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a·bout [ ə bówt ] CORE MEANING: a grammatical word that refers to different sides or aspects of something from some point of orientation
  (prep) a book about a dog |
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1. preposition in connection with: in connection with or relating to
think about problems
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2. preposition approximately: close to in number, time, or degree
inviting about fifteen people
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3. preposition doing or attending to: with or in an activity
go about your business
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4. preposition U.K. at hand: somewhere in a place or on a person
I don't have any cash about me.
She must be about. I saw her a minute ago.
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5. adverb all around: on every side of or all the way around
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6. adverb adds emphasis: used to emphasize a statement, usually when expressing impatience or anger
(
informal
)
Well, it's about time you showed up!
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7. adverb sailing to opposite tack: on or to the opposite tack
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8. preposition U.K.
Same as around (sense 5) (sense 11) (sense 13) (sense 14)
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| [ Old English onbūtan "on or around the outside of" < on (see on) + būtan (see but)] |
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be about to have something as an essential characteristic or be fundamentally equivalent to something
Being successful is all about energy, drive, and commitment.
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be about to to be on the point of doing something
The game was about to start.
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be what something or somebody is (all) about to be what something or somebody involves or has as a purpose (informal)
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not about to used to emphasize that somebody is certainly not going to do something (informal)
I'm not about to apologize!
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