about : Idioms & Phrases

• noun act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation
  about turn.
  

WordNet

• noun act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation
  about turn.
  
• noun a major change in attitude or principle or point of view
  volte-face; policy change; reversal.
  
  • an about-face on foreign policy
• verb turn, usually 180 degrees
  
• verb change one's mind and assume the opposite viewpoint
  

WordNet

A*bout"-sledge" noun

Definitions

1. The largest hammer used by smiths. Weale.

Webster 1913

• verb be lazy or idle
  loaf; fuck off; lounge around; loll; frig around; bum; arse around; bum around; waste one's time; arse about; loll around; bum about.
  
  • Her son is just bumming around all day

WordNet

• verb discuss casually
  
  • bandy about an idea

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• verb search anxiously
  cast around; beat about.
  

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• verb move up and down with no specific path
  bob around.
  
  • the cork bobbed around in the pool

WordNet

• verb cause to move into the opposite direction
  
  • they brought about the boat when they saw a storm approaching
• verb cause to happen, occur or exist
  produce; give rise.
  
  • This procedure produces a curious effect
  • The new law gave rise to many complaints
  • These chemicals produce a noxious vapor
  • the new President must bring about a change in the health care system

WordNet

• verb be lazy or idle
  loaf; fuck off; lounge around; loll; frig around; bum; arse around; bum around; waste one's time; arse about; loll around; bum about.
  
  • Her son is just bumming around all day

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• verb move or cause to move energetically or busily
  hustle; bustle.
  
  • The cheerleaders bustled about excitingly before their performance

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• verb search anxiously
  cast around; beat about.
  

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• verb come to pass
  fall out; pass off; pass; hap; happen; take place; occur; go on.
  
  • What is happening?
  • The meeting took place off without an incidence
  • Nothing occurred that seemed important

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• verb move around; move from place to place
  get around.
  
  • How does she get around without a car?

WordNet

• verb begin to deal with
  go about; approach.
  
  • approach a task
  • go about a difficult problem
  • approach a new project

WordNet

• adverb (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
  about; around; some; roughly; approximately; or so; more or less; close to.
  
  • 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

WordNet

• verb be around; be alive or active
  kick around; kick about.
  
  • Does the old man still kick around?

WordNet

• verb strike against forcefully
  batter; buffet.
  
  • Winds buffeted the tent
• verb be around; be alive or active
  kick around; kick about.
  
  • Does the old man still kick around?

WordNet

• verb play boisterously
  disport; rollick; cavort; romp; run around; skylark; sport; frisk; lark; frolic; gambol.
  
  • The children frolicked in the garden
  • the gamboling lambs in the meadows
  • The toddlers romped in the playroom

WordNet

• verb hang around idly
  lie around.
  
  • She did all the work while he lay around

WordNet

• verb be lazy or idle
  loaf; fuck off; lounge around; loll; frig around; bum; arse around; bum around; waste one's time; arse about; loll around; bum about.
  
  • Her son is just bumming around all day

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• verb acknowledge freely and openly
  
  • He makes no bones about the fact that he is gay

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• noun a man devoted to the pursuit of pleasure
  Corinthian; playboy.
  

WordNet

• verb be about
  loaf; footle; mess about; lallygag; linger; lollygag; lurk; tarry; hang around; lounge; loiter; mill around.
  
  • The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square
  • Who is this man that is hanging around the department?

WordNet

• verb be about
  loaf; footle; mess about; lallygag; linger; lollygag; lurk; tarry; hang around; lounge; loiter; mill around.
  
  • The high school students like to loiter in the Central Square
  • Who is this man that is hanging around the department?
• verb move about in a confused manner
  mill; mill around.
  

WordNet

• verb be apathetic, gloomy, or dazed
  mope; moon around.
  

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• verb do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
  monkey around; mess around; monkey; putter; potter; tinker; muck around.
  
  • The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house

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• verb center upon
  center on; revolve around; focus on; concentrate on; center.
  
  • Her entire attention centered on her children
  • Our day revolved around our work

WordNet

Right"-a*bout` noun

Etymology

Right, adv. + about, adv.

Definitions

1. A turning directly about by the right, so as to face in the opposite direction; also, the quarter directly opposite; as, to turn to the right-about. Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1913

• in every direction around.
• an emphatic form for round or about. "Moses . . . set them [The elders] round about the tabernacle." Num. xi. 24.

Webster 1913

• verb begin to deal with
  go about; approach.
  
  • approach a task
  • go about a difficult problem
  • approach a new project
• verb enter upon an activity or enterprise
  attempt; undertake.
  
• verb take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
  begin; get; start out; start; set out; get down; commence.
  
  • We began working at dawn
  • Who will start?
  • Get working as soon as the sun rises!
  • The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia
  • He began early in the day
  • Let's get down to work now

WordNet

• verb be available or ready for a certain function or service
  stick around; stand by.
  

WordNet

• verb turn abruptly and face the other way, either physically or metaphorically
  turn around; swing around.
  
  • He turned around to face his opponent
  • My conscience told me to turn around before I made a mistake

WordNet

• verb to consider or examine in speech or writing
  discourse; discuss.
  
  • The author talks about the different aspects of this question
  • The class discussed Dante's `Inferno'
• verb discuss or mention
  talk of.
  
  • They spoke of many things

WordNet

• verb have on one's mind, think about actively
  
  • I'm thinking about my friends abroad
  • She always thinks about her children first
• verb take into consideration, have in view
  think of; flirt with; entertain; toy with.
  
  • He entertained the notion of moving to South America

WordNet

• verb move or stir about violently
  thrash about; convulse; jactitate; thresh; slash; toss; thrash.
  
  • The feverish patient thrashed around in his bed

WordNet

• verb move or stir about violently
  thrash about; convulse; jactitate; thresh; slash; toss; thrash.
  
  • The feverish patient thrashed around in his bed

WordNet

• to try to find; to search by various means or ways. Addison.

Webster 1913

• to approach a subject circuitously.
• to approach anything in a round-about manner, instead of coming directly to it; a metaphor taken from hunting.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), to turn (a yard) round for the contrary tack.

Webster 1913

• to cause to take place; to accomplish.
• to bring to pass; to effect; to accomplish.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To come to pass; to arrive; to happen; to result; as, how did these things come about? (b) To change; to come round; as, the ship comes about. "The wind is come about." Shak.

  On better thoughts, and my urged reasons, They are come about, and won to the true side. B. Jonson.

Webster 1913

• to hang upon importunately; to court the favor of; to beset.

Webster 1913

• to throw on all sides; to scatter.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), to change frequently in a short time; said of the wind.

Webster 1913

• . (a) To set about; to enter upon a scheme of action; to undertake. "They went about to slay him." Acts ix. 29.

  They never go about . . . to hide or palliate their vices. Swift.

  (b) (Naut.) To tack; to turn the head of a ship; to wear.

Webster 1913

• to undertake; to arrange; to prepare. "Shall we set about some revels? Shak.

Webster 1913

• to go from one thing to another without good reason; to have no settled purpose; to be irresolute or unstable. Colloq.
• to lead this way and that at will; to lead by the nose; to master or control. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), to put about suddenly.

Webster 1913

• to inclose and confine; to surround; to environ. "With valiant squadrons round about to hem." Fairfax. "Hemmed in to be a spoil to tyranny." Daniel.

Webster 1913

• to go about, taking knocks or rough usage; to wander about; to saunter. Colloq. "Knocking about town." W. Irving.

Webster 1913

• to strike vigorously in all directions. J. H. Newman.

Webster 1913

• to look on all sides, or in different directions.

Webster 1913

• to be on the watch; to be vigilant; to be circumspect or guarded.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), to change direction; to tack.
• (Naut.), to turn, or change the course of, as a ship.

Webster 1913

• to gad abroad. Obs.

Webster 1913

• to pay attention to it; to consider it.

Webster 1913

• to cause to turn toward the opposite point or quarter; hence, of troops, to cause to turn and retreat. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to commence; to begin.

Webster 1913

• to cast about; to try expedients. R.

Webster 1913

• to face to another quarter; to turn around.

Webster 1913

• by equal alternating periods of service or duty; by turns.

Webster 1913

• verb walk with no particular goal
  walk around; perambulate.
  
  • we were walking around in the garden
  • after breakfast, she walked about in the park

WordNet

• verb write about a particular topic
  write of; write on.
  
  • Snow wrote about China

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