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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [about]
ABOUT', prep. [Gr. butan, without, [see but,] literally, around, on the outside.] 1. Around; on the exterior part or surface.Bind them about thy neck. Prov. iii. 3. Isa. l. Hence,2. Near to in place, with the sense of circularity.Get you up from about the tabernacle. Num. xvi.3. Near to in time.He went out about the third hour. Mat. xxi. 3.4. Near to, in action, or near to the performance of some act.Paul was about to open his mouth.They were about to flee out of the ship. Acts, 28:14 - 28:30.5. Near to the person; appended to the clothes. Every thing about him is in order. Is your snuff box about you? From nearness on all sides, the transition is easy to a concern with. Hence,6. Concerned in, engaged in, relating to, respecting.I must be about my father's business. Luke, ii. 49. The painter is not to take so much pains about the drapery as about the faceWhat is he about?7. In compass or circumference; two yards about the trunk.ABOUT', adv. 1. Near to in number or quantity.There fell that day about three thousand men. Ex. xxxii.2. Near to in quality or degree; as about as high, or as cold.3. Here and there; around; in one place and another.Wandering about from house to house. 1Tim. v.4. round, or the longest way, opposed to across, or the shortest way. A mile about, and half a mile across.To bring about, to bring to the end; to effect or accomplish a purpose. To come about, to change or turn; to come to the desired point. In a like sense, seamen say go about, when a ship changes her course and goes on the other tack. Ready about, about ship, are orders for tacking.To go about, signifies to enter upon; also to prepare; to seek the means.Why go ye about to kill me. John, 7.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [about]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
ABOUT', prep. [Gr. butan, without, [see but,] literally, around, on the outside.] 1. Around; on the exterior part or surface.Bind them about thy neck. Prov. iii. 3. Isa. l. Hence,2. Near to in place, with the sense of circularity.Get you up from about the tabernacle. Num. xvi.3. Near to in time.He went out about the third hour. Mat. xxi. 3.4. Near to, in action, or near to the performance of some act.Paul was about to open his mouth.They were about to flee out of the ship. Acts, 28:14 - 28:30.5. Near to the person; appended to the clothes. Every thing about him is in order. Is your snuff box about you? From nearness on all sides, the transition is easy to a concern with. Hence,6. Concerned in, engaged in, relating to, respecting.I must be about my father's business. Luke, ii. 49. The painter is not to take so much pains about the drapery as about the faceWhat is he about?7. In compass or circumference; two yards about the trunk.ABOUT', adv. 1. Near to in number or quantity.There fell that day about three thousand men. Ex. xxxii.2. Near to in quality or degree; as about as high, or as cold.3. Here and there; around; in one place and another.Wandering about from house to house. 1Tim. v.4. round, or the longest way, opposed to across, or the shortest way. A mile about, and half a mile across.To bring about, to bring to the end; to effect or accomplish a purpose. To come about, to change or turn; to come to the desired point. In a like sense, seamen say go about, when a ship changes her course and goes on the other tack. Ready about, about ship, are orders for tacking.To go about, signifies to enter upon; also to prepare; to seek the means.Why go ye about to kill me. John, 7. | A-BOUT', adv.- Near to in quality or degree; as, about as high, or as cold.
- Here and there; around; in one place and another.
Wandering about from house to house. – 1 Tim. v.
- Round, or the longest way, opposed to across, or the shortest way; as, a mile about, and half a mile across.
To bring about, to bring to the end; to effect or accomplish a purpose.
To come about, to change or turn; to come to the desired point. In a like sense, seamen say go about, when a ship changes her course to go on the other tack.
Ready about, about ship, are orders for tacking.
To go about, signifies to enter upon; to prepare; to seek the means.
Why go ye about to kill me? – John vii.
A-BOUT', prep. [Sax. abutan, onbutan, embutan, about, around; on or emb, coinciding with Gr. αμφι, and butan, without, (see But,) literally, around, on the outside.]- Around; on the exterior part or surface.
Bind them about thy neck. – Prov. iii. 3. Isa. 1. Hence,
- Near to in place, with the sense of circularity.
Get you up from about the tabernacle. – Num. xvi.
- Near to in time.
He went out about the third hour. – Matt. xxi. 3.
- Near to in action, or near to the performance of some act.
Paul was about to open his mouth. – Acts xviii. 14.
They were about to flee out of the ship. – Acts xxvii. 30.
- Near to the person; appended to the clothes. Every thing about him is in order. Is your snuff-box about you? From nearness on all sides, the transition is easy to, a concern with. Hence,
- Concerned in, engaged in, relating to, respecting; as, what is he about?
I must be about my father's business. – Luke ii. 49.
The painter is not to take so much pains about the drapery as about the face. – Dryden.
- In compass or circumference; two yards about the stern.
- Near to in number or quantity.
There fell that day about three thousand men. – Ex. xxxii.
| A*bout"
- Around; all round; on every side of.
- On all
sides; around.
- In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity
or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one's person).
- In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way;
around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile
across.
- Over or upon different parts of; through or over
in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in;
throughout.
- Here and there; around; in one place and
another.
- Near; not far from; -- determining approximately
time, size, quantity.
- Nearly; approximately; with close
correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold;
about as high; -- also of quantity, number, time.
- In concern with; engaged in; intent
on.
- To a reserved position; half round; in the
opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn
one's self about.
- On the
point or verge of; going; in act of.
- Concerning; with regard to; on account of;
touching.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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About ABOUT', preposition [Gr. butan, without, [see but, ] literally, around, on the outside.] 1. Around; on the exterior part or surface. Bind them about thy neck. Proverbs 3:3. Isa. Latin Hence, 2. Near to in place, with the sense of circularity. Get you up from about the tabernacle. Numbers 16:24. 3. Near to in time. He went out about the third hour. Matthew 21:3. 4. Near to, in action, or near to the performance of some act. Paul was about to open his mouth. They were about to flee out of the ship. Acts 28:14 - 28:30. 5. Near to the person; appended to the clothes. Every thing about him is in order. Is your snuff box about you? From nearness on all sides, the transition is easy to a concern with. Hence, 6. Concerned in, engaged in, relating to, respecting. I must be about my father's business. Luke 2:49. The painter is not to take so much pains about the drapery as about the face What is he about? 7. In compass or circumference; two yards about the trunk. ABOUT', adverb 1. Near to in number or quantity. There fell that day about three thousand men. Exodus 32:28. 2. Near to in quality or degree; as about as high, or as cold. 3. Here and there; around; in one place and another. Wandering about from house to house. 1 Timothy 5:13. 4. round, or the longest way, opposed to across, or the shortest way. A mile about and half a mile across. To bring about to bring to the end; to effect or accomplish a purpose. To come about to change or turn; to come to the desired point. In a like sense, seamen say go about when a ship changes her course and goes on the other tack. Ready about about ship, are orders for tacking. To go about signifies to enter upon; also to prepare; to seek the means. Why go ye about to kill me. John 7:14.
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Hard-cover Edition |
341 |
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520 |
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Compact Edition |
324 |
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227 |
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CD-ROM |
282 |
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186 |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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