About | Mean of about in English Dictionary

/əˈbaʊt/

• almost or nearly
1. We're about ready to go.
2. I'm about starved.
3. Are you about finished?
4. This one is about as bad as that one.
5. That's about all I know at this point.
6. It's about time to go.
7. That's about all the time we have.
8. We tried just about everything we could think of.
9. “Is there anything else to do?” “No, that's about it/all.” [=that's it/all; there is nothing else to do]
• very close to doing something
1. He is about to leave. [=he will be leaving very soon]
2. We're about to join our friends for dinner.
3. Their daughter is about to graduate from college.
4. I'm not about to quit. [=I am not going to quit; I will not quit]
• in many different directions
1. They wandered about [=around] for several hours.

• in many different places
1. People were standing about [=around], talking quietly in small groups.
2. His tools were scattered about [=around] carelessly.
• in or near a particular area or place
1. There was no one about. [=there was no one around; there was no one there]
• in the opposite direction
1. turn about [=(more commonly) around]
2. The captain ordered us to bring the ship about.
• as part of (someone or something)
1. There is a mature wisdom about her. [=she has a quality of mature wisdom]
2. What was the most exciting thing about your vacation? [=what part of your vacation was most exciting?]
3. There's something weird about that guy. [=that guy is weird]
• near or not far from (something) in time
1. a night about [=around] midsummer
• in the area near to (something or someone)
1. Fish are abundant about [=around] the reefs.
• over or in different parts of (a place)
1. He traveled all about [=around] the country.
2. He's a well-known figure about [=around, throughout] the town.
• on every side of (something or someone)
1. A crowd gathered about [=around] him.
2. They wrapped the blanket about [=around] her.
• in the act or process of doing (something)
1. Do it well while you're about it. [=while you're at it]
2. He seems to know what he's about. [=to know what he's doing]