about to

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bout /əˈbaʊt/   prep. 

1. concerning;
   on the subject of:
   a novel about the Civil War.
Compare on.
2. connected or associated with:
   an air of mystery about him.
3. near;
   close to;
   approximately:
   She's about my height.
4. within the confines of:
   somewhere about the house.
5. so as to be of use to:
   Keep your wits about you.
6. here or there;
   in or on:
   wandered about the neighborhood.
7. engaged in or occupied with:
   While you're about it, please get me a soda.
8. having as a main concern or central purpose:
   Fame was what his career was about.

adv. 

9. nearly;
   almost:
   Dinner is about ready.
10. nearby;
    not far off:
    My papers are somewhere about.
11. in the opposite direction:
    She swung the car about.
12. here and there:
    to move furniture about; papers strewn about.

adj. [ be + ~]

13. moving around;
    astir:
    was up and about at dawn.
14. in existence;
    prevalent:
    The flu is about.

Idioms

15. Idioms be about to, [~ + verb] be ready or likely to do something:
    We're about to eat dinner.
    Compare be going to under go.
16. Idioms not about to, not intending or likely to:
    not about to lend you money.

Idioms what about, what plans or ideas do you have concerning (the person or thing mentioned)?

What about the money you hid away? (= What plans do you have for the money you hid away?)

Idioms how about, (used to make an offer or suggestion):

How about a cup of tea?

Idioms It's about time, the time has arrived to do (something):

It's about time to leave.

Usage

Both on and about mean "concerning''; about is used when the information given is of a more general nature and not too technical: a romantic novel about the Civil War. On is used when the information is more particular, as by being scholarly or serious:
an important article on the Civil War
.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bout  (ə bout′), prep. 

1. of;
   concerning;
   in regard to:
   instructions about the work; a book about the Civil War.
2. connected or associated with:
   There was an air of mystery about him.
3. near;
   close to:
   a man about my height; about six o'clock.
4. in or somewhere near:
   He is about the house.
5. on every side of;
   around:
   the railing about the excavation.
6. on or near (one's person):
   They lost all they had about them.
7. so as to be of use to:
   Keep your wits about you.
8. on the verge or point of (usually fol. by an infinitive):
   about to leave.
9. here or there;
   in or on:
   to wander about the old castle.
10. concerned with;
    engaged in doing:
    Tell me what it's about. Bring me the other book while you're about it.

adv. 

11. near in time, number, degree, etc.;
    approximately:
    It's about five miles from here.
12. nearly;
    almost:
    Dinner is about ready.
13. nearby;
    not far off:
    He is somewhere about.
14. on every side;
    in every direction;
    around:
    Look about and see if you can find it.
15. halfway around;
    in the opposite direction:
    to turn a car about.
16. from one place to another;
    in this place or that:
    to move furniture about; important papers strewn about.
17. in rotation or succession;
    alternately:
    Turn about is fair play.
18. in circumference:
    a wheel two inches about.
19. [Naut.]
    • Naval Terms onto a new tack.
    • Naval Terms onto a new course.

adj. 

20. moving around;
    astir:
    He was up and about while the rest of us still slept.
21. in existence;
    current;
    prevalent:
    Chicken pox is about.

• bef. 900; Middle English aboute(n), Old English abūtan, onbūtan on the outside of (a- a-¹ + būtan outside (see but¹, but²), equivalent. to b(e) by + ūtan), cognate with Gothic utana, Old Norse, Old Saxon ūtan, Old Frisian ūta, Old High German ūzan(a) outside; see out; compare above, abaft for formation

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

about / əˈbaʊt/ preposition

1. relating to; concerning; on the subject of
2. near or close to (in space or time)
3. carried on: I haven't any money about me
4. on every side of; all the way around
5. active in or engaged in
6. about to ⇒ on the point of; intending to: she was about to jump
7. (with a negative) determined not to: nobody is about to miss it

adverb

1. approximately; near in number, time, degree, etc: about 50 years old
2. nearby
3. here and there; from place to place; in no particular direction: walk about to keep warm
4. all around; on every side
5. in or to the opposite direction
6. in rotation or revolution: turn and turn about
7. used in informal phrases to indicate understatement: I've had just about enough of your insults, it's about time you stopped
8. in circumference; around

adjective

1. (predicative) active; astir after sleep: up and about
2. (predicative) in existence, current, or in circulation: there aren't many about nowadays

Etymology: Old English abūtan,onbūtan on the outside of, around, from on + būtan outside