to walk about
8
3.1
- phrasal verb
- /wɔk əˈbaʊt/
- UK
:
pasear
- One, however, has to walk about 3 miles from the nearest bus stop to reach Kestopur.
- walk about three miles
One of the things that's always that that has fascinated me so much is that so many people walk about the world and see the world as they see it.
- One of the things that's always that that has fascinated me so much is that so many people walk about the world and see the world as they see it.
- And if any of you see that well accessorized pig walking about, please send me a picture because I'd love to see it.
- They're just the punks way out and sneakers too tacky for me to walk about.
Examples
-
On sunny days, I like to walk about the park without any particular destination in mind.
-
The professor walked about the classroom to assist groups that were having problems.
Academic text (1999) -
Dear Mother used to love to walk about in this room.
-
Sometimes I hear him walking about in the middle of the night.
Fiction book (1993) -
You may feel free to walk about and engage in any normal activity.
-
I would rather be free to walk about Vienna and go to work.
Fiction book (1991) -
You are free, of course, to walk about the city or take public transportation wherever you like.
Fiction book (1994) -
Have you seen him walking about in Timperley?
-
After the official greetings and explanations are over, we are free to walk about the school.
Academic text (1992) -
Outside the shop, Patricia walked about the boardwalk, twirling a lead-tipped cane.
Fiction book (1997)
Synonyms
379
1.3
Move around without a fixed direction, often slowly and in curves
214
1.7
To go on foot in a place without a clear purpose, often for pleasure
189
2.5
Move around without a fixed place, often while looking for something
122
1.8
To walk slowly and enjoy it
49
2.1
Move from place to place within an area
22
6.4
To travel around without a fixed plan, often looking for something
14
4.4
To walk for pleasure without a fixed route
11
2.9
To walk around a town or city without a clear purpose
9
3.7
Move around slowly in a place without any clear purpose, often in a group
9
2.8
To move around a house or area
8
7.6
To walk around without a clear plan, often slowly and without much energy
7
1.4
To move around quickly and energetically without a clear purpose
7
5.3
To move around a place without a clear reason, often in a group
6
5.0
Moving from place to place without a clear purpose
5
2.6
To walk slowly for pleasure along a street or riverside
4
6.9
To walk around without a clear purpose
3
6.8
To walk slowly through a place without a clear purpose
3
9.0
To move around places for pleasure without a plan
2
8.2
To travel without a set plan to explore and think
1
9.7
To walk around without a clear destination for pleasure
1
6.5
To move around slowly doing small jobs in no hurry
1
9.9
Move around without a clear plan or purpose
To walk slowly without a clear purpose
To travel slowly without a clear plan
Walk around slowly without a plan
To move around a place with no clear purpose
Antonyms
How Aimless
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to walk in various directions without a specific purpose' is directly derived from combining 'walk' (move on foot) with 'about' (around/in the area). This motion verb + adverb pattern is a common, compositional construction in English (and parallels exist cross-linguistically), so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The phrasal verb walk about shows a simple picture: someone walks and goes about the area, moving around in different directions with no set aim. So, it means 'to walk around without a clear goal'.