Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

About \A*bout"\, prep. [OE. aboute, abouten, abuten; AS.
   [=a]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.

   Note: 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: On the point or
      verge of; going; in act of.

            Paul was now aboutto open his mouth.  --Acts xviii.
                                                  14.

   7. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching. ``To
      treat about thy ransom.'' --Milton.

            She must have her way about Sarah.    --Trollope.

About \A*bout"\, 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.

Source : WordNet®

about
     adv 1: (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct;
            "lasted approximately an hour"; "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"; "some
            forty people came"; "weighs around a hundred pounds";
            "roughly $3,000"; "holds 3 gallons, more or less"; "20
            or so people were at the party" [syn: {approximately},
             {close to}, {just about}, {some}, {roughly}, {more or
            less}, {around}, {or so}]
     2: all around or on all sides; "dirty clothes lying around (or
        about)"; "let's look about for help"; "There were trees
        growing all around"; "she looked around her" [syn: {around}]
     3: in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about";
        "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
        [syn: {around}]
     4: 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)";
        "traveled around in Asia"; "he needs advice from someone
        who's been around"; "she sleeps around" [syn: {around}]
     5: in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face";
        "brought the ship about"; "suddenly she turned around"
        [syn: {around}]
     6: in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"
     7: (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite
        accomplished; `near' is sometimes used informally for
        `nearly' and `most' is sometimes used informally for
        `almost'; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was
        almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost
        finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly
        fainted"; "talked for nigh onto 2 hours"; "the recording
        is well-nigh perfect"; "virtually all the parties signed
        the contract"; "I was near exhausted by the run"; "most
        everyone agrees" [syn: {just about}, {almost}, {most}, {all
        but}, {nearly}, {near}, {nigh}, {virtually}, {well-nigh}]

about
     adj : on the move; "up and about"; "the whole town was astir over
           the incident" [syn: {about(p)}, {astir(p)}]