about

¹about

adv \ə-ˈbau̇t\

Definition of ABOUT

1

a : reasonably close to <about a year ago> b : almost <about starved> c : on the verge of —usually used with be and a following infinitive <is about to join the army> —used with a negative to express intention or determination <not about to quit>

2

: on all sides : around

3

a : in rotation b : around the outside

4

: here and there

5

: in the vicinity : near

6

: in the opposite direction <face about> <the other way about>

Examples of ABOUT

1. We're about ready to go.
2. This one is about as bad as that one.
3. That's about all I know at this point.
4. It's about time to go.
5. That's about all the time we have.
6. We tried just about everything we could think of.

Origin of ABOUT

Middle English, from Old English abūtan, from ¹a- + būtan outside — more at but

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to ABOUT

Synonyms: around, round

Antonyms: exactly, precisely

Related Words: all over, everyplace, everywhere; abroad, afloat, hereabouts (or hereabout)

Near Antonyms: clockwise, deasil

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Rhymes with ABOUT

ablaut, act out, all-out, back out, bailout, bail out, bat out, bawl out, bear out, beat out, blackout, black out, blissed-out, blot out, blowout, bombed-out, bow out, Boy Scout, breakout, break out, breechclout, bring out, brook trout, brownout, brown trout, bugout, bug out, burned-out, burnout, burn out, butt out, buyout, buy out, call out, campout, cash out, cast out, catch out, checkout, check out, chill out, churn out, clapped-out, clear out, closeout, come out, cookout, cop-out, cop out, crank out, Cub Scout, cutout, cut out, devout, die out, dig out, dimout, dine out, dishclout, dish out, dole out, downspout, draw out, dropout, drop out, dry out, dugout, eelpout, eke out, en route, fade-out, fake out, fallout, fall out, farm out, far-out, fill out, find out, fink out, fish out, flake out, flameout, flame out, flat-out, flunk out, foldout, force-out, foul out, freak-out, freaked-out, freeze out, full-out, get out, Girl Scout, give out, go out, grind out, gross-out, gross out, groundout, handout, hand out, hangout, hideout, holdout, hold out, horned pout, ice-out, iron out, kick out, knock out, lake trout, layout, lay out, leg out, let out, light out, lights-out, line out, lockout, lock out, lookout, look out, lose out, mahout, make out, max out, misdoubt, miss out, no doubt, nose out, opt out, pan out, pass out, payout, phaseout, phase out, pick out, pig out, pitchout, played out, play out, printout, print out, prove out, psych-out, pullout, pull out, punch out, putout, put out, rain out, rainspout, readout, read out, redoubt, redout, rollout, roll out, rub out, rubout, rule out, run out, sack out, salt out, Sea Scout, sea trout, sellout, sell out, setout, set out, shakeout, shake out, shell out, shoot-out, shout-out, shutout, shut out, sick-out, side-out, sign out, sit out, sleep out, smoke out, sold-out, spaced-out, space out, speak out, spell out, spinout, spin out, stakeout, stake out, standout, stand out, star route, step out, stick out, stop out, straight-out, stressed-out, stretch-out, strikeout, strike out, strung out, swear out, sweat out, takeout, take out, talk out, tap out, tapped out, tease out, thought-out, throughout, throw out, time-out, trade route, trot out, tryout, try out, tune out, turnout, turn out, umlaut, wait out, walkout, walk out, washed-out, washout, wash out, watch out, way-out, wear out, weird out, whacked-out, whiteout, wideout, wigged-out, wimp out, wiped out, wipeout, wipe out, without, workout, work out, worn-out, write out, zone out, zonked-out