Word Story Text

What about, about?

About is a word where it might be useful to turn to stress friends in two syllable words.

The stress can be put on the first syllable of the word, like in the word something, or on the second syllable.

Like in words like about you don't say about, you say about, This is why we end up with the unstressed, schwa, the, uh, sound at the beginning of the word and about is not the only word where this occurs.

You could try teaching about with words like along, across, around, and above. In order to highlight that this is a pattern that occurs across multiple words.

about preposition [OE. aboute, abouten, abuten; AS. ābutan, onbutan; on + butan, which is from be by + utan outward, from ut out. See But, Out.]

1. Around; all round; on every side of.

“Look about you.” Shak.

“Bind them about thy neck.” Prov. iii. 3.

2. In the immediate neighborhood of; in contiguity or proximity to; near, as to place; by or on (one’s person).

“Have you much money about you?” Bulwer.

3. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.

Lampoons . . . were handed about the coffeehouses. Macaulay.

Roving still about the world. Milton.

4. Near; not far from; – determining approximately time, size, quantity.

“To-morrow, aboutthis time.” Exod. ix. 18.

“About my stature.” Shak.

He went out about the third hour. Matt. xx. 3.

☞ This use passes into the adverbial sense.

5. In concern with; engaged in; intent on.

I must be about my Father's business. Luke ii. 49.

6. Before a verbal noun or an infinitive: On the point or verge of; going; in act of.

Paul was now about to open his mouth. Acts xviii. 14.

7. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; touching.

“To treat about thy ransom.” Milton.

She must have her way about Sarah. Trollope.

A-bout′, adverb
1. On all sides; around.

'Tis time to look about. Shak.

2. In circuit; circularly; by a circuitous way; around the outside; as, a mile about, and a third of a mile across.

3. Here and there; around; in one place and another.

Wandering about from house to house. 1 Tim. v. 13.

4. Nearly; approximately; with close correspondence, in quality, manner, degree, etc.; as, about as cold; about as high; – also of quantity, number, time.

“There fell . . . about three thousand men.” Exod. xxii. 28.

5. To a reserved position; half round; in the opposite direction; on the opposite tack; as, to face about; to turn one's self about.

To bring about

to cause to take place; to accomplish.

To come about

to occur; to take place. See under Come.

To go about

To set about

to undertake; to arrange; to prepare.

“Shall we set about some revels?” Shak.

Round about

in every direction around.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913