英语单词about在日常阅读、口语及考试中常被使用或出现。about可以做介词和副词，今天就其作为副词的常见的五个意思和相关短语进行举例说明。
1.about的意思是“到处，四处活动”，比如：I'm used to going about alone.我习惯于到处走动。The little boy ran about looking for his mother.这个小孩四处跑着找妈妈。The birds were flying about and twittering with delight.鸟儿飞来飞去，高兴地叽叽喳喳地叫着 。
2.about指“在附近”。比如：There were few people about.附近没有几个人。The man in charge hadn't been about just as the moment.负责的人现在不在附近。When I got in the village，I found nobody about.到村里的时候，我发现附近没有人。
3.about的第三个意思是“在四周，向四周”。比如：All about was the white snow.四周都是雪。
4.about指“大约，大概”，经常和一个数词连用，表示数量，长度，年龄，时间等等。比如：I shall be with you in about twenty minutes.二十分钟之后，我和你在一起。He is only about five feet high。他只有五英尺高。She got here about half past five。他大约五点半到这里。
5.about第五个意思是“差不多，大概”，相当于almost。比如：I have about finished.我差不多要完成了。I'm about ready.我差不多准备好了。
6.about可以用在成语当中。
1）up and about指“（生病之后），起来走动，起床开始活动”，比如：He is up and about every morning at dawn。他每天黎明起床开始活动。
2）be about to do something表示“正要，即将做某事”，这是一个常用的短语，也是考点之一。比如：He was about to go。他正要出发。He was about to say something more.他正想再多说些什么。Tom was about to begin, but Jenny spoke first.汤姆刚要说，结果杰尼先讲话了。
3）bring about意思是“引起，造成，实现”，经常会出现在完形填空或选项题中。比如：This brought about a crisis within the labor movement. 这给劳工运动带来了危机.
4）come about的意思是“发生，成为，现实”。比如：This is how it came about.事情就是这样发生的。He never really expected that those plans would come about，他从来就没有期望着这些计划能够成为现实。It's truly an amazing change. How has it come about？这是一个惊人的变化，它是怎么发生的呢？
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