About

• approximately: (of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct; "lasted approximately an hour"; "in just about a minute"; "he's about 30.
• all around or on all sides; "dirty clothes lying around (or about)"; "let's look about for help"; "There were trees growing all around"; "she looked around her"
• in the area or vicinity; "a few spectators standing about"; "hanging around"; "waited around for the next flight"
• used of movement to or among many different places or in no particular direction; "wandering about with no place to go"; "people were rushing about"; "news gets around (or about)"; "traveled around in Asia"; "he needs advice from someone who's been around"; "she sleeps around"
• in or to a reversed position or direction; "about face"; "suddenly she turned around"
• in rotation or succession; "turn about is fair play"
• about(p): on the move; "up and about"; "the whole town was astir over the incident"
• (of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but; "the job is (just) about done"; "the baby was almost asleep when the alarm sounded"; "we're almost finished"; "the car all but ran her down"; "he nearly fainted".
• On all sides; around; In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across; Here and there; around; in one place and another; Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.
• the clear and simple use of this idiom ("The book is about space travel") has been distorted in the media. ...
• as in "going about" - meaning to change direction by tacking
• Changing a boat's direction by passing the wind across the its bow first
• A term used in letter of credit practice which allows a 10% variance above or below the letter of credit value, or quantity of goods, or unit price of the goods. See also "Approximately."