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(), prep.[OE. aboute, abouten, abuten; AS. butan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan outward, from ut out. See But, Out.] 1. Around; all round; on every side of. "Look about you." Shak. "Bind them about thy neck." Prov. iii. 3. 2. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person). "Have you much money about you?" Bulwer. 3. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout. Lampoons . . . were handed about the coffeehouses. Macaulay. Roving still about the world. Milton. 4. Near; not far from; -- determining approximately time, size, quantity. "To-morrow, about this time." Exod. ix. 18. "About my stature." Shak. He went out about the third hour. Matt. xx. 3. This use passes into the adverbial sense. 5. In concern with; engaged in; intent on. I must be about my Father's business. Luke ii. 49. 6. Before a verbal noun or an infinitive: About" adv. 1. On all sides; around. 'Tis time to look about. Shak. 2. In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across. 3. Here and there; around; in one place and another. Wandering about from house to house. 1 Tim. v. 13. 4. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; -- also of quantity, number, time. "There fell . . . about three thousand men." Exod. xxii. 28. 5. To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn one's self about. To bring about, to cause to take place; to accomplish. To come about, to occur; to take place. See under Come. To go about, To set about, to undertake; to arrange; to prepare. "Shall we set about some revels?" Shak. Round about, in every direction around. スポンサード リンク
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