英漢辭典

1. vt. (及物動詞 transitive verb)
   1. 使(船頭)調轉

   About ship!

   【海】 (準備)掉頭!(準備)倒轉航向!



2. prep. (介係詞 preposition)
   1. 關於(…的)

   a book about gardening

   一本關於園藝的書

   There was a quarrel about money [who should go].

   一場關於錢[誰該去]的爭執

   I know all about it.

   我知道和它有關的一切情況.

3. 2. 從事於…

   while I am [you are] about it

   當我[你]做那件事時

   What is he about (=doing)?

   他在做甚麼?

   Be quick about it.=Don't be long about it.

   快點幹.

4. 3. 在四周,在周圍,在附近

   about here

   在這附近

   people about us

   我們周圍的人

   standing about the door

   站在門附近.

5. 4. 在…的身邊,身邊帶著…;圍繞著…

   all he had about him

   他所有的一切

   There is something noble [vulgar] about him.

   他身上有一種高貴[庸俗] 的氣質.

   revolve [turn] about the sun

   圍繞著太陽旋轉

6. 5. 大約…時刻

   about five (o'clock)

   五點鐘左右

   about the end of May

   五月底前後.



7. adv. (副詞 adverb)
   1. 大概,大約,接近

   about a mile

   約1英里

   about right [finished]

   大體正確[完成了]

   It's about time to start.

   差不多是動身的時刻了.

   I started at about five o'clock.

   我是在五時左右出發的,(cf. prep. 3).★at about... (在…點鐘左右)用來表示某一時刻,有人認為這一用法不當,但實際上卻常被人使用.

8. 2. 手邊;近旁

   There is nobody about.

   這裡沒有人.

   Is he anywhere about?

   他在這裡嗎?

   Measles is about.=There is measles about.

   目前麻疹蔓延[流行].

9. 3. 隨身攜帶的,能利用的,流行的

   Measles is about.=There is measles about.

   目前麻疹蔓延[流行].

10. 4. 周圍;四周;處處

    carry money about

    隨身帶著錢

    follow sb about

    跟著某人四處走動

    walk about

    走來走去

    look about

    環顧四周,四處張望

    move things about

    把東西挪來挪去.

11. 5. 到處,各處

    There are trees dotted about the field.

    田野上到處都是樹.

    walk about the room

    在屋裡來回踱步.

    tools lying about

    到處亂放的工具

    drop things about

    把東西亂丟亂放

    knock about.

12. 6. 草率,粗魯

    order one's men about

    任意驅使部下[使手下的人忙得團團轉]

13. 7. 無所事事

    sit about

    (在等待中)心不在焉地坐著.

14. 8. 周圍;輪流

    all about

    周圍全部

    go a long way about

    繞一個大圈走

    The lake is a mile about.

    這湖周長1英里

    Turn about is fair play.

    挨個兒輪著最公平了.

15. 9. 沿反方向;轉到反面位置

    face about

    to the right about

    向後轉向相反的方向.

    About face!

    【美】向後轉!或Right About face [turn] ! 也可只說一個字About !

16. 10. [海] 轉至相反航向,倒轉航向

17. 11. 活動;起來;出去;執行勤務

    It will soon be about.

    快開始了!

    out and about.

柯林斯英英辭典

prep

1. relating to; concerning; on the subject of

2. near or close to (in space or time)

3. carried on

I haven't any money about me

4. on every side of; all the way around

5. active in or engaged in

she is about her business

adv

1. approximately; near in number, time, degree, etc

about 50 years old

2. nearby

3. here and there; from place to place; in no particular direction

walk about to keep warm

4. all around; on every side

5. in or to the opposite direction

he turned about and came back

6. in rotation or revolution

turn and turn about

7. used in informal phrases to indicate understatement

I've had just about enough of your insults

it's about time you stopped

8. [Archaic] in circumference; around

adj

1. [predicative] active; astir after sleep

up and about

2. [predicative] in existence, current, or in circulation

there aren't many about nowadays

3. [Etymology] Old English abutan, onbutan on the outside of, around, from on + butan outside