to habben ðese hali mihte.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 172 Satan is ȝeorne abuten þe for to ridli þe ut of mine corne.
a1300 Passion our Lord l. 684 in R. Morris Old Eng. Misc. (1872) 56 (MED) Þe veond of helle..euer wes abute..Vor bryngen heom to deþe.
c1330 Otuel (Auch.) (1882) 109 (MED) Þou art a-boute for to greue Mahoun þat we onne byleue.
c1390 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 14th Cent. (1924) 146 Bisy a-boute þei [sc. children] han ben To cacchen hit with al heore miht.
c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 284 Thow woldest falsly been aboute To loue my lady.
a1450 (?1348) R. Rolle Form of Living (Cambr.) in Eng. Writings (1931) 92 (MED) Oure enmy will noght suffer us to be in rest when we slepe, bot þan he es aboute to begyle us..with faire ymages, fayre syghtes.
a1470 T. Malory Morte Darthur (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 634 Thou lyeste, false traytoure... For thou arte ever aboute to wynne worship from me.
a1500 in C. Brown Relig. Lyrics 15th Cent. (1939) 4 (MED) How kynge herod..& of his peres mo..be a-bowte nyght & day my body fore to slo.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. biiiv Why than shulde we be about to imprint suche swetenesse in to carnall affections?
1533 T. More Answere Poysened Bk. Pref. sig. Aa.iiiiv The leche that..sytteth by the syke man bysy about to cure hym.
a1541 R. Barnes in W. Tyndall et al. Whole Wks. (1573) 325/2 The deuell hath beene of long tyme aboute to bring in this snare for priests.
1669 R. Russell in tr. J. Béguin Tyrocinium Chymicum To Rdr. It becomes every man, about to transcribe, or render the Works of another in his own native Tongue, neither to add any thing of his own, nor to omit of the Author's.
b. In negative constructions: not intending or planning to do something. Now colloquial.Between the mid 19th and mid 20th cent. chiefly North American regional.
ΚΠ
?1591 H. Barrow Brief Discouerie False Church To Rdr., sig. Aiiv The Lion roreth not in the forest, if no pray be present; neither the young Lion out of his denne, if he be not about to take.
1634 Malory's Arthur (1816) I. 125 ‘You will never be about to do such deeds.’ ‘Nay, son,’ said she, ‘and thereto I make you assurance.’
1677 S. Pepys Portugal Hist. 99 The Queen seeing the King was not about to Return, try'd a new to perswade him to it.
1706 E. Ward Hudibras Redivivus II. ii. 13 I'm not about to cheat ye With Juglers Tricks, or yet to treat ye With Monsters, blazing Stars, or Commets.
1783 H. Blair Lect. Rhetoric I. xx. 425 As it were—is upon most occasions no more than an ungraceful palliative, and here there was not the least occasion for it, as he was not about to say any thing which required a softening of this kind.
1809 Ld. Byron Let. 12 Nov. (1973) I. 230 By the bye, I expect Hanson to remit regularly, for I am not about to stay in this province for ever.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xliii. 423 I was not about to dispute the point.
1863 A. Trollope Rachel Ray I. x. 198 Mr. Tappitt was not about to lecture Luke Rowan as to his conduct in regard to Rachel Ray.
1942 in H. Wentworth Amer. Dial. Dict. (1944) 4/1 I'm not even about to go out with him—he drinks beer.
1959 M. Russ Half Moon Haven i. 96 I ain't about to work that hard for no reason.
1982 Record Mirror 13 Feb. 18/1 I'm not about to foist something on the public just for the sake of releasing something.
2004 P. Biskind Down & Dirty Pictures iv. 141 They were not about to let it interfere with their own lifestyle.
12. At the very point when one is going to do something; intending or preparing immediately to do something.About with the infinitive here has the force of a future participle, analogous to going in to be going to. The immediacy is usually greater with about to than with going to.Many early examples of sense A. 11a (e.g. quot. c1330) are close to this sense, but generally contain the idea of premeditating an action rather than simply being on the point of it.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > tendency > [adverb] > going to
about1486
aboutwards1536
c1330 Seven Sages (Auch.) (1933) l. 630 Þe adder..Vpon þe cradel ȝhe fleiȝ anon, And was aboute þe child to sting.]
1486 J. Mirk's Liber Festiuall (Rood & Hunte) sig. i.ivv/2 And as he was a boute to be gynne to sey oure lady matenes & as he was at the inuitatory that is Aue maria.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Josh. xviii. B They were aboute to go for to descrybe the londe.
1574 J. Baret Aluearie A 47 To be about or ready to flie or runne awaye.
1611 Bible (King James) Rev. x. 4 And when the seuen thunders had vttered their voices, I was about to write. View more context for this quotation
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 289 Prince Maurice..shews his Army in Battel-Array, as if about to storm.
1723 S. Mather Vindic. Holy Bible vi. vi. 402 In Poland..when the priest was about to pronounce the words of the Gospel at the altar, the noblemen drew their swords in part out of the scabbards.
1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey II. 44 The secretary look'd towards the stairs, as if he was about to leave me.
1816 J. Wilson City of Plague i. iv. 186 The wounded soldier rests his head About to die upon the dead.
1871 S. Smiles Character iii. 74 A Catholic money-lender, when about to cheat, was wont to draw a veil over the picture of his favourite saint.
1911 J. Conrad Let. 4 Aug. (1956) 231 He was just about to go home to marry a girl..and bring her out there when his ship was run on a reef by the commander of a Dutch gun-boat.
1943 Illustr. London News 17 July 71 (caption) A paratroop about to land, with feet together and knees bent ready to take the shock.
2004 H. Kunzru Transmission (2005) 34 He..adjusted the spongy earphones with a kind of reverence, the attitude of a man about to commune with his innermost hopes and dreams.
B. prep.1In Old English with dative or accusative.
I. Expressing position.
1.
a. On every side of, all round, surrounding; on the outside or outer surface of. Also figurative.Now relatively unusual; the commoner prepositions are around and round.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > condition of being external > surrounding > round or around [preposition]
abouteOE
round1573
around1597
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xxi. 161 Suæ suæ se here sceolde bion getrymed onbutan Hierusalem.
OE Old Eng. Hexateuch: Exod. (Claud.) xix. 12 Drihten cymð..uppan Sinai munte & ðu tæcst Israhela folce gemæro abutan ðone munt [L. constituesque terminos populo per circuitum].
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1104 On þam Tiwæsdæge þæræfter ætywdan feower circulas to þam middæge onbutan þære sunnan.
?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1135 & uuard þe sunne suilc als it uuare thre niht ald mone, an sterres abuten him at middæi.
?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1137 Me dide cnotted strenges abuton here hæued.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 9230 Hiss girrdell wass off shepess skinn Abuttenn hise lendess.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) 648 He lette makien enne dic..abouten his ferde.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3455 Abute ðis munt ðu merke ma[k]e.
c1405 (c1387–95) G. Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 158 Of smal Coral aboute hir arm she bar A peyre of bedes.
a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iv. l. 869 Aboute here eyen two a purpre ryng.
c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 88 (MED) Circumstauncis..ben not of þe deedis substaunce..but þei about stonden þe deede.
1474–5 in H. J. F. Swayne Churchwardens' Accts. Sarum (1896) 19 (MED) The reparacion of the hongynge guttors of led a boughte the Churche.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms cxxxviii. 3 Thou art aboute my path and aboute my bedd.
1611 Bible (King James) Mark xii. 1 A certaine man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it. View more context for this quotation
1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. i. 18 Of equiangle triangles, the sides that are about equall angles are proportionall.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 477. ¶1 I have several Acres about my House, which I call my Garden.
1774 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 127/2 Mr. John Malcomb, an officer of the customs at Boston,..[was] led to the gallows with a rope about his neck.
1832 Ld. Tennyson Dream Fair Women xlviii, in Poems (new ed.) 134 The Roman soldier found Me lying dead, my crown about my brows.
1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country iv. 239 The balustrade About the tower.
1922 A. A. Milne Red House Myst. vi. 56 He looked up at the sun and then round the parkland stretching about the house.
1972 G. M. Brown Greenvoe (1976) v. 196 Behold the man had pennies for eyes and a gravecloth was tied about his jaw.
b. In every direction from, towards every side of. (Used chiefly in relation to sight, with verbs such as look, gaze, etc., having a personal pronoun as object co-referring with the subject.) Also figurative in phrases denoting mental searching or inquiry, such as to cast about one, etc.
ΚΠ
c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) l. 1081 (MED) He lokede him abute Wiþ his colmie snute.
c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) 126 (MED) Þe kyng..aboute him gan beholde.
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 197 (MED) He wakend & luke aboute hym who spakk, & he saw þe bak of a womman.
a1500 (?a1475) Guy of Warwick (Cambr. Ff.2.38) 493 (MED) Noþyng sawe þey þem abowte But salte watur.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Tobit xi. 5 The mother of Tobias sat daylie..vpon ye toppe of an hill, from whence she might se farre aboute her.
1607 S. Hieron Spirituall Tillage in Wks. (1620) I. 397 Many a coward layeth about him for a bout or two.
1665 Duke of Ormonde in 11th Rep. Royal Comm. Hist. MSS (1887) App. v. 13 It is well wee have time to looke about us before the next assault.
1712 J. Arbuthnot Law is Bottomless-pit xii. 21 John began to think it high time to look about him.
1768 J. Byron Narr. Patagonia 189 The centinel was taken off, and we were allowed to look about us a little.
1818 M. W. Shelley Frankenstein I. iv. 103 I hurried on with irregular steps, not daring to look about me.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xxiii. 194 So this Machiavellian captain of infantry cast about him for some..stratagem.
1895 S. Crane Red Badge of Courage iii. 39 He glared about him, expecting to see the stealthy approach of his death.
1935 I. Compton-Burnett House & its Head viii. 119 A tall, young woman came swiftly up the steps, and looked about her in an open, interested manner.
1995 K. Ishiguro Unconsoled xxxxiv. 491 Brodsky..went on smiling and gazing about him.
2. Accompanying, attending, serving; constantly in company with, habitually connected with. (Frequently used of servants, advisers, etc., in attendance on a lord or other important person.)
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > associate with [preposition]
aboutOE
along with?1566
OE West Saxon Gospels: Luke (Corpus Cambr.) xxii. 49 Ða gesawon þa ðe him abutan wæron [L. qui circa ipsum erant] þæt þær towerd wæs.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1100 Se cyng.., be þære ræde þe him abutan wæran, þone biscop Rannulf..let niman.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 5806 He sahh æness fowwre der..inn heffne. Abutenn drihhtin.
a1225 MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 55 (MED) Abuten us he [sc. Beelzebub] is for to blenchen.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 9581 (MED) Þe heyemen of þis lond vaste aboute him drou.
?a1425 (c1400) Mandeville's Trav. (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 159 (MED) Noman dar not come nygh the Chariot..but þo lordes only þat ben aboute him.
a1475 J. Fortescue Governance of Eng. (Laud) (1885) 153 (MED) Suche men as serue þe kyng abouute his person.
1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Bk. Knight of Tower (1971) lxii. 90 The fende, that euer incessauntly is aboute the synnar.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. xiv. 13 A certayne noble knightis..she kept styl about her.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 352 These seducers, which were about the king, thought they might haue good occasion to put the Duke of Gloucester..to death.
1602 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor ii. ii. 18 Hang no more about mee, I am no gybit for you.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) ii. i. 61 Beare the Boy hence, he shall not come about her. View more context for this quotation
1656 T. Blount Glossographia Soulack, an eminent Officer about the person of the Turkish Emperor.
a1716 O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. v. 46 They become ten times more uneasy to themselves than to those who are about them.
1761 F. Sheridan Mem. Miss Sidney Bidulph I. 396 I should not be fond of having a servant about me, by whom I should not be understood.
1837 J. H. Newman Parochial Serm. (ed. 3) I. xxv. 384 We get used to the things about us.
1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest II. ix. 365 The king was allowed to have about him his Norman stallers.
1886 R. Burton Arabian Nights xxxi I saw myself in a dream in a palace, with slave girls and Mamelukes about me and in attendance upon me.
1926 D. H. Lawrence David xii. 87 And she shall have her handmaidens about her.
1948 H. Bolitho Reign Queen Victoria 328 The Queen's most recent whim, to have Indian servants about her.
2004 H. Schutz Carolingians in Central Europe i. 34 He had nothing of his own but a poor estate with just a few servants about him.
3. In and around, in the vicinity of; in some part of, in various parts of.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > near to [preposition] > in the vicinity of
aboutOE
in the vicinage of1784
in the vicinity (of)1796
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scattered here and there in or on [preposition]
about1834
OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) xiii. 58 Heo [sc. ðeos þridde wyrt] bið cenned abuton dicum & on ealdum beorgum.
?a1200 (?OE) Peri Didaxeon (1896) 11 Ad parotidas, þæt ys to ðan sare, þe abutan sa earan [L. circa aurem] wycst.
c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) 1593 (MED) Hwanne oþre slepeþ hire abute.
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 2897 Þer nas so god kniȝt non nour [v.r. nower; B nowher] aboute france.
1389 in J. T. Smith & L. T. Smith Eng. Gilds (1870) 38 (MED) He shal han to Candils..brennyng abouten his corps.
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xvii. 56 (MED) As naked as a nedle, and none helpe aboute hym.
1470 J. Paston in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) I. 560 I wold..þat ye wer in London at þat season, or nye abowght London.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Chron. x. D In the nighte season also remayned they aboute the house of God.
1568 W. Turner Herbal iii. 2 The herbe groweth about ditches..and rinneth after the maner of a vyne alonge.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) ii. iv. 12 He is about the house. View more context for this quotation
1653 I. Walton Compl. Angler i. 20 Creatures inhabiting both in and about that element. View more context for this quotation
1716 Philos. Trans. 1714–16 (Royal Soc.) 29 364 All these Trifoliate Sumachs grow spontaneously about the fertile Cape of Good Hope.
1771 E. Ledwich Antiquitates Sarisburienses 7 Carausius was born of mean parentage about Cleves in Germany.
1834 Knickerbocker 3 81 The crew were disposed in various groups about the deck,..some with their clothes-bags beside them.
1880 E. Lynn Linton Rebel of Family II. xvi Squalid children played about the door and made their Tom Tiddler's ground of the steps and street.
1937 Discovery Apr. 120/2 Feverfew, commonly found about hedgebanks.
1996 J. Doran Red Doran 54 There were no tourists about the place except for the locals returning home on holiday from England or Scotland.
4. Chiefly with personal pronoun.
a. On or near (one's person); in (one's pockets, clothing, etc.); within reach of.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > nearness > near to [preposition] > on or near the person
abouta1375
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 1823 (MED) Oþer cherl oþer child..Þat beris out him a-boute, bred oþer drinke.
?a1565 tr. Albertus Magnus Bk. Secretes sig. Biiiv And if Children that breede their teeth, beare it aboute them, they shall breede them without paine.
1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest f. 12v It [sc. Kabiates] is thought being borne about one to make a man eloquent.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) i. i. 185 You haue not the booke of Riddles about you, haue you? View more context for this quotation
1637 J. Milton Comus 22 If you have this [herb] about you..You may Boldly assault the necromancers hall.
1655 T. Fuller Church-hist. Brit. xi. 218 Such..condemn him in keeping such a Diary about him in so dangerous days.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 220 I knew a Man who..kept about him an Antidote or Cordial, on purpose to take when he thought himself in any Danger.
1776 J. Hawkins Gen. Hist. Music IV. 521 At a concert he would say, ‘I have not about me a pitch pipe, but I have what will do well to tune by, a pitch fork.’
1801 J. Strutt Glig-gamena Angel-ðeod ii. iii. 86 When they had lost all they had about them, they would sometimes pledge a part of their wearing apparel.
1848 A. Brontë Tenant of Wildfell Hall II. iii. 45 He kept a private bottle of laudanum about him, which he was continually soaking at.
1893 A. Bierce Can Such Things Be? 243 I have a singular feeling toward this watch—a kind of affection for it; I like to have it about me.
1940 L. A. G. Strong Sun on Water 201 Secreted about her were various parcels of food.
1969 ‘M. Innes’ Family Affair x. 114 One can leave a visiting card (supposing one to have so archaic an object about one's person).
2004 H. Strachan Make Skyf, Man! viii. 84 The Kung Fu ninja artefacts he carries about his person.
b. figurative with reference to mental faculties, etc. about one: on the alert, in readiness for use. Now chiefly in to have one's wits about one.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > sharpness, shrewdness, insight > achieve understanding [phrase] > in readiness
about one1533
1533 T. More 2nd Pt. Confut. Tyndals Answere vii. p. ccclxxiii In the ende he gathereth a lytle his fyue wyttes well about hym, and expowneth there the wordes of ye pore Kentyshman whych I reherse in my dyaloge concernyng Sandwyche.
1565 T. Stapleton Disc. Doctr. Protestants in tr. F. Staphylus Apol. f. 206v Lo he stretcheth him selfe, and calleth his wittes aboute him, how he may defeat the real presence of Christes body and bloud.
1620 tr. G. Boccaccio Decameron II. viii. ix. f. 93v When you haue your best senses about you..then neuere feare to vrge your request.
1622 J. Mabbe tr. M. Alemán Rogue ii. 99 I had my wits about me; and a hand that was able to finde me worke.
1631 B. Jonson Divell is Asse ii. i, in Wks. II. 115 Be you sure, now, Yo' haue all your eyes about you.
1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 197 I used more Caution, and kept my Eyes more about me than I did before.
1747 Ld. Chesterfield Let. 30 Oct. (1932) (modernized text) III. 1048 Wherever you are, have (as the low vulgar expression is) your ears and your eyes about you.
1779 Mirror 20 Apr. 99 Things were not a bit mended by my wife's sollicitude (who, to do her justice, had all her eyes about her) to correct them.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas II. v. i. 266 Have all your wits about you,..you are nursing a viper in your bosom.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby lx. 590 You'll need all your senses about you, for a slip might be awkward.
1872 ‘M. Twain’ Roughing It lxv. 468 In hiring a horse from a Kanaka, you must have all your eyes about you, because..you are dealing with a shrewd unprincipled rascal.
1923 Times Lit. Suppl. 18 Jan. 33/2 We shall need to have our best wits about us if we are to avoid confusion.
1956 S. Beckett Malone Dies 97 The question might have arisen..as to whether he had all his wits about him.
2004 Global Nov.–Dec. 38/2 Don't hit the bottle too heavily..as you'll need your wits about you when you get back on the slopes the next day.
5. figurative. Attached to or connected with as an attribute, characteristic, or attendant circumstance.
ΚΠ
1550 T. Nicolls tr. Thucydides Hist. Peloponnesian War f. vliiiv Afterwardes he came vnto the kinge, and had more authoryte about him, than any of the Grekes, that euer came thider.
1605 Hist. Tryall Cheualry sig. C2 I scorne to humble the least part about me.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) ii. i. 151 His face is the worst thing about him. View more context for this quotation
1730 A. Gordon tr. F. S. Maffei Compl. Hist. Anc. Amphitheatres 347 The Facility of covering the Spectators with an Awning..was..not one of the least wonderful Things about the Building.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §254 Leaving every thing about the work, up to the entry door, ready to go to sea.
1859 J. M. Jephson & L. Reeve Narr. Walking Tour Brittany v. 56 There was a look about it..which seemed to me to be foreign.
1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest II. vii. 124 There must have been something specially hateful about this tax.
1932 World Today Feb. 261/1 The noisiest thing about this car was its speedometer, which maintained a noise something between a click and a swish.
1971 D. Du Maurier Don't look Now (U.S. ed.) 10 There was something uncanny about thought-reading, about telepathy.
1996 J. Updike In Beauty of Lilies 217 There was something delicious about her, something indoorsy and pampered.
II. Expressing actual or implied motion or direction.
6.
a. Round the outside of; round in a circuit or part of a circuit of.Now used chiefly in relation to orbital motion and the like (see sense B. 6b); in more general contexts, around and round are now the usual words.to beat about the bush: see beat v.1 26c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > [preposition] > round (the outside of)
aboutOE
OE Ælfric De Temporibus Anni (Cambr. Gg.3.28) iv. §27. 32 Nu miht ðu understandan, þæt læssan ymbgang hæfð se man þe gæð onbuton [OE Tiber. A.iii abutan] an hus, þonne se ðe ealle þa burh begæð.
OE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Tiber. B.i) anno 1013 On þissum ylcan geare..com Swegen cyning mid his flotan to Sandwic & wende þa swiðe raðe abutan Eastenglum into Humbra muþan.
?a1200 (?OE) Peri Didaxeon (1896) 9 Be þan manne, þat hym þing[þ], þæt hyt turnȝe abotan hys heafod.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 13008 Arður..þat treo bieorn abute.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 94 (MED) Þere walked he aboute þe walles.
c1430 (c1380) G. Chaucer Parl. Fowls (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1871) l. 80 Lykerous folk aftyr that they ben dede Schul whirle a-boute þere [sc. the earth] alwey in peyne.
?1530 J. Rastell Pastyme of People sig. *Biiv He rode about the castell to aduyse [i.e. observe] it.
1590 C. Marlowe Tamburlaine: 1st Pt. sig. Dv The Persean Fleete and men of war..Haue fetcht about the Indian continent.
1655 T. Stanley Hist. Philos. I. iii. 25 Pagondas,..sent two companies of horse secretly about the hill.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World ix. 257 They could not get about the Cape.
1855 J. McCosh Method Divine Govt. (ed. 4) iii. ii. 345 Like the moth fluttering about the light which is to consume it.
1892 R. L. Stevenson & L. Osbourne Wrecker iv. 55 I unveiled the Genius of Muskegon [sc. a statue]. The master walked about it seriously.
1954 D. Abse Ash on Young Man's Sleeve 74 He had the habit of twisting a lock of sandy hair about his index finger.
b. Esp. with reference to orbiting objects, wheels, etc.: in a strictly rotational movement around.
ΚΠ
c1300 St. Michael (Harl.) in T. Wright Pop. Treat. Sci. (1841) 132 (MED) Hevene goth aboute the wordle.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 105v Liche as a whiele meoueþ a boute þe axstre..a boute þat lyne al þe roundenes of heuene meoveþ I-liche swift.
a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) l. 7585 (MED) Þe erth þat þa hevens obout-gase Es bot als a poynt Imyddes a compase.
1594 T. Blundeville Exercises iii. i. ii. 280 A right imaginative line, called of the Astronomers the Axletree of the world, about the which the world continually turneth like a Cart-wheele.
1669 Philos. Trans. 1668 (Royal Soc.) 3 876 The Spindle made of the same Parabola by rotation about its Base.
1693 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. viii. 18 The Earth rowls once about its Axis in a natural day.
1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature v. 79 The revolution of a planet about the sun.
1785 F. Grose in Archaeologia (1787) 8 111 The rouelle, or wheel spur (so called from the revolution of the spicula about its axis).
1842 Penny Cycl. XXIII. 304/2 For the elliptic paraboloid, let a parabola revolve about its principal axis, and let the circular sections become ellipses.
1871 A. Cayley Coll. Math. Papers VIII. 25 The general Torus, or surface generated by the rotation of a conic about a fixed axis anywise situate.
1936 S. Glasstone Recent Adv. Gen. Chem. ii. 78 The free rotation of the methyl groups about the central carbon atom.
1992 S. P. Maran Astron. & Astrophysics Encycl. 369/1 Young O and B stars..are consistent with circular motion about the galactic center.
2006 P. Woit Not even Wrong iii. 49 If one performs two rotations about two different axes, the overall rotation one will get depends on the order of the two rotations.
7.
a. Round, over, or through all or any parts of; across or over in various directions; to and fro in.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > [preposition] > here and there in
throughOE
aboutc1390
thoroughc1450
athwartc1550
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scattered here and there in or on [preposition] > here and there in
abouta1535
OE Seven Sleepers (Julius) (1994) 41 Man axode on porte; ðær man gengde geond eall abutan þone port [scribe J3 portweall] man strutnode [read scrutnode] on ælcere stowe þær man æfre geaxian cuðe.
c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) l. 214 (MED) So schal þi name springe..& þi fairnesse Abute [c1300 Laud Þoruout] Westernesse.
a1325 (c1250) Gen. & Exod. (1968) l. 3678 It flogen longe and ðikke and wel Abuten ðe folc of ysrael.
c1390 Charter Abbey Holy Ghost (Laud) in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1895) I. 346 (MED) I schal..risen vp & wenden al abouȝten þe citee be weyes & be stretys.
a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (1987) iv. 242 Right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte.
a1438 Bk. Margery Kempe (1940) i. 79 (MED) Þis creatur toke a candel in hir hand & sowt al abowtyn hir bed.
a1500 (c1450) P. Idley Instr. to his Son (Arun.) (1935) ii. S. 204 (MED) Þei dauncyd abouȝt þe chyrch ȝerd.
a1535 T. More Treat. Passion in Wks. (1557) 1318/1 Do my message in preching my woorde aboute the worlde.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. i. sig. A4v That path they take, that beaten seemd most bare, And like to lead the labyrinth about.
c1605 Ratseis Ghost B 1 Players were never so thriftie as they are now about London.
1681 R. Knox Hist. Relation Ceylon iv. ix. 157 We shewed him..the Cotton Yarn which we had trucked about the Country.
1738 G. Smith Curious Relations II. v. 8 There are a great many Sea Shoals floating about the Sea.
1775 N. Cresswell Jrnl. 5 July (1925) 95 The rest plundered about the plantation and got some young cabbages.
1832 J. Pickering Inquiries of Emigrant 59 Thousands of long large flies, similar to the English dragon fly.., are flying about the fields.
1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood I. iv. 70 I was wandering about the place, making some acquaintance with it.
1935 J. Steinbeck Tortilla Flat vii. 93 Every day people saw him wheeling his barrow of pitchwood about the streets.
1954 G. Smith Flaw in Crystal ix. 81 Poncing about the place in those brothel-creepers of his!
1997 J. Ryan Dismantling Mr Doyle iii. 32 Star spent a great deal of time flying about the campus, meeting people.
b. Frequenting, mingling in the pursuits or society of. Now chiefly in about town (cf. town n. Phrases 5).
ΚΠ
1575 T. Churchyard 1st Pt. Chippes vii. f. 59 v A littell breath I toek than after this And shaept my self, about the Court to be.
1592 T. Nashe Pierce Penilesse (Brit. Libr. copy) sig. C3 v If hee haue playde the waste-good at the Innes of the Court or about London.
1593 T. Nashe Strange Newes 83 Since I first knew him about town.
1604 T. Middleton Ant & Nightingale sig. E4 Trulls passing too and fro in the wash-shape of Laundresses, as your Bawdes about London in the manner of Starch-women.
1665 S. Pepys Diary 23 July (1971) VI. 167 If he knew his son to be a debauch, as many and most are nowadayes about the Court, he would tell it.
1711 R. Steele Spectator No. 187. ⁋2 I know not whether you have ever heard of the famous girl about Town called Kitty.
1791 ‘G. Gambado’ Ann. Horsemanship xv. 60 A young Cockader, about town.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) x. 83 A perfect and celebrated ‘blood’, or dandy about town.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 153 Some Roman Catholics about the court had, indiscreetly or artfully, told all.
1873 A. Trollope Eustace Diamonds I. ix. 119 I believe she is the greatest liar about London.
1947 P. G. Wodehouse Full Moon i. 14 The latter's sister..considered that beau sabreur and man about town a blot on the escutcheon of a proud family.
2002 Diva Mar. 51/1 Whether she can keep her hands and eyes off some delectable diva about town.
III. Expressing approximation.
8. With times and dates: near, close to, at approximately; = around prep. 13. about time: see time n., int., and conj. Phrases 3a.In recent (esp. U.S.) use, perhaps interpreted as the adverb, with at or in understood.
ΚΠ
OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) cxl. 180 Þysse wyrte wyrttruman man sceal niman onbutan midne sumur.
OE tr. Defensor Liber Scintillarum (1969) ix. 94 Nullus desperare debet ueniam etiamsi circa finem uitae ad poenitentiam conuertatur : nan georwenan scyl forgyfenysse þeah þe he abutan ende lifes to dædbote si gecyrred.
?a1160 Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) (Peterborough contin.) anno 1140 Abuton nontid dæies þa men eten.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 16 Abute swuch time as me singeð measse.
a1350 in G. L. Brook Harley Lyrics (1968) 37 (MED) Þe sonnebeem aboute noon Me þohte þat y seȝe.
c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 1331 Thise lordes..to the Citee come Aboute pryme.
1417 Guildhall Let.-bk. in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 67 (MED) Aboute mydday was yolden vn-to vs the Castell of Touque.
c1450 King Ponthus (Digby) in Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. (1897) 12 27 (MED) Aboute the sonne rysyng, was grete crie..for aboute that tyme thre batells..were comyn to gedre.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1897–1973) 146 (MED) A starne thus, aboute mydnyght, so bright shynand.
?c1550 tr. P. Vergil Eng. Hist. (1846) I. i. 57 Cæsar..abowte the æquinoctiall time of harveste, retourned into Fraunce.
1577 M. Hanmer tr. Bp. Eusebius in Aunc. Eccl. Hist. vi. xlii. 118 About tenne of the clocke, when as they were some what tipsie and wel crommed with vitayles.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) v. i. 11 Bee you in the Parke about midnight. View more context for this quotation
1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso 426 About one a clock at night, forty Carts of Hay..were seen to enter the Royal Palace.
1703 London Gaz. No. 3968/1 The Privateer being light and clean, came up with her about 4 in the afternoon.
1756 E. Burke Vindic. Nat. Society 28 About this Time, another Torrent of Barbarians..poured out of the South.
1833 C. Redding Hist. Mod. Wines viii. 213 The non-importation of the pure wine took place about 1715.
1882 Daily News 22 Mar. 2/8 They returned to their quarters about three o'clock.
1940 T. W. Clarke Bloody Mohawk 36 The Iroquois, about 1660, turned their attention to the Andastes, or Susquehannocks of Pennsylvania and southern New York.
1964 J. Mitchell White Father x. 253 Well, this party's due to end about one, I think.
1993 Amer. Heritage Nov. 42/3 (advt.) The store introduced the polo coat about 1910.
9. With nouns of amount or quantity: near, close to, not much above or below; nearly, approximately. that's about the size of it: see size n.1 10f. The distinction between this prepositional use of about and the adverbial uses in sense A. III. has been slight in recent times. An expression such as this animal is about the size of a rat could be taken as containing the adverb, given that a quantitative noun phrase can appear as a complement without an introductory preposition (in, e.g., this animal is the size of a rat replacing earlier this animal is of the size of a rat), especially given that adverbial about can be introduced into a clause of the latter kind (e.g. this animal is of about the size of a rat).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > approximate quantity or amount > approximately (an amount) [preposition]
abouta1398
around1920
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > closeness to accuracy > around, about [preposition]
abouta1398
aside halfc1425
circa1861
around1869
circiter1888
round1901
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 308 Phisiciens assigneþ many oþer manere colours aboute white, as watry colour and mylky colour.
?c1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Paris) (1971) 624 (MED) Lye..is hote and drye aboute þe þridde degree [L. calida et sicca circa tertium] wiþ clensing.
1479 R. Cely Let. 14 June in Cely Lett. (1975) 52 Of ij salt salers of syluer of the weythe of x unse or xj, or there abode.
1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1928) xxxv. 181 And ryght anone I by me espyed On the rockes syde .xij. steppes full sure And than ryght fast I vpon theym hyed That we were bothe aboute one stature.
1558 W. Ward tr. G. Ruscelli Secretes Alexis of Piemount i. f. 15v Powre to it as muche white wine as will couer it all ouer, and adde to it of good oyle olyue aboute the height of two fyngers.
1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie ii. vi. 35 Cituated betweene the Iles of Samos and Lesbos, about the height of Erithase.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) iv. iv. 155 Sil. How tall was she? Jul. About my stature. View more context for this quotation
1699 W. Dampier Voy. & Descr. i. iv. 72 A fine Coat, or about 1000 Cash, as 'tis called, which is a summ about the value of a Dollar.
1743 G. Edwards Nat. Hist. Birds I. 41 The Cock Padda or Rice-Bird..is about the Size of a Green-Finch, or rather bigger.
1790 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 207/1 A girdle-buckle about the bigness of a crown-piece was also dug up.
1847 J. Craig New Universal Dict. Field-staff, a weapon carried by gunners, about the length of a halberd.
1889 A. B. Marshall Cookery Bk. xiv. 315 Make a choux pastry..and force it out from the bag..in shapes about the size of a small button mushroom.
1941 J. Agee & W. Evans Let us now praise Famous Men 130 It is about the temper of faucet water, and tastes slack and faintly sad, and as if just short of stale.
1972 J. Blish Star Trek 5 96 What could only be a robot: metallic, spherical, about the size of a beachball, studded with protuberances.
1998 New Scientist 2 May 23/4 The hypoglossal canal..is about the width of a pencil.
IV. Expressing relation or connection.
10.
a. Concerning, regarding, with regard to, in reference to; in the matter of. Frequently emphasized by preceding all.Now the regular preposition employed to define the subject matter of verbal or mental activity in a large number of verbal phrases such as to speak, think, ask, dream, hear about; to give orders, instructions, information about; to form plans, have doubts about.to be on about: see on adv. 11b. how about..?: see how int. 1. to know about: see to know about —— at know v. Phrasal verbs. what about it?: see what pron., adv., int., adj.1, conj., and n. Phrases 1g(a)(ii).
ΚΠ
OE Rule St. Benet (Tiber.) (1888) xxvii. 57 Omni sollicitudine curam gerat abbas circa delinquentes fratres : ealre hohfolnesse gymene do abutan [OE Corpus Cambr. embe] þa agiltendan broðra.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 255 Huhire stonde abuten flesches temptaciuns.
c1300 (?c1225) King Horn (Cambr.) (1901) l. 279 (MED) Abute [c1300 Laud abote, a1350 Harl. aboute] horn þe ȝonge To bure for to bringe, He þoȝte vpon his mode.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Wisd. xiv. 22 It suffisede not, them to han erred aboute the kunnyng of God.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 24795 Þe king..wit seand, For to spek a-bute [Gött. of] sum pais.
1423 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 160 (MED) Paide to þe same Carpenter for his labour abownten þe biynge of tymber and bordes.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) i. xx. 121 Defautis doon aboute ymagis & pilgrimagis ben myche liȝter & esier to be amendid.
1486 in M. Oppenheim Naval Accts. & Inventories Henry VII (1896) 23 Paid..to John Haster..for his costes..attending about the bringing of the same ship into her dokke.
1505 F. Marsin et al. Rep. Ferdinand of Arragon in J. Gairdner Historia Regis Henrici Septimi (1858) 251 The Kynge hymselfe sitithe in cownsaile with hys lords abowte the performacion of the quynes wille.
1556 N. Grimald tr. Cicero Thre Bks. Duties i. f. 16v When he was sent to Rome, aboute the enterchaunging of prisoners.
1565 A. Golding tr. Caesar Martiall Exploytes in Gallia vi. f. 155 The Druides are occupied about holy things.
1574 tr. A. Marlorat Apocalips 66 Under Sergius the Vice-president of Asia..ther arose a great strife..about the keeping of the Easter.
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice i. iii. 106 In the Ryalto you haue rated me About my moneyes and my vsances. View more context for this quotation
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre ii. xxxv. 89 Two great Lords..fell out about the Sultanie or Vice-royship of that land.
1711 J. Swift Let. 16 Jan. (1768) IV. 196 Bid him tell you all about the bottle of palsey water by Smyth.
1744 J. Bartram Let. 1 Sept. in Corr. (1992) 244 I..am very thankful for thy information about ye Stewartia & Smiths magnolia.
1801 M. Edgeworth Belinda I. xii. 355 He recollected that the man who came about the burgundy was waiting for him.
1825 H. Wilson Mem. I. i. 22 Some day, perhaps soon, you shall know all about me.
1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 450/3 A galaxy of able writers will teach us all about babies.
1899 A. Skeel & W. H. Brearley King Washington 122 I cannot explain about the robbery in your father's garden without disloyalty to my duty.
1906 C. Fitch Plays II. i. 513 I suppose Mason came about the will and your father's affairs?
1943 L. I. Wilder These Happy Golden Years xxi. 192 Neither of you need worry about the dishes... I'll wash and Grace will wipe.
1974 I. Murdoch Sacred & Profane Love Machine 58 He had certainly no pre-conceived theory about the sort of woman he might marry.
2002 R. Mistry Family Matters (2003) vii. 142 He heard all about his clients' lives: the birth of a child; a family quarrel about money; a wife left behind in the village; [etc.].
b. Following adjectives expressing mental or emotional states. With many words, replacing earlier of: cf. of prep. 38.cracked, crazy, happy, mad about, etc.: see the first element.
ΚΠ
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 8062 Uss birrþ beon full hoȝhefull Abutenn ure sawless.
a1225 ( Rule St. Benet (Winteney) (1888) 67 Hu gleaw and carafull sceall beon seo abbodesse abuten [OE Corpus Cambr. ymbe; L. circa] þa amansumadan.
1615 G. Sandys Relation of Journey iii. 206 The two brethren grew..dissentious about the deuision of their purchases.
1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 149 Not very inquisitiue about forreigne affaires.
1676 J. Glanvill Seasonable Refl. 31 'Tis equally absurd to be sportive about affairs that are serious.
1706 tr. L. E. Du Pin New Eccl. Hist. 16th Cent. II. v. 43 Cassander is much perplexed about the Office of Prime, how to reconcile it with the ancient Lauds.
1742 D. Hume Ess. Moral & Polit. II. ix. 173 Shall we be indifferent about what happens?
1744 T. Birch Life R. Boyle 296 It was not uncustomary for any one of the hearers, who was unsatisfied about any matter then uttered, to give in his objections.
1819 Ld. Byron Don Juan: Canto I cxxi. 63 'Twas in November, but I'm not so sure About the day—the era's more obscure.
1855 E. E. Stuart Let. 15 Oct. in R. Stuart et al. Stuart Lett. (1961) II. 703 I am exceedingly sorry about the silly spat between Miss Coxe & Mary.
1871 D. G. Rossetti Let. 4 Aug. (1967) III. 966 I (like most artists) am quite ignorant about picture cleaning.
1919 H. Crane Let. 13 Dec. (1965) 27 I am thoroughly confident about the thing itself.
1925 Woman's World (Chicago) Apr. 27/3 (advt.) It is true, Madame, women put their birthdays on their backs when they become careless about their figures.
1995 M. Coren Conan Doyle (1996) iv. 86 He was untidy, often forgetful about his dress and sometimes ill-prepared as a lecturer.
2004 H. Kunzru Transmission (2005) 139 Increasingly self-conscious about the foppishness of his gestures.
c. to be (all) about: (a) to have as subject matter, to be concerned with; (b) to consist of essentially, to have as point or purpose; that is what it is all about: that is the reality of a particular situation or of life in general; (c) to be principally concerned with; to be in favour of or fond of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > faculty of ideation > topic, subject-matter > be occupied with a topic [verb (intransitive)]
to be abouta1400
to run on ——a1400
to run upon ——c1443
to speak unto ——1639
to roll upon ——1702
to roll on ——1763
the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > support > support or backing > support, side with, or back [verb (transitive)]
werea1300
to be abouta1400
support?a1439
to go with ——a1475
outbear1530
follow1548
subscribe1560
second1596
suffrage1614
to wait on ——1639
subjoin1810
suffrage1838
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 7080 And al þe enchesun of þis strijf, was about [Vesp. for] rauysching of a wijf.
1523 Queen Margaret of Scotl. in M. A. E. Wood Lett. Royal & Illustrious Ladies (1846) I. 301 The cause of this is about the benefices, for the governor hath named them to sundry persons, but he..holdeth them in his hands.
1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 935 The greatest..difference that fell out betwene them, was about the outlawing of Cicero.
1608 R. West Wits A.B.C. B3v And yet the cause as Fame the newes doth bring, Is all about a very little thing.
1676 E. Stillingfleet & Bp. G. Burnet Relation Conf. Relig. 82 That whole dispute, as he represents it, was all about Inferences and Deductions from Scripture.
1724 D. Defoe Fortunate Mistress 343 She..singl'd out my Friend the Quaker, and chatted with her on several things; but I observ'd too, that it was all about indifferent Matters.
1764 A. Murphy What we must all come To ii. 37 What do you think it was all about—ha! ha!—the whole secret is come out, ha! ha!—It was all about a game of cards—ha! ha!
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxxvii. 361 Mrs. Nickleby had entertained Smike with a genealogical account of her family by the mother's side..and Smike had sat wondering what it was all about.
1895 W. Carleton Rhymes of our Planet 55 I could see her mind revolving in the realms of faith and doubt; And the problem she was solving, what this world is all about.
1937 P. Tomlin Love Bug will bite You (song) 2 That's what love is all about.
1962 Listener 20 Dec. 1046/2 This immense transition—from being a slave to being a friend—is what Christianity is all about.
1980 ‘Sugarhill Gang’ 8th Wonder (song) Ya see I'm all about makin that cold cold cash.
1984 A. Brookner Hotel du Lac 166 They like the feeling that they have had to fight other men for possession. That is what it is all about, really.
2006 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 3 Aug. d6/4 This hotel is about eccentricity and the unorthodox.
d. Of a discourse, text, film, etc.: on the subject of, dealing with. (Formerly used in titles and headings.) Cf. on prep. 25c. In modern use, about tends to suggest general or casual treatment of a subject, whereas on tends to suggest more detailed or scholarly treatment.
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a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) II. 315 About the sufferring of ane day of law anens the clairk of Sanctandros.
1599 in T. Fowler Hist. Corpus Christi Coll. (1893) 351 About the pitching of fines..and grants of copyhold land.
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 236 Our discourse is not about ordinary workmen, but wee doe rather speake of such men as are Painters indeed, that is, men of excellent wittes and great.
1699 R. Bentley Diss. Epist. Phalaris (new ed.) Pref. p. lxiv He insinuates a blind story about something and some body.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones VI. xvi. iv. 36 He ran on a long, unintelligible Story about his Wife. View more context for this quotation
1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl V. iv. 104 He will yaw a parcel of nonsense about jukes and lords.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xiv. 118 She told many a good story about Miss Crawley's illness in after days.
1891 W. Morris News from Nowhere iii. 20 Also I am writing a sort of antiquarian book about the peaceable and private history, so to say, of the end of the nineteenth century.
1940 E. Pound Let. 18 Jan. (1971) 334 I have now the text of Erigena, and if I could get hold of the recent publications about him, I could write quite a chunk.
1964 P. White Let. 14 Dec. (1994) ix. 275 I tried to write a book about saints, but saints are few and far between.
1992 N.Y. Times 18 Feb. c13/1 It is the most searing film about Hollywood in years.
e. Betting (chiefly British). With a specific or general statement of the odds available: in regard to the victory of (a particular horse, team, etc.), or the occurrence of (a certain event); as the odds for. Cf. on prep. 17b.
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1833 New Sporting Mag. Mar. 380/1 The same noble lord that took the odds about Prince Llewellyn, backed him [sc. the Duke of Rutland's colt] 18 to 1.
1880 Times 30 Apr. 6/3 At first even money was betted on Flotsam, 2 to 1 taken about Frivola, and 5 to 1 about Aristocrat.
1919 W. A. Fraser Bulldog Carney iii. 145 Almost like an equine statue stood Waster, so still, so sleepy-like, that those who had taken long odds about him felt a depression.
1987 Racing Ahead Mar.–Apr. 18/1 Early-comers had 100-8 about this French-trained seven-year-old.
1998 Odds On June 3/1 Royal Ascot, where we'd be in line to get a decent price about him.
2007 Guardian (Nexis) 18 May (Sport section) 7 Both sides can be backed at 9-1..to win in extra-time while Totesport offer 10-1 about either team winning on penalties.
11.
a. Occupied with, attending to; dealing with; interfering or meddling in; attempting; cf. sense A. 11a. Now chiefly in phrases: see note below.about one's business: see business n. Phrases 4. to go about something: see to go about at go v. Phrasal verbs 1. to know what one is about: to be fully aware of what one is doing, to be acting deliberately. while one is about it: while one is doing something already undertaken, so as to save time or effort or as a useful addition.In quot. c1225, busy about is transitional in sense, meaning both ‘busy round’ and ‘busy in attending to’.
ΚΠ
a1225 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Lamb.) l. 267 in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 175 (MED) Þa þe weren eure abuten þisse worldes echte.
c1225 (?c1200) St. Margaret (Bodl.) (1934) 36 (MED) Ich am..in hare beddes se bisi ham a-buten, þet summes-weis ha schulen ham sclepinde sulen.
c1300 (c1250) Floris & Blauncheflur (Cambr.) (1966) l. 210 Þu ert abute [a1400 Egerton þow desirest] þin oȝe deþ.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 6555 (MED) I haue a-bute your errand ben.
c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women 1612 This thyng the whiche ye ben aboute.
c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 23 (MED) Þe souereynes of þe kirke howun not to curse for temporal þingis, ne bisy a bowt hem.
a1500 (a1450) Generides (Trin. Cambr.) 1173 (MED) This ij yere we haue ben it abought.
a1593 C. Marlowe Tragicall Hist. Faustus (1604) sig. D3 Keepe out, for I am about a roaring peece of worke.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) iv. iv. 679 The Prince himselfe is about a peece of Iniquitie. View more context for this quotation
1663 S. Pepys Diary 2 Sept. (1970) IV. 295 The building of St. James's by my Lord St. Albans, which he is now about.
1669 J. Flavell Husbandry Spiritualized i. i. 20 Even when he is about his work, how many set-backs doth he meet with?
1701 J. Norris Ess. Ideal World I. i. 21 A finite intelligence..may sometimes..think of somewhat else than what he is doing, so as to be said in a manner not to mind what he is about.
1751 J. Harris Hermes iii. iv. 376 These Machines..must be the Work of one, who knew what he was about.
1819 M. Baillie First Impressions on Tour upon Continent 80 I may as well indulge myself in a few more desultory remarks while I am about it.
1848 A. Trollope Kellys & O'Kellys I. i. 15 He knows what he's about, and isn't the man to thrust a Protesthant half as far as he'd see him.
1873 C. G. Leland Egyptian Sketch-bk. 176 I like a man to tell a rouser while he is about it.
1884 ‘M. Twain’ Adventures Huckleberry Finn xlii. 427 They slipped up on him and grabbed him and tied him before he knowed what he was about.
1908 W. Churchill Mr. Crewe's Career vii. 88 ‘I ain't got anything again' 'em,’ Mr. Ball agreed quickly. ‘I guess they know what they're about.’
1932 A. J. Worrall Eng. Idioms ix. 71 I like to see a man get about his work without fuss.
1938 ‘J. Bell’ Port of London Murders x. 180 You mind what you're about. I'm not going to life-save you a second time.
1952 T. Armstrong Adam Brunskill vii. 213 While I'm about it I reckon I might as well have three or four suits, Mr. Trotter.
1977 B. Head Collector of Treasures 41 Well, I must be getting about my business.
1995 C. Bateman Divorcing Jack xxiv. 205 You don't wander into the Congo without knowing what you're about.
2004 H. Strachan Make Skyf, Man! xxii. 254 While I'm about it I get a tube of fruitgums too.
b. long (also slow, quick, etc.) about something: long (or slow, quick, etc.) in the performance or execution of something.
ΚΠ
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) i. i. 125 Men. I will tell you, If you'l bestow a small (of what you haue little) Patience awhile; you'st heare the Bellies answer. 2 Cit. Y'are long about it. View more context for this quotation
1683 T. Tryon Way to Health iv. 121 No Baker can preserve the pure white colour in his fine small Bread, if he be not quick about it.
1745 B. Franklin Let. 17 Aug. in Writings (1987) 429 As I write in the market, [the letter] will, I believe, be but a short one, tho' I may be long about it.
1843 C. Dickens Christmas Carol i. 32 ‘You must have been very slow about it, Jacob.’.. ‘Slow!’ the Ghost repeated. ‘Seven years dead,’ mused Scrooge. ‘And travelling all the time?’
1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood I. iv. 73 Whoever made it has taken long enough about it.
1932 W. Faulkner Light in August xv. 328 ‘Are they going to wait on Jefferson?’.. ‘Well, if Jefferson ain't too long about it.’
1984 A. Smith in G. Ursell More Saskatchewan Gold i. ii. 28 As for you Miss Mary Contrary, if you want a glass of milk and some Kuchen before you go to bed you'd better be real quick about it.
2007 Sun Jrnl. (N. Carolina) (Nexis) 12 Oct. The important thing for a husband to remember is to do what she asks you to do and don't be slow about it. You'll avoid a lot of trouble that way.
†c. With verbal noun: on the point of (doing something). Cf. senses A. 11a, A. 12. Obsolete.
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a1646 J. Burroughes Expos. upon 8th, 9th & 10th Chapters Hosea (1650) 253 And if it be so woful a thing when God departs, truly then when God is about departing we had need cry mightily to him, both for Kingdoms and particular souls.
1683 tr. Eusebius Life Constantine ii. v, in tr. Eusebius Hist. Church 553/1 When he was just about beginning a fight, he called together the choicest of his Protectors..into a certain place which by them was accounted sacred.
1717 C. Cibber Nonjuror i. 1 I was about buying a pad-nag for your sister.
1787 J. Adams Wks. (1854) IX. 552 I was told by a bookseller that he was about getting it translated into Dutch.
1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §254 The season we were then about concluding.
1849 H. Melville Redburn xiv. 93 As I was about leaving the forecastle, I happened to look at my hands.
1865 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia VI. xx. x. 234 England seems about deserting him.
1897 B. Stoker Dracula xxvii. 377 In the cold hour the fire began to die, and I was about stepping forth to replenish it.
†12. On account of, because of. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > causation > cause or reason > [preposition] > because of
throughOE
thoroughOE
ofc1175
fornec1440
seen1485
about1600
froma1616
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 2 v. i. 21 Do you meane to stop any of Williams wages, about the sacke he lost? View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) iv. i. 4 He is very couragious mad, about his throwing into the water. View more context for this quotation
†C. adj.
Not straightforward, circuitous; = roundabout adj. 2. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > [adjective] > indirect
abouta1460
indirect1474
devious1628
far-fetcheda1656
roundabout1684
circumflex1707
ungain1824
circuitous1868
a1460 tr. Dicts & Sayings Philosophers (Helm.) (1999) 87 (MED) Loke thu kepe the highe waye, though so be that it be aboute.
1626 F. Bacon Sylva Sylvarum (1650) §328. 73 The sure way (though most about) to make gold.
1631 J. Mabbe tr. F. de Rojas Spanish Bawd 195 Though it be somewhat about, yet it is the more private way.
1638 W. Rawley tr. F. Bacon Hist. Nat. & Exper. Life & Death 414 The Operation..is Slow, and, as it were, about.
1671 R. Head & F. Kirkman Eng. Rogue III. xix. 284 To the end they might not be stop'd by any Watch, they agreed to go a back-way, which was somewhat about; this they pretended was the reason of their going that way.
1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison II. xix. 204 As a man would do, who finding himself unable to pursue his journey by one road..takes another, which, tho' a little about, carries him home in safety.
1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VII. ii. 10 The road by Lisle and Arras..is the most about—but most interesting, and instructing.
†D. int.
As an injunction: ‘to work!’; ‘get busy!’ Obsolete.
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1604 W. Shakespeare Hamlet ii. ii. 590 Fie vppont, foh. About my braines.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) v. v. 54 About, about: Search Windsor Castle (Elues) within, and out. View more context for this quotation

Phrases

P1. much about: very nearly, almost exactly; very near. Now rare.about here is used chiefly as a preposition, but occasionally as an adverb: cf. Branches A. III., B. III.
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1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus Apophthegmes f. 248v The thousande pieces wer muche about the summe of twentie nobles sterlynges.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard III v. v. 23 Thomas the Earle of Surrey and himselfe, Much about cockshut time..Went through the army cheering vp the soldiors. View more context for this quotation
1614 T. Overbury et al. Characters in Wife now Widdow sig. F2v His life is for ease and leisure much about gentleman-like.
1698 tr. L. Hennepin New Discov. in Amer. xxxv. 141 The Miamis arriv'd much about that time.
1713 W. Taverner Female Advocates iv. ii. 46 Sir Charles Transfer and her Ladyship will be made one, in—let me see, how long—'Sdeath, I believe it is much about done already.
1768 O. Goldsmith Good Natur'd Man iii. 41 He's much about my size and figure.
1817 J. Austen Let. 25 Mar. (1995) 337 She expects much about this day three weeks, & is generally very exact.
1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations II. ii. 21 ‘That makes it worse.’ ‘You think so?’ returned Mr Wemmick. ‘Much about the same, I should say.’
1910 A. Bennett Clayhanger in Clayhanger Family (1925) iii. i. 325 ‘Oh!’ he answered soothingly, and yet with condescension, ‘it's much about what everybody expected.’
2000 Statesman (India) (Nexis) 27 Dec. The texture of the paper on which the journal appears is also much about the same as a Bank of England note.
P2. to do (something) about: (with what or indefinite pronoun as object) to take action in order to resolve a difficulty presented by (a person or thing).
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a1646 J. Burroughes Saints Treasury (1654) 119 What hast thou done about those things that are of such infinite weight and consequence?
1666 S. Pepys Diary 27 Aug. (1972) VII. 262 Sir G. Carteret..tells me what is done about my Lord's pardon.
1710 J. Swift Let. 28 Nov. in Wks. (1763) XI. 50 If there be any Thing to be done about expediting the Forms, wherein my Service can be of Use.
1722 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 32 16 I was then put to it what to do about the stump of the os humeri.
1845 B. Disraeli Sybil I. i. ii. 12 ‘Will any one do anything about Hybiscus?’ sang out a gentleman in the ring at Epsom.
1856 E. E. Stuart Let. 26 Sept. in R. Stuart et al. Stuart Lett. (1961) II. 745 I am troubled about the Frazer Deed—What can I do about it?
1927 V. Sackville-West Let. 25 Feb. in Lett. to V. Woolf (1984) 159 Do let us try to do something about these young men.
1972 M. Kline Math. Thought xli. 1002 Zermelo took up the problem of what to do about the comparison of the cardinal numbers of sets that are not well-ordered.
2006 E. Darwin Math. of Love iii. ii. 227 And him not able to do a thing about it.
P3. colloquial (now chiefly Scottish). that's all about it: ‘that is all there is to be said’; ‘there's an end of the matter’.
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1813 D. W. Paynter Godfrey Ranger I. v. 94 He seed these two devilkins, and somebody like your son..going through his fields with something like the things that is missing; and so that's all about it.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist I. xiii. 197 ‘Why, the traps have got him, and that's all about it,’ said the Dodger sullenly.
1934 ‘L. G. Gibbon’ in Scots Quair (1995) iv. 188 I want a change. So I've ta'en on the job of ship's carpenter, on the Vulture, bound for Newfoundland. That's all about it.
2001 J. Boyle Galloway Street 58 She has to learn to do what she's told and that's all about it. It'll teach her a lesson.
P4. colloquial. to be about it: to be more or less correct; to be adequate. Chiefly in that is about it: the matter, task, account, etc., is more or less finished or complete; ‘there is little more to say’. Cf. that's it at it pron., adj., and n.1 Phrases 2c.Usually with stress on it.
ΚΠ
1834 W. Cobbett To Lord Radnor in Select. Cobbett's Polit. Wks. VI. 761 There, my lord, that's about it.
1850 W. M. Thackeray Pendennis II. xx. 194 Eighteen hundred a-year in land, and twenty-two thousand five hundred in the Three-and-a-half per Cents.; that's about it.
1889 ‘M. Twain’ Connecticut Yankee xxxiv. 443 ‘They reason that we were advantaged by no parlous start of them, and being on foot are as yet no mighty way from where we took the water.’ ‘Yes, sire, that is about it, I am afraid, though I was hoping better things.’
1952 A. Wilson Hemlock & After i. iv. 74 ‘If I'm tired, I'm rather happy too, my dear.’ Rather happy was about it, he thought.
1963 T. Parker Unknown Citizen v. 120 You give your missus so much money a week, you knock a few kids out of her, and that's about it, really.
1981 T. C. Boyle Water Music (1983) i. 22 A goat-hair tent, a change of juddah, a pot, a cookstove, a leaky hookah and a blunt-edged saber..—that's about it.
2006 Arena Oct. 185/3 Over the last 40 years the ‘Jam Tarts’ have won the Scottish Cup in 1998, and, well, that's about it.
†P5. about and about: very nearly the same; very much alike. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1867 Congress. Globe 8 Jan. 331/2 Men were created equal. That is, at the very outstart the cytoblast, the primal cell,..was about and about.

Compounds

With to followed by an infinitive, with the sense ‘soon to perform the action indicated by the infinitive’ (esp. (in about-to-be followed by a past participle) in passive sense ‘soon to undergo the action indicated by the infinitive’).
C1. Forming a noun phrase. With the.
ΚΠ
1800 G. Bennet Olam Haneshamoth iv. 75 The Was, the Is, and the About-to-come.
1854 Putnam's Monthly Dec. 609/1 ‘Future’, again, is the about to be.
1893 R. Kipling Bridge-Builders in Illustr. London News Christmas 3/1 ‘My honour is the honour of this bridge,’ he would say to the about-to-be-dismissed.
1922 Times 27 Dec. 11/5 The despairing crowd of the about-to-be-labelled.
2000 G. Lloyd in C. Mackenzie & N. Stoljar Relational Autonomy v. 117 The ties of companionship and loyalty that bind him to the dead and to the about-to-die.
C2. Forming an attributive phrase. Cf. soon-to-be at soon adv. Compounds, never adv. and int. Compounds 1a.
ΚΠ
1803 J. Bentham Plea for Const. §6. 21 In a new planted or about to be planted colony.
a1834 S. T. Coleridge Lit. Remains (1836) I. 342 Between the destroyed and the about-to-be renovated world.
1836 Times 20 Dec. 3/5 The about-to-retire member for East Cornwall.
1883 Atlantic Monthly Sept. 297/2 ‘Curious is it,’ said the count, ‘that you and the about-to-make-his-appearance tenor should the same name have.’
1922 G. Overton When Winter comes to Main St. iii. 59 As stated, the crew in the about-to-collapse boat was Stewart Edward White.
1966 T. Pynchon Crying of Lot 49 iii. 57 Metzger handed Oedipa aboard the about-to-be-hijacked vessel.
1991 She May 84/1 Together we mapped out the liberated relationships with men we'd have in an about-to-dawn New Age.
2002 P. Augar & J. Palmer Rise Player Manager ii. 13 The about-to-be privatized public utilities.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

† aboutprep.2conj.

Forms:

α. late Old English–early Middle English abuten, early Middle English abuton.

β. early Middle English abute.

γ. early Middle English ofbute.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: a- prefix3, but prep.
Etymology: < a- prefix3 + but prep., perhaps influenced in form by about prep.1With use as conjunction compare but conj. 8a. Sometimes difficult to distinguish from phrases containing ā o adv. followed by but prep., e.g. Old English ā būtan ende ever without end, for ever and ever, and its early Middle English reflexes. The γ. forms apparently show reanalysis of the prefix as a reduced form of of- prefix (compare a- prefix4).
Obsolete.
A. prep.2
Without. Cf. but prep. 2.
ΚΠ
lOE tr. Alcuin De Virtutibus et Vitiis (Vesp.) in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 96 On ælcen deme sceal beon æigðer gea mildheortnysse, gea wraca, for þan þe heora naðer ne mæig beon wel abuten [c1175 Cambr. butan; L. sine] oðren.
lOE Ælfric Homily: De Duodecim Abusivis (Vesp. D.xiv) in R. D.-N. Warner Early Eng. Homilies (1917) 16 Þurhwunigeð on steora, & gewitodlice byð swylce forligeres, gyf ge libbeð abuten [OE Corpus Cambr. 178 butan, a1225 Lamb. butan] steore.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 7 (MED) Witeð ge awariede gastes into þat eche fir on helle and wunieð þar o and o, abuten ende.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 173 (MED) And swilch hem shal leste al þe endelese dai þat is afre abuten ende.
a1225 ( Rule St. Benet (Winteney) (1888) ix. 43 Þonne Uenite exultemus domino mid antæfne odðo abuton antæfne if [read is] to singenne.
1258 Proclam. Henry III (Bodl.) in Trans. Philol. Soc. 1880–1 (1883) *173 We willen..þet þet vre redesmen..schullen don in þe worþnesse of god and on vre treowþe..beo stedefest and lestinde in alle þinge abuten ende.
a1300 ( Declaration of Indulgences, Crediton, Devon in Britannica: M. Förster zum Sechzigsten Geburtstage (1929) 115 And þar hich beȝeth of souentine archebischobes to þousent daȝes to ȝiuenisse of hure sinna [for] alle þane ministre Criditones aȝinneras an[d] godieras of bute hende heuereche day tocomende.
B. conj.
If not, unless. Cf. but conj. 8a. rare.
ΚΠ
a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1868) 1st Ser. 23 He..wunet þer-on abute þu hit bete.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
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v.11694v.21725adv.prep.1adj.int.eOEprep.2conj.lOE
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