about
- adjective
- /əˈbaʊt/
- And Hannah Lovina Hurlburt McBride was not about to be bested in the competition.
Examples
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After being injured, the athlete was finally about to return to the field and join his teammates.
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The puppy was about to explore the yard for the first time, eager to see what was out there.
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I was about to call up to your farm to welcome you into our little community.
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There are 200 guests about to show up at the Four Seasons, all right?
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I'm about to become a priest.
-
No, Mama, I'm in Mexico, and we're about to get on an airplane to Argentina!
Fiction book (1990) -
We have something unique, and I'm not about to let you throw it away in your ignorance.
Fiction book (1990) -
Our armed forces are not about to be confined wholly to our own shores.
Academic text (1990) -
Once the rain stopped, the children were about to run outside and play in the sunshine.
Synonyms
Busy and moving about because people are active
Able to walk and not kept in bed after an illness or injury
Someone who walks around often
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To stay alert and think quickly in difficult or unexpected situations
- Slur
People say it when something seems typical of white people and shows white privilege
Compounds
How Mobile
Surface Forms
Etymology
About comes from old English parts a- 'on' and butan 'outside', so it originally meant being 'around' and active; that's why someone who is up and moving again is described as being about.