Dictionary

thereabout en · ADV

Pronunciation

(Southern-England) audio
/ˌðɛɹəˈbaʊt/ (General-American)
/ˈðɛɹəˌbaʊt/ (General-American)
(Southern-England) audio
/ˈðɛəɹəbaʊt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
/ðɛəɹəˈbaʊt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English ther-aboute, ther-abouten (“of a place or an object: around there, in its vicinity; surrounding it; nearby, neighbouring; here and there, throughout that place; of an action, matter, etc.: about, concerning; of an amount or distance: approximately, more or less; of time: about then, around that time”) [and other forms], from Old English þǣrābūtan, þǣronbūtan, from þǣr (“there”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *só (“this; that”) + *-r) + abūtan, onbūtan (“about; round about; on; on the outside”) (from on- (prefix meaning ‘on; upon; there; thither; to’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- (“on; onto”)) + būtan (“just, merely, only”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep- + *úd (“away; out; outwards; upwards”))). The English word is analysable as there + about. The word is attested earlier than thereabouts.

Meanings

(not-comparable) About or near that place.
(not-comparable) About or around that date or time.
- Dinner will be ready at six-thirty or thereabout.
(not-comparable) About or near to that condition or quality.
(not-comparable) Approximately that number or quantity.
- The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, right? Yes, thereabout.
(dated, not-comparable) About that or those: concerning it or them.
- And they entred in, and found not the body of the Lord Jeſus. And it came to paſſe, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men ſtood by them in ſhining garments. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 24:3–4, column 2:
- It cannot be denied that the devolutions of the title to the house in issue have been unusual, and are not free from challenge. In a contest betwixt legal titles, instruments of writing thereabout must often be strictly construed, and that which may be called the real intent of the makers is sometimes defeated. But this [case] does not demand a technical application of the rules of law governing the devolution of land titles. Only a contract is in issue here. 1915, “102 S. C. 313. Etheredge et al. v. Ætna Ins. Co. (No. 9216.) (Supreme Court of South Carolina. Oct. 20, 1915.)”, in The Southeastern Reporter, volume 86, West Publishing Company, page 689:
(dated, figuratively, not-comparable) Near to that activity or situation.
- HANCOCK, THOMAS (d. 1706?). Said to have been a tanner. Held the sequestered vicarage of St. Winnow, Corn.; ejected, 1660. Continued preaching thereabout. Signed the thanks of Cornish Ministers. Licensed, 10 or 20 June 1672, as Presbyterian, to teach in his house, parish of Morval, Corn.; the house was licensed, 22 July. From 1687 he maintained a congregation at East Looe, parish of St. Martin, two miles from Morval, and received annual grants (£10, reduced 1695 to £6) from 1690 to end of 1705. 1917, “Index”, in Alexander Gordon, editor, Freedom After Ejection: A Review (1690-1692) of Presbyterian and Congregational Nonconformity in England and Wales (Historical Series), No. XXX, University of Manchester, page 278:

whereover · whitherever · wheresomever · thisaway · whencewards · therewith · thenceforwards · whereforth · hereto · hereagainst · thereagain · thereunto · wherebeside · thereafters · whereinabove · hereabout · hereaway · thencefrom · whereout · wheremid · hereon · hereout · thereinafter · whereup · therehence · herewithal · whereof · hereinafter · wherewith · whereinsoever · whereaway · therefrom · therefore · thereacross · hereof · hereabove · thereinto · wherealong · whenceafter · whyfor · thereanent · hitherwards · wherefore · thereinunder · — · whensoever · thitherto · thataway · hitherunto · howso · wherearound · theretofore · herewith · thereby · whereto · wherehence · thereamong · thenceout · heremid · whereinbefore · therethrough · herefrom · whereabouts · whereamongst · thereat · whereunto · henceafter · whereinafter · thereup · thenceafter · hereinbefore · hereforwards · hereamong · whereagainst · hereupon · heretofore · whenabout · thereover · thereinbelow · therefor · whysoever · whereamong · wherefrom · herebefore · thatwise · whatsomedever · hitherward · whatsoever · hereinsoever · herefor · whatso · thereinabove · whitherso · hereby · whereupon · whereat · therealong · therethroughout · therebefore · thitherward · herewithout · thereforth · wherethrough · wherebetween · howbeit · whenso · herewithin · wherebeyond · howsoever · thereabouts · whenceforward · hereinbelow · whyso · whatever · whithertofore · thereof · herefore · therearound · hereabouts · wherefor · thereupon · hereforth · hereanent · whitherto · whencefrom · whereafters · whereinto · whereinunder · hereover · therebeside · hereafter · therewithal · whereinbelow · 1. Scottish2. from Middle English mid3. old dialectal form · whencever · hereunto · wherebefore · thiswise · henceforward · thenceforward · whenas · hencefrom · hereafters · thitherinsoever · wherever · thereon · thereout · howsomever · howsomedever · thereagainst · whereabove · hereinto · hereinunder · henceforth · thereamongst · whenceward · thereaway · whenceforth · therebetween · whereby · whereon · therever · whereafter · henceforwards · wheretofore · thereto · whitherinsoever · wheresoever · whitherwards · wherewithin · whereso · whyever · whatwise · thereinbefore · therewithin · wherewithout · however · whereanent · hereforward · thereafter · whereabout · thitherwards · whatsomever · thenceforth · wherewithal · hereinabove · whenabouts · hereat · hereinelsewhere · whitherward · herethroughout · whenever · therebeyond · therewithout · hitherto · thereabove · herethrough · whensomever · wherethroughout · theremid · herehence · whereas · theresoever

Synonyms

thereanent · thereabouts · thereabouts · thereon · thereabouts · thereupon · thereabouts · thereabouts

Translations (44)

ru о́коло э́того (about or near that place) · de um die Ecke (about or near that place) · sv däromkring (about or near to that condition or quality) · kmr teqrîben (about or near to that condition or quality) · la ad (approximately that number or quantity) · nl daaromheen (about or near that place) · fi maissa (about or around that date or time) · es poco más o menos (about or near that place) · kmr wî zemanî (about or around that date or time) · kmr teqrîben (approximately that number or quantity) · bg приблизително (approximately that number or quantity) · bg около (about or near that place) · sv däromkring (about or around that date or time) · uk десь там (about or near that place) · de dortherum (about or near that place) · kmr wan deman (about or around that date or time) · es por ahí (about or near that place) · es a aqueso de (about or near that place) · kmr wan deran (about or near that place) · de daherum (about or near that place) · fi noin (about or around that date or time) · kmr derdorî (approximately that number or quantity) · kmr nêzîkî (about or near to that condition or quality) · fi paikkeilla (about or around that date or time) · fi tuollapäin (about or near that place) · uk поруч (about or near that place) · es sobre poco más o menos (about or near that place) · de in der Gegend (about or near that place) · kmr derdorî (about or near to that condition or quality) · it nei pressi (about or near that place) · sv däromkring (approximately that number or quantity) · fi suunnilleen (approximately that number or quantity) · it nei dintorni (about or near that place) · bg около (about or around that date or time) · fi noilla main (about or near that place) · fi sielläpäin (about or near that place) · kmr nêzîkî (approximately that number or quantity) · sv däromkring (about or near that place) · fi niillä main (about or near that place) · it nelle vicinanze (about or near that place) · ru о́коло того́ (about or near that place) · es a eso de (about or near that place) · es algo por ahí (about or near that place) · pt em torno disto (about or near that place)