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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

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English

about

/əˈbaʊ̯t/
In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.

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    Origin

    Preposition and adverb from Middle English aboute, abouten, from Old English abūtan, onbūtan, from on (“in, on”) + būtan (“outside of”) (compare modern English but, bout), itself from be (“by”) + ūtan (“outside”); equivalent to on + be + out or on + but. Cognate with Old Frisian abûta (“outside; except”). Not related to bout (“period of time”)

    Adjective from Middle English about (adverb).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishaboute
      • inheritedOld Englishonbūtan
        • partOld Englishon-
          • inheritedProto-West Germanic*ana-
            • inheritedProto-Germanic*ana-
            • inheritedProto-Germanic*an-
              • inheritedProto-Indo-European*ano-
        • partOld Englishbūtan “without, outside of, except, only”
          • inheritedProto-West Germanic*biūtan
            • partProto-West Germanic*bi- “be-”
              • derivedProto-West Germanic*bī
                • inheritedProto-Germanic*bi “near, by”
                  • inheritedProto-Indo-European*h₁pi
                    • derivedProto-Indo-European*h₁épi
            • partProto-West Germanic*ūtan
              • derivedProto-West Germanic*ūtō
                • inheritedProto-Germanic*ūt “out, outward”
                  • inheritedProto-Indo-European*úd “out, outward”
                    • inheritedProto-Indo-European*lendʰ- “loin, kidney”

    Related: Old Frisian abûta

    Words built on it: about-face

    Meanings

    prep
    1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of; around.
    2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.
    3. See about to.
    4. On the point or verge of.
    5. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of.
    6. Concerned or occupied with; engaged in; intent on.
    adv
    1. On all sides, or in every or any direction from a point; around.
    2. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.
    3. From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.
    4. Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.
    5. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence in quality, manner, degree, quantity, or time; almost.
    6. Near; in the vicinity.
    adj
    1. Moving around or in motion; astir.
    2. In existence; being in evidence; apparent.
    3. Near; in the vicinity or neighbourhood.
    verb
    1. To change the course of (a ship) to the other tack; to bring (a ship) about.
    2. To about-face (turn 180 degrees, like a soldier).

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: about