Question

about

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a∙bout¹ / əˈbaut ; əˈbaʊt /
◙prep
1. concerning or relating to a particular subject
• 关于:
 »a book about politics
  一本有关政治的书
 »She said something about leaving town.
  她说了些要离开镇子的话。
 »He lied about his age.
  他谎报年龄。
 »About that car of yours. How much are you setting it for?
  说到你的那辆车，你打算卖什么价钱？
 »What's he on about (=talking about) ?
  他在说些什么？
 »It's about Tommy, doctor. He's been sick again.
  医生，是汤米，他又病了。
 »Naturally, my mother wanted to knowall aboutit (=all the details relating to it) .
  很自然，我母亲想知道事情的全部。
2. used to show why someone is angry, happy, upset etc
• 因为〔用以表明生气、开心、烦恼等的原因〕:
 »I'm really worried about Jack.
  我很担心杰克。
 »She's upset about missing the party.
  她因为错过聚会而不开心。
3. in many different directions within a particular place, or in different parts of a place
• 到处;
【SYN】 around , round
 »We spent the whole afternoon walking about town.
  我们整个下午都在城里四处走。
 »Books were scattered about the room.
  房间里到处摊著书。
4. in the nature or character of a person or thing
• 在…（身）上〔指性格或特点〕:
 »There's somethingreally strangeaboutLiza.
  莉莎真有点怪。
 »What I like aboutthe job is that it's never boring.
  这份工作我喜欢的是它从不枯燥。
5. what / how about sb / sth [spoken]
a. used to ask a question that directs attention to another person or thing
• 某人/某物怎么样（怎么办）〔用以将注意力转向另一人或另一物〕:
 »What about Jack? We can't just leave him here.
  杰克怎么办？ 我们不能把他丢在这里不管。
 »I'm feeling hungry. How about you?
  我饿了，你呢？
b. used to make a suggestion
• 某人/某事物怎么样（好吗）〔用以提建议〕:
 »How about a salad for lunch?
  午饭吃色拉怎么样？
6. do something about sth, to do something to solve a problem or stop a bad situation
• 想办法解决某个问题，处理某坏情况:
 »If we don't do something about it, the problem is going to get worse.
  如果我们不想办法解决，问题会越来越糟。
 »What can be done about the rising levels of pollution?
  污染越来越严重，该如何处理呢？
7. if an organization, a job, an activity etc is about something, that is its basic purpose
• 目的是:
 »Leadership isall aboutgetting your team to co-operate.
  当领导就是让你的团队齐心协力。
8. while you're about it, [spoken] used to tell someone to do something while they are doing something else because it would be easier to do both things at the same time
• 顺便:
 »Go and see what's the matter, and while you're about it you can fetch me my sweater.
  去看看怎么回事，顺便把我的毛衣拿来。
9. what was all that about?, [spoken] used to ask the reason for something that has just happened, especially someone's angry behaviour
• 这究竟怎么回事？
10. [literary] surrounding a person or thing
• 围绕〔某人或某事〕:
 »Jo sensed fear and jealousy all about her.
  乔感觉出她周围充满恐惧和妒嫉。
--› see be quick about it at QUICK ¹ (5)
--› see go about your business at BUSINESS (12)

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about²
◙adv
1. also round about [spoken] a little more or less than a particular number, amount, or size
• 大约，大概;
【SYN】 roughly
 »I live about 10 miles away.
  我住的地方离这里十英里左右。
 »a tiny computer about as big as a postcard
  明信片大小的微型计算机
 »We left the restaurant at round about 10.30.
  我们十点半左右离开了餐厅。
2. [BrE] in many different directions within a place or in different parts of a place
• 到处，处处;
【SYN】 around
 »People were rushing about, trying to find the driver.
  人们跑来跑去，想找到那位司机。
 »Cushions were scattered about on the chairs.
  垫子散放在椅子上。
3. near to you or in the same place as you
• 在附近，在…周围; 在同一地方:
 »Is Derrick about? There's a phone call for him.
  德里克在吗？ 有电话找他。
 »Quick! Let's go while there's no-one about.
  快点儿! 趁没有人在我们赶紧走。
4. [BrE spoken] existing or available now
• 有:
 »I hope she hasn't caught flu.There's a lot of it about.
  我希望她没得流感，最近得流感的人很多。
 »She might get temporary work, but there's not much about.
  她也许可以找个临时的工作，但这种机会不是很多。
5. [informal] almost or probably
• 几乎:
 »I was about ready to leave when somebody rang the doorbell.
  我正准备离开，这时有人按响了门铃。
 »'Have you finished?' 'Just about.'
  “做完了吗？”“差不多了。”
 »It'sjust aboutthe worst mistake anyone could make.
  这差不多是一个人可能犯的最大的错误。
6. that's about it / all [spoken]
a. used to tell someone that you have told them everything you know
• 知道的都说了:
 »He was a quiet chap, married with kids. That's about it, really.
  他话不多，已婚，有孩子。 大概就是这样。
b. used to say that there is nothing else available
• 这就是全部，就这些:
 »There's some cheese in the fridge and that's about it.
  冰箱里有些干酪，就这些。
7. so as to face in the opposite direction
• 向相反方向，转身，掉头:
 »He quickly turned about and walked away.
  他一个转身就走了。

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about³
◙adj
1. be about to do sth, if someone is about to do something, or if something is about to happen, they will do it or it will happen very soon
• 即将（马上）做某事:
 »We were just about to leave when Jerry arrived.
  我们正要离开，杰里来了。
 »Work was about to start on a new factory building.
  新厂房即将动工。
2. not be about to do sth, [informal] used to emphasize that you have no intention of doing something
• 不打算做某事〔用于强调〕:
 »I've never smoked in my life and I'm not about to start now.
  我从未抽过烟，现在也不打算学。
--› see out and about at OUT ¹ (3)
--› see be up and about at UP ¹ (11)