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about

about

145 1.0
To turn to face the opposite direction
  • adverb
  • /əˈbaʊt/
translation icon : darse la vuelta
  • Oh yeah, I'm about to make some spaghetti.
  • come about

Examples

  • I am about to read for a long time.

  • I was, uh, I was about nine or ten.

  • Well, your world is about to turn upside down.

  • We're in Phoenix, we're about to hit the road.

  • Now I'm about to be off the road.

  • And it was just like I was about to burst.

  • But right now we're about to go on the Guardians ride.

  • And of course, you can imagine sitting there aware that you're about to go up there.

  • The vehicle is rated for depths of 4,000 meters, or about 2.5 miles.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The cat turned about to chase the mouse when it heard a noise.

Synonyms

around
vsabout
1.0

To turn so you face the opposite way

is more general, covering any reversed position or direction
reversely
vsabout
1 7.2

In the opposite way

focuses on physical reversed position or direction, not order or manner

Antonyms

176 1.0

Near the front in the direction someone faces or moves

Idioms

3.0

Completely focused on one main subject or purpose

378 2.2

To know many things about a subject

about time
  • Informal
60 4.9

Say this when something happens later than it should

Almost anything you can think of, with only a few exceptions

42 3.5

Very excited about someone or something you like a lot

An idea or problem that needs careful thought

10 3.9

Openly say strong opinions or feelings about something

8 3.0

Close to crying because you feel sad

Say something openly and directly without hiding it

5 7.5

A lot of fuss about something unimportant

3 8.3

To show that something is certain or clear

picky about
  • Informal
3 6.8

Careful about choosing things like clothes or food and hard to please

to about-face
  • Literature
3 6.7

To change your opinion or position completely and suddenly

along about
  • Informal
1 6.3

At about that time

hyped about
  • Slang
1 7.9

Excited and eager about something new, like a game or event

1 9.7

Have almost no idea about something

1 7.3

To be good or special enough to tell people at home about

1 9.9

To leave and say you have private matters without giving details

Being very picky about small details when choosing or arranging things

8.8

Looking pale and sick, often feeling like you will vomit

To stay alert and think quickly in difficult or unexpected situations

Not very good or special

Feel so amused that you fall over and move on the floor

9.9

Choosy about small details and what they accept

People say it when something seems typical of white people and shows white privilege

Compounds

about-face
  • Literature
5 7.3

A sudden, complete change of direction or opinion

A man who often goes to restaurants, parties, and the theater for fun

about turn
  • Jargon
1 5.8

A complete change of direction or opinion, often sudden

Surface Forms

about positive

Etymology

About comes from old English parts a- 'on' and butan 'outside', which gave the idea of being 'around' something; so when people turn about they turn 'around' to face the other way.