In addition to the uses shown below, about is used after some verbs, nouns, and adjectives to introduce extra information. About is also often used after verbs of movement, such as 'walk' and 'drive', and in phrasalverbs such as 'mess about' and 'set about', especially in British English.
1. preposition
You use about to introduce who or what something relates to or concerns.
She came in for a coffee, and told me about her friend Shona.
She knew a lot about food.
The neighbours complained about the noise.
...advice about exercise and diet.
Synonyms: regarding, on, re, concerning More Synonyms of about
2. preposition
When you mention the things that an activity or institution is about, you are saying what it involves or what its aims are.
Leadership is about the ability to implement change.
3. preposition
You use about after some adjectives to indicate the person or thing that a feeling or state of mind relates to.
'I'm sorry about Patrick,' she said.
I feel so guilty and angry about the whole issue.
4. preposition
If you do something about a problem, you take action in order to solve it.
Rachel was going to do something about Jacob.
Of course there may be some problems you can't do anything about.
5. preposition
When you say that there is a particular quality about someone or something, you mean that they have this quality.
There was a warmth and passion about him I never knew existed.
I think there's something a little peculiar about the results of your test.
6. adverb
About is used in front of a number to show that the number is not exact.
In my local health centre there's about forty parking spaces.
The rate of inflation is running at about 2.7 percent.
Synonyms: approximately, around, almost, nearing More Synonyms of about
7. adverb [ADVERB after verb]
If someone or something moves about, they keep moving in different directions.
Everyone was running about.
About is also a preposition.
He wandered about the town stopping to listen to bands.
His hair was drifting about his shoulders like dirty snow.
8. preposition
If you put something about a person or thing, you put it around them.
Helen threw her arms about him.
She was elegantly dressed with a double strand of pearls about her neck.
Synonyms: round, around More Synonyms of about
9. adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If someone or something is about, they are present or available.
There's lots of money about these days for schemes like this.
Synonyms: around, present, active, stirring More Synonyms of about
10.
See be about to
11. how about
12. what about
13. just about
14.
See out and about
15.
See out and about
More Synonyms of about
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
about in British English
(əˈbaʊt)
preposition
1.
relating to; concerning; on the subject of
2.
near or close to (in space or time)
3.
carried on
I haven't any money about me
4.
on every side of; all the way around
5.
active in or engaged in
she is about her business
6. about to
adverb
7.
approximately; near in number, time, degree, etc
about 50 years old
8.
nearby
9.
here and there; from place to place; in no particular direction
walk about to keep warm
10.
all around; on every side
11.
in or to the opposite direction
he turned about and came back
12.
in rotation or revolution
turn and turn about
13.
used in informal phrases to indicate understatement
I've had just about enough of your insults
it's about time you stopped
14. archaic
in circumference; around
adjective
15. (predicative)
active; astir after sleep
up and about
16. (predicative)
in existence, current, or in circulation
there aren't many about nowadays
Word origin
Old English abūtan,onbūtan on the outside of, around, from on + būtan outside
about in American English
(əˈbaʊt)
adverb
1.
on every side; all around
look about
2.
here and there; in all directions
travel about
3.
in circumference; around the outside
ten miles about
4.
near
standing somewhere about
5.
in the opposite direction; to a reversed position
turn it about
6.
in succession or rotation
play fair—turn and turn about
7.
nearly; approximately
about four years old
8. Informal
all but; almost
about ready
adjective
9.
astir; on the move
he is up and about again
10.
in the vicinity; prevalent
typhoid is about
11.
a.
ready; likely immediately
followed by an infinitive
I was about to speak
b.
willing or inclined
used with not and an infinitive
I'm not about to exercise regularly
preposition
12.
around; on all sides of
13.
here and there in; everywhere in
rambling about the town
14.
near to in time or space
born about 1960, keeping my keys about me
15.
concerned with; attending to
go about your business
16.
on the subject of; concerning
a book about ships
17.
in connection with; pertaining to
the most interesting thing about her
Idioms:
be what something is all about
Word origin
ME aboute(n) < OE onbūtan, around < on, on + be, by + ūtan, outside < ūt, out: all senses develop from the sense of “around”
Examples of 'about' in a sentence
about
It is hard as a rugby player to talk about stuff like that.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But this could be about to turn on its head.
The Sun (2016)
This raises questions about whether the industry will pass on savings from planned action against whiplash claims.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It had begun about a week after he promised me it was only me he wanted.
The Sun (2016)
No one wants to know about that.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
My advice is to think about why you keep cheating like this.
The Sun (2016)
We often hear about the work ethic of sportspeople.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
What is this thing about being nostalgic?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The positive side is that you now feel you are a different person and you can do something about your life.
The Sun (2016)
They are just about holding on.
The Sun (2016)
What was it that she liked so much about his plays?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You might like to think about turning this around.
Ingham, Christine Life Without Work (1994)
But she was disqualified when doctors discovered something odd about her physiology.
Christianity Today (2000)
We need to keep our wits about us.
The Sun (2011)
What was the worst thing about being a footballer in your era?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Have a think about that nearer the time and let us know.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Now think about whether you have let that person know what it is you do want.
Ingham, Christine Life Without Work (1994)
Yet we barely know anything about these angry men.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
Ran lineout effectively and put himself about.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Think about how the place made you feel.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It was a most interesting group of passengers who milled about inside and around the tiny terminal.
Eaton, John P & Haas, Charles A Titanic - Destination disaster (1987)
What do you like most about your body?
The Sun (2011)
But he said that they had found something to laugh about.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Or perhaps worried about keeping precious digital files on a single smartphone or computer?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Celebrities often moan about being recognised in public.
The Sun (2009)
The great thing about her style is that she mixes the high street with designer wear.
The Sun (2012)
It is about whether a nation chooses to remember or to forget.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Wanting to know more about your birth dad is natural.
The Sun (2015)
Talk about looking after your own.
The Sun (2014)
Not that it's just about numbers.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
While you watch, talk to your partner about what is turning you on and why.
The Sun (2016)
There was a large mushroom growing near her, about the same height as herself.
Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)
I felt like this about her after two months.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
about
British English: about /əˈbaʊt/ ADVERB
near toAbout means near to something.
His grandfather is about 80 years old.
American English: about
Arabic: حَوَالي
Brazilian Portuguese: aproximadamente
Chinese: 关于
Croatian: oko
Czech: kolem
Danish: omkring
Dutch: ongeveer
European Spanish: más o menos
Finnish: suunnilleen
French: autour de
German: ungefähr
Greek: περίπου
Italian: circa
Japanese: およそ
Korean: 대략
Norwegian: omkring
Polish: mniej więcej
European Portuguese: aproximadamente
Romanian: aproape
Russian: около
Latin American Spanish: más o menos
Swedish: omkring
Thai: ใกล้
Turkish: yaklaşık
Ukrainian: приблизно
Vietnamese: khoảng
British English: about /əˈbaʊt/ PREPOSITION
to do withAbout means to do with.
This book is about history.
American English: about
Arabic: عَنْ
Brazilian Portuguese: sobre
Chinese: 关于
Croatian: o
Czech: o
Danish: om
Dutch: over
European Spanish: acerca de
Finnish: NO TRANSLATION
French: à propos de
German: über
Greek: περί
Italian: su
Japanese: ･･･について
Korean: ...에 관하여
Norwegian: om
Polish: o
European Portuguese: sobre
Romanian: despre
Russian: о
Latin American Spanish: acerca de
Swedish: om
Thai: เกี่ยวกับ
Turkish: hakkında
Ukrainian: про
Vietnamese: về liên quan đến
All related terms of 'about'
about to
on the point of; intending to
get about
If you get about , you go to different places and visit different people.
go about
The way you go about a task or problem is the way you approach it and deal with it.
how about?
You use how about to introduce a new subject which you think is relevant to the conversation you have been having.
lie about
If things are left lying about or lying around , they are not put away but left casually somewhere where they can be seen .
put about
If you put something about , you tell it to people that you meet and cause it to become well-known .
see about
When you see about something, you arrange for it to be done or provided.
set about
to start or begin
about-face
An about-face is a complete change of attitude or opinion .
about-ship
to manoeuvre a vessel onto a new tack
about time
If you say it is about time that something was done, you are saying in an emphatic way that it should happen or be done now, and really should have happened or been done sooner .
about turn
An about-turn is the same as an → about-face .
arse about
to play the fool ; act stupidly, esp in an irritating manner
bandy about
If someone's name or something such as an idea is bandied about or is bandied around , that person or that thing is discussed by many people in a casual way .
beat about
to hunt or look through or around
bring about
To bring something about means to cause it to happen.
buzz about
to scurry about
cast about
to make a mental or visual search
come about
When you say how or when something came about , you say how or when it happened.
faff about
If you say that someone is faffing about or faffing around , you mean that they are doing things in a disorganized way and not achieving very much.
fall about
If you say that people are falling about , you mean that they are laughing a lot about something.
fart about
to behave foolishly or aimlessly
fool about
fuck about
to act in a stupid or aimless manner
hang about
to waste time; loiter
hedge about
If you say that something such as an offer is hedged about or is hedged around with rules or conditions, you mean that there are a lot of rules or conditions.
just about
You use just about to indicate that what you are talking about is so close to being the case that it can be regarded as being the case.
kick about
to treat harshly
knock about
to wander about aimlessly
mess about
to occupy oneself trivially; potter
move about
muck about
to waste time; misbehave
order about
to bully or domineer
piss about
to behave in a casual or silly way
pull about
to handle roughly
push about
to bully ; keep telling (a person) what to do in a bossy manner
right about
a turn executed through 180°
round about
In spoken English, round about means approximately.
talk about
to discuss
throw about
to spend (one's money) in a reckless and flaunting manner
time about
alternately ; turn and turn about
what about
You use what about at the beginning of a question when you make a suggestion , offer , or request .
about-shipped
to manoeuvre a vessel onto a new tack
around about
Around about means approximately .
bucket about
(esp of a boat in a storm ) to toss or shake violently
bugger about
If someone buggers about or buggers around , they waste time doing unnecessary things.
fooling about
the act of speaking or acting in a playful , teasing , or jesting manner
about-shipping
to manoeuvre a vessel onto a new tack
be about to
If you are about to do something, you are going to do it very soon . If something is about to happen , it will happen very soon.
up and about
If someone who has been in bed for some time, for example because they have been ill , is up and about , they are now out of bed and living their normal life .
Chinese translation of 'about'
about
(əˈbaut)
prep
(= relating to) 关(關)于(於) (guānyú)
a book about London关(關)于(於)伦(倫)敦的一本书(書) (guānyú Lúndūn de yī běn shū)
what's it about?这(這)是关(關)于(於)什么(麼)的？ (zhè shì guānyú shénme de?)
she knows a lot about art她对(對)艺(藝)术(術)懂得很多 (tā duì yìshù dǒng de hěn duō)
we talked about it我们(們)谈(談)到了这(這)事 (wǒmen tándàole zhè shì)
management is about motivating people管理就是要激发(發)大家的热(熱)情 (guǎnlǐ jiùshì yào jīfā dàjiā de rèqíng)
to be sorry/pleased/angry about sth对(對)某事感到抱歉/开(開)心/生气(氣) (duì mǒushì gǎndào bàoqiàn/kāixīn/shēngqì)
there's something odd about this这(這)有点(點)怪怪的 (zhè yǒudiǎn guàiguài de)
we'll have to do something about this我们(們)对(對)此要采(採)取点(點)儿(兒)措施 (wǒmen duì cǐ yào cǎiqǔ diǎnr cuòshī)
what or how about eating out?出去吃怎么(麼)样(樣)？ (chūqù chī zěnmeyàng?)
(place) 在 ... 各处(處) (zài ... gè chù)
he was wandering about the garden他在花园(園)里(裡)到处(處)闲(閒)逛 (tā zài huāyuán li dàochù xiánguàng)
clothes scattered about the room扔得满(滿)屋各处(處)都是的衣服 (rēng de mǎnwū gè chù dōu shì de yīfu)
it must be about here somewhere一定在这(這)周围(圍)的某个(個)地方 (yīdìng zài zhè zhōuwéi de mǒu gè dìfang)
(frm, = around) 围(圍)绕(繞) (wéirào)
a chain hung about her neck环(環)绕(繞)在她脖子上的一条(條)项(項)链(鏈) (huánrào zài tā bózi shang de yī tiáo xiàngliàn)
adv
(= approximately) 大约(約) (dàyuē)
about a hundred/thousand people大约(約)100/1000人 (dàyuē yībǎi/yīqiān rén)
at about two o'clock在两(兩)点(點)钟(鐘)左右 (zài liǎng diǎn zhōng zuǒyòu)
(place) 在 (zài)
to leave things lying about把东(東)西到处(處)乱(亂)放 (bǎ dōngxi dàochù luànfàng)
to run/walk about到处(處)跑/到处(處)走 (dàochù pǎo/dàochù zǒu)
is Paul about?保罗(羅)在吗(嗎)？ (Bǎoluó zài ma?)
there's a lot of flu/money about正在流行流感/资(資)金充足 (zhèngzài liúxíng liúgǎn/zījīn chōngzú)
to be about to do sth正要做某事 (zhèng yào zuò mǒushì)
he was about to leave他正要离(離)开(開) (tā zhèng yào líkāi)
All related terms of 'about'
go about
( tackle ) 处(處)理 chǔlǐ
get about
( person : travel ) 旅行 lǚxíng (: move about ) 各处(處)走动(動) gèchù zǒudòng ▶ I can't get about as much as I used to 我不能再像我过(過)去那样(樣)到处(處)走动(動)了 wǒ bùnéng zài xiàng wǒ guòqù nàyàng dàochù zǒudòng le
lie about
= lie around
put about
( Brit : rumour ) 散布(佈) sànbù
see about
( deal with ) 处(處)理 chǔlǐ
set about
( embark on )
sit about
= sit around
bring about
( cause ) 造成 zàochéng
care about
( person, thing, idea ) 关(關)心 guānxīn
cast about
▶ to cast about for sth 想方设(設)法寻(尋)找 xiǎng fāng shè fǎ xúnzhǎo