about

/əˈbaʊt/

/əˈbaʊt/

Other forms: abouts

The adverb about, when used with a quantity, means approximately or roughly. If a teenager wants to have a couple of friends over, his mom might ask about how many "a couple" is — in his mind it may be about 50.

The adverb about can also be used for things that are almost, or just on the verge of happening. If you're about to graduate from high school, you're just finishing up your senior year. About also means around or on all sides. If you don't like animals, going to the petting zoo is a bad idea. The animals will be all about you.

Definitions of about

1. adverb

   (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
   “in just about a minute”

   “he's about 30 years old”

   “I've had about all I can stand”

   “we meet about once a month”

   synonyms: approximately, around, close to, just about, more or less, or so, roughly, some
2. adverb

   (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
   “the job is (just) about done”

   synonyms: almost, most, near, nearly, nigh, virtually, well-nigh
3. adverb

   all around or on all sides
   “dirty clothes lying around (or about)”

   “let's look about for help”

   synonyms: around
4. adverb

   in the area or vicinity
   “a few spectators standing about”

   synonyms: around
5. adverb

   used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction
   “wandering about with no place to go”

   “people were rushing about”

   “news gets around (or about)”

   synonyms: around
6. adverb

   in rotation or succession
   “turn about is fair play”
7. adverb

   in or to a reversed position or direction
   “about face”

   synonyms: around
8. adjective

   on the move
   “up and about”

   synonyms: astir

   active

   characterized by energetic activity