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

Etymology: ME aboute(n) < OE onbūtan, around < on, on + be, by + ūtan, outside < ūt, out: all senses develop from the sense of “around”

adjective

1. astir; on the move he is up and about again
2. in the vicinity; prevalent typhoid is about
3. 1. ready; likely immediately: followed by an infinitive I was about to speak
   2. willing or inclined: used with not and an infinitive I'm not about to exercise regularly

1. around; on all sides of
2. here and there in; everywhere in rambling about the town
3. near to in time or space born about 1960, keeping my keys about me
4. concerned with; attending to go about your business
5. on the subject of; concerning a book about ships
6. in connection with; pertaining to the most interesting thing about her