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| FUNCTION WORD |
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| /əˈbaʊt/ |
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| 1 | concerning a particular subject
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| | 1a | used for stating who or what you are discussing, considering , describing, forgetting etc 关于，涉及，有关（讨论、考虑、描述、忘记等的人或事物） | | Think about what I’ ve told you. 想想我对你说过的话。 | | She kept saying horrible things about my mother. 她不停地说我母亲的坏话。 | | jokes about the president 有关总统的笑话 | | all about They’ d forgotten all about poor Harry. 他们完全忘记了可怜的哈利。 | |
| | 1b | used for stating who or what your feelings and attitudes are directed towards 对于，为…（情感或态度所针对的人或事物） | | I’ m worried about Dad. 我为爸爸而担心。 | | There’ s nothing to get excited about. 没什么好激动的。 | |
| | 1c | used for introducing a subject that you want to discuss 说到…；在…方面；至于 | | About that money I owe you – I can pay you back next week. 至于我欠你的钱，我下星期可以还你。 | | It’ s about Jack – he’ s been so depressed lately. 是关于杰克的事，他近来非常消沉。 | |
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| 2 | not exactly a particular amount or number
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| | 2a | used for showing that you are guessing at an amount or number 大约，大致（用于猜测数量） | | About 250 people were killed in the explosion. 大约250人死于这次爆炸。 | | Anthea must be about the same age as you. 安西娅肯定和你年龄相仿。 | |
| | 2b | used for referring to a time that is not exact 在…前后，在…左右（指不确定的时间） | | I woke up at about 3 am. 我在凌晨3点钟左右醒了。 | | round about It must have been round about six when we got home. 我们到家的时候肯定已经6点左右了。 | |
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| 3 | used for showing movement
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| | 3a | moving to many different parts or areas, or in different directions 向四周；向各处 | | The girls were dancing about the room in high spirits. 姑娘们正兴致勃勃地在屋子里翩翩起舞。 | | Abe was tired of wandering about on his own. 艾贝厌烦了独自四处闲荡。 | |
| | 3b | moving so that you face in the opposite direction 沿反方向；到相反位置 | | Diana turned about and marched out of the room. 戴安娜转过身，走出了房间。 | |
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| 4 | used for saying where sb/sth is
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| | 4a | used for saying that things are in many different parts or areas, especially because they have been left there carelessly 到处，在各处（尤指东西被随意摆放） | | Don’ t leave important papers lying about on your desk. 不要把重要的文件扔得桌上到处都是。 | | There were articles of clothing scattered about the room. 衣物散落在房间各处。 | |
| | 4b | in or close to an area 在…里；在…附近 | | The building was in darkness and there was no one about. 这幢大楼一片漆黑，里面一个人也没有。 | | You shouldn’ t have been spraying weedkiller while there were children about. 旁边有孩子在时你不应该喷除草剂的。 | |
| | 4c | surrounding or enclosing someone or something 在…周围；环绕 | | Rasula wore a garland of flowers about her neck. 莱舒勒的脖子上戴了个花环。 | | The prophet had gathered about him a band of faithful followers. 该先知在自己身旁聚集了一群忠实的追随者。 | |
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| 5 | BRITISH how sb is spending their time
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| | 5a | spending time in a place and not leaving it or not doing much （呆）在一处 | | They’ ve kept us waiting about all morning. 他们让我们等了整整一上午。 | | Dad was pottering about in the garden. 爸爸在花园里四处捣鼓着什么。 | |
| | 5b | wasting time and behaving in a stupid way 无所事事 | | Stop messing about. We’ ve got a job to do. 别捣乱，我们有正经事要做。 | |
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| 6 | searching , looking, or trying to find sb/sth
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| | 6a | used for saying that someone looks in different places to find someone or something 到处，各处（寻找） | | George was groping about in the dark, trying to find the light switch. 乔治在黑暗中摸索着，试图找到电灯开关。 | |
| | 6b | used for saying that someone looks in all directions to see who or what is there （环顾）四周 | | Looking about me, I could see no sign of the others. 我环顾四周，看不到其他人的身影。 | |
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| 7 | almost or probably
used when you are making an extreme statement that you think is almost completely true or is probably true 几乎，很可能（用于肯定的极端说法） |
| Pam’ s about the only person that I can trust. 帕姆几乎是我唯一能信赖的人。 |
| On this continent, Redmond is about as far west as you can go. 在这片大陆上，雷德蒙德可能是你所能到达的最西端了。 |
| He’ s offended just about everybody. 他差不多把每个人都得罪了。 |
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| 8 | in sb’ s/sth’ s character
used when referring to qualities that someone or something has 在…身上；在…性格中；在…内里 |
| One thing I like about Tony, he always says exactly what he thinks. 我喜欢托尼想什么就说什么的性格。 |
| There was something about her tone of voice that made him uneasy. 她的语调中有点什么让他很不自在。 |
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| 9 | BRITISH mainly spoken existing or available now
used for saying that a particular type of person or thing exists or is available at this time 存在着的；可获得的 |
| There’ s a lot of illness about. 有多种疾病正在流行。 |
| I was looking for a real fur jacket. You don’ t see them about much nowadays. 我在找一件真皮夹克，这种衣服如今已不多见了。 |
| PHRASES |
| - | be about sth
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| used for saying what the most basic or important aspect of a particular job , activity , or relationship is |
| 就是…（指某工作、活动或关系的最基本或最重要的方面） |
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| Loving and sharing – that’ s what marriage is about. 爱和分享，那就是婚姻的真谛。 |
| all about Good management is all about motivating your staff. 出色的管理就是激发员工的积极性。 |
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| - | be about to do sth
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| to be going to happen or do something very soon |
| 正要发生某事；即将做某事 |
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| I was about to get undressed when there was a knock on the door. 我刚要脱衣服时有人敲门。 |
| We arrived just as the ceremony was about to begin. 我们到时典礼正要开始。 |
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| - | be quick/slow about it
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| to be quickslow in the way you do something |
| 做得快/慢 |
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| Bring me a towel and be quick about it. 给我拿条毛巾，快点儿。 |
| Our lawyers are dealing with the matter, but they’ re being very slow about it. 我们的律师正在处理这件事，但是他们速度很慢。 |
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| - | do something/nothing/anythingabout sth
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| to do somethingnothinganything in order to deal with a problem |
| 就某事做点什么/不做什么/有任何作为 |
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| Can’ t you do something about the noise? It’ s driving me crazy. 你就不能做点什么消除这噪音吗？它都快把我弄疯了。 |
| The Government know the system isn’ t working, but they do nothing about it. 政府知道这套制度行不通，但却没有采取任何措施。 |
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| - | while you’ re about it BRITISH spoken
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| used when telling someone to do something at the same time as they are doing something else |
| 同时；顺便 |
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| Clear up all that mess, and you can clean the windows while you’ re about it. 把那一片狼藉清理一下，顺便可以擦擦窗户。 |
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| LEFENTRY: about | | | | About or around ? In meanings 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9, around is often used instead of about . Where a meaning of about is labelled Br E, around is the usual American word. | | | |
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