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# about

«about» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **on or what it is to do with: a book about dinosaurs** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

preposition (about the dog); adverb (about 10, run about, be about to); adjective (up and about)

### meaning for a pupil

1) About tells what something is on or what it is to do with: a book about dinosaurs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m1)

2) About can also mean nearly or roughly, as in «about 10». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m2)

3) About can mean here and there, all around a place: children running about the yard. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m3)

4) «Be about to» means be just going to do something: I was about to call you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m4)

5) «Up and about» means out of bed and active again after being ill. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m5)

6) (casual) «What's that about?» or «What's he on about?» asks what someone means or why they are acting oddly; «What about …?» and «How about …?» make a suggestion. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m6)

7) (formal) In the exam voice «about» is replaced by stiff words: «concerning», «regarding», «in respect of», «pertaining to»; «approximately» replaces «about 10». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#m7)

### sense in the lessons

links a remark to its topic; in the lessons it names what a set of words or a problem is telling us («This problem is about sharing»); in maths «about» marks an estimate («about 10», «roughly», «approximately»); in everyday life «what is it about?», «talk about», «think about», «worry about», «be about to», «how about pizza?»; in casual talk «what are you on about?» (what do you mean?), «that's what it's all about», «about time!» (at last, said when someone is late); in the exam voice «concerning», «with regard to», «approximately»; in stories «a story about a brave girl»

### examples

- And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not. (Torah GEN.31.34, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x1)
- This shall be to them the open land about the cities. (Torah NUM.35.5, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x2)
- All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen. (Torah EXO.38.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x3)
- Round about his teeth is terror. (Writings JOB.41.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x4)
- And Thy faithfulness is round about Thee. (Writings PSA.89.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x5)
- And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about. (Prophets JDG.20.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x6)
- The words «each», «every» and «packs of» tell us about equal groups. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x7)
- The story is about Mia and her 12 stickers. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x8)
- This problem is about sharing 20 grapes among 4 friends. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x9)
- There are about 30 children in our class. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x10)
- We read a book about sharks and whales. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x11)
- The train leaves in about ten minutes. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x12)
- Don't worry about the test; you have practised. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x13)
- I was just about to call you! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x14)
- The puppies ran about the garden all morning. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x15)
- what are you on about, it's 12 not 20 [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x16)
- About time! The bloody bus is finally here. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x17)
- Determine approximately how many pupils are present, given that 3 of the 32 enrolled pupils are absent. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x18)
- What do you think about it?" [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/#x19)

### note

«about» carries no clue for the operation in a problem; it only links a remark to its topic. Trap: «about 10» means nearly 10, an estimate, not an exact amount, so an answer «about 10» may be 9 or 11; «approximately» in an exam means the same. «be about to» means very soon, not a topic. «About time!» is a complaint that something is late, not a question about the clock. Do not mix «about» (topic) with «around» (place), though «around 10» also means nearly 10. In formal writing «concerning», «regarding» or «in respect of» stand where a child would say «about».

### In the corpora

- [And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.973/)
- [Whereas thou hast felt about all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff?](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.977/)
- [That is the thing which I spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He hath shown unto Pharaoh.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.1329/)
- [And Moses said: 'Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/EXO.304/)
- [And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/EXO.348/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «about» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/about/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.