5/12/2020 Longman Advanced American Dictionary

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about Go a‧bout1 /əˈbaʊt/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition

COLLOCATIONS THESAURUS
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1 on or dealing with a particular subject:
1
about preposition In her novels she writes about her childhood in Mississippi.
about2 adverb They were talking about music.
about3 adjective Robert told her all about his vacation (=all the details relating to it).
about-face noun
THESAURUS
above1 preposition
above2 adverb on – about a subject. You use on when giving the subject of a book, article, or speech,
3
above adjective or the subject of someone’s opinions or ideas:
above4 noun The government recently issued a report on poverty in rural areas.
aboveboard adjective
relating to – used when saying what information, records, laws, documents, etc. are
above-mentioned
about:
adjective
abracadabra
The city has laws relating to acceptable noise levels.
interjection
concerning/regarding formal – used when saying what questions, information,
abrade verb
decisions, documents, laws, and suggestions are about:
Abraham
The police want to ask you some questions concerning the night of December 4.
abrasion noun
abrasive1 adjective with regard to formal – about one particular subject and not a different one. You use
abrasive2 noun with regard to especially to introduce a subject in a speech, formal report, or
abrasively adverb meeting:
b t d b There have been recent changes in the laws with regard to food safety.

Other words and phrases as to formal – used when saying what a question, explanation, decision, reason, or
doubt is about:
The senator never gave a clear explanation as to why he decided to quit.

re formal – about a subject. You use re in business letters when introducing the subject
that you are going to write about:
Re: Your letter dated 1/20/2013

2 in the nature or character of a person or thing:

I’m not sure what it is about her, but guys really like her.
What did you like best about the book?

3 what/how about spoken

a) used to make a suggestion:
I think I’ll have dessert. How about you?
b) used to ask for news or information about someone or something:
What about the people who were in the bus? Were they OK?

4 spoken used to introduce a subject that you want to talk about:

About this weekend – is everyone still going?
We have to talk – it’s about your mom.

5 do something about to do something to solve a problem or stop a bad situation:

What can be done about the increase in crime?

6 if an organization, a job, an activity, etc. is about something, that is its basic purpose:
Basically, the job’s all about helping people get off welfare.

7 in many different directions within a particular place, or in different parts of a place

SYN around:

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5/12/2020 Longman Advanced American Dictionary

She began to walk restlessly about the room.

8 literary surrounding a person or thing:

Jo sensed fear and jealousy all about her.

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