About that car of yours. How much are you selling it for?
说到你的那辆车,你打算卖什么价钱?
What’s he on about (=talking about)?
他在说什么呀?
It’s about Tommy, doctor. He’s been sick again.
医生,是汤米,他又病了。
Naturally, my mother wanted to know all about it (=all the details relating to it).
很自然,我母亲想知道事情的全部。
2used 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。
3ABOUTin 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.
房间里到处摊着书。
4ABOUTin the nature or character of a person or thing 在…(身)上〔指特点或性格〕
There’s something really strange about Liza.
莉莎真有点怪。
What I like about the job is that it’s never boring.
这份工作我喜欢的是它从不枯燥。
5what/how about somebody/somethingspoken
a)ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO somethingused to ask a question that directsattention to another person or thing 某人/某事物怎么样[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)SUGGESTused 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?
午饭吃沙拉怎么样?
6do something about somethingSTOP something THAT IS HAPPENINGto 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,问题会变得更糟。
What can be done about the rising levels of pollution?
污染越来越严重,可以采取什么办法呢?
Examples from the Corpus
do something about something• And the secondview shows a markedadvantage when we begin to do something about behavior.• I'd betterdo something aboutimproving it.• For those who are reluctant, understandwhy and do something about it.• If the result is none too pleasant, it's time to do something about it.• Whenever Gandhi felt distressed or disturbed he wanted to do something about it.• We've got to do something about the bomb before we start.• We better do something about this deficiency right now.• I keep thinking I should do something about this place but there's never any time.
Leadership is all about getting your team to co-operate.
当领导的职责就是让你的团队同心合力。
8it’s all about somebody/somethingused to say who or what is important in a situation 重要的(问题)是某人/某事物
It’s all about money, and who’s got the most.
就是钱的问题,是谁拿到最多的问题。
9while you’re about itspoken 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。
Examples from the Corpus
while you’re about it• Er, he said, while we 're about it, you couldn't lend me your bass as well, could you?
10.what was all that about?spoken used to ask the reason for something that has just happened, especially someone’s angrybehaviour 这究竟怎么回事?
Examples from the Corpus
what was all that about?• And what was all that aboutsending him your regards?
11literaryALsurrounding a person or thing 围绕〔某人或某事物〕
about used when saying what the subject of something is 关于
She’s always talking about you.
她总是谈论你。
In her novels she writes about life in South Africa.
她的小说描写南非生活。
There’s something I wanted to ask you about.
有件事我想问问你。
on about a particular subject 关于〔某一主题〕
a book on English grammar
一本关于英语语法的书
a report on poverty in rural areas
一份关于农村贫困状况的报告
concerning/regarding formal about 关于
Prince Saiid answered questions concerning Kuwait’s future.
赛义德亲王回答了关于科威特前途的问题。
The report raises a number of questions regarding food safety.
这份报告提出了一些有关食品安全的问题。
with regard to formal about – used especially when you want to start talking or writing about something 关于〔尤用于引出话题〕
Dear Sir, I’m writing with regard to your advertisement in The Times.
敬启者,关于贵方在《泰晤士报》所刊之广告,特致此函求教。
re used in business letters and in emails to introduce the subject that you are going to write about 关于〔用于商业信函和电子邮件中,以说明事由〕
Re: Friday’s meeting
关于星期五的会议
Examples from the Corpus
about• What's all the fussabout?• Basically, the job's all about helping people get off welfare.• I'm not sure what it is about her, but guys really like her.• There was death all about her.• They were talking aboutmusic.• This leaflet should answer all the questions you have aboutswitching to digitalTV.• What did you like bestabout the book?• an articleabout the famine• I'm reading a really good book at the moment - it's about the French Revolution.• Trash and food were strewnabout the room.• About this weekend - is everyone still going?• I've been thinking about what you said, and I've decided that you're right.• Toby talks about you all the time.
It’s about• It's about a three-hour drive.• Well, it's about making money.• Detective work is about a lot of things, mostly it's about not giving up.• It's aboutsomebody who was killed here.• I was hoping there was, cosit's about time I got back home - it's getting pretty late.• But it isn't, and it's about time the public knew that.• Constantrain, and when it's not raining it looks as if it's about to.• For realracistsit's about white rulepure and simple.
There’s something ... about• All the same, there's something contrived about it, Miles.• I find the music extremely humorous, there's something ridiculous about it.• There's something almost Miltonic about it.• There's something morbid about my appetite, he thought.• There's something about one lighted window in an otherwise dark building that teases the imagination.• There's something wrong about that.• There's something not right about the way he goes on with her.• There's something rather unhealthy about this particular game.
all about• I don't see what the big fuss is all about.• She guessed what it was all about.• We must learn what this New Education is all about!• The most ominous thing of all about Drumcree is that it has confirmed the politicalbankruptcy of unionism.• Nancy knew all about it: Pa had confided in her a lot toward the end of his life.• I then went off on holiday and forgotall about it.• Scepticism is all aboutmatchingbelief to evidence.• Its all about money, how much we have how much we make and what we spend it one.
about2 ●●●S1W1adverbadv
1 (also round about spoken)APPROXIMATELY a little more or less than a particular number, amount, or size 大约,大概SYN roughly, approximately
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。
5informalALMOST 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’s just about the worst mistake anyone could make.
这差不多是一个人可能犯的最大错误了。
6that’s about it/allspokenALL/EVERYTHING
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.
他这个人话不多,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。
Examples from the Corpus
that’s about it/all• I've seen her around a few times, but that's about it.• There's some ham in the fridge, and that's about it.• Behaviour in a vacuum may be very interesting but that's about all.• I can tell the difference between a sparrow and a swan and that's about it.• Oh well, that's about it.• Soundblaster effects such as laserfire and explosions are terrific but that's about it.• That's about it for this month.• That's about all I can tell you.• Unfortunately when it comes to originalitythat's about all the game has to offer.• They're very big, and they're very expensive, and that's about all you can say for them.
7OPPOSITE/REVERSEso as to face in the opposite direction 向相反方向,转身,掉头SYN around
He quickly turned about and walked away.
他一个转身就走了。
Examples from the Corpus
about• The chance of men being born colourblind is about 1 in 12.• It should costabout $1500.• Tim's about 25 years old.• For about $ 30,000.• Her music lesson is about 45 minutes long.• The first such creatureappearedabout 550 million years ago.• The church is about a mile away.• It's been about five years since I've seen Linda.• He left the house roundabout four o'clock.• The job should be finished round aboutMarch next year.• It's two-thirty. They should be arrivingabout now.• She's 11 months old and just aboutready to start walking.• About six months ago he suffered a majorheartattack.• The cathedral was completed in about the middle of the 16th century.• The two-month trip will take her more than 26,000 miles in about three dozen legs.• Yes, we've got about twenty drawings.
There’s a lot of it about• There's a lot of it about HEALTH-SERVICE reform is in fashion.
1be about to do somethingWILLif someone is about to do something, or if something is about to happen, they will do it or it will happen very soon 即将做某事
We were just about to leave when Jerry arrived.
我们正要离开的时候,杰里来了。
Work was about to start on a new factory building.
新厂房即将动工。
2not be about to do somethinginformalINTEND 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.