1. About (orig. outside) or near that place: = THEREABOUTS 1.
a. 925. O. E. Chron., an. 917 (Parker MS.). Æt Hocneratune, and þær onbutan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xxv. 595.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark xiv. 69. Heo ongan cweðan to þam þe ðar abutan stodon.
1131. O. E. Chron., an. 1124 (Laud MS.). Ealla þa casteles ða þær abuton wæron.
c. 1290. Beket, 2126, in S. Eng. Leg., 167. And al round þare a-bouten it lay.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), Pref. 3. Ierusalem, and the haly placez þat er þare aboute.
1451. Paston Lett., I. 196. To all yowr frendes and tenauntes ther abowtyn.
1517. Torkington, Pilgr. (1884), 56. The Cityes in the Countre ther a bowght.
1562. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 220. To remane within the samin and foure mylis thairabout.
1692. Ray, Disc., II. v. (1732), 215. The Alterration of the sea thereabout.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. iii. 120. Quartered in the different villages thereabout.
1908. [Miss E. Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 67. From somewhere thereabout our garden gravel came.
† b. Around that object (a pillar, or the like).
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 1136. He bad bulden of marbre A piler … & þat þei wrouhten a wrytte & writen þer aboute.
c. fig. About that; near to that state or action: cf. THEREABOUTS 1 c. Obs. or rare.
1664. Dryden, Rival-Ladies, IV. iii. Amid. … I feel already My stout Heart melts. Hip. Oh! Are you thereabout?
2. a. About or somewhere near that time or date. b. About that number, quantity, size, space of time, etc. = THEREABOUTS 2. (Chiefly after or.)
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8984. Hit biuel þer aboute þat þe erl thebaud … destourbede þe peys.
1465. J. Paston, in P. Lett., II. 236. The xxii yere of Kyng Herry or ther abought.
1534. in Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., Var. Coll., IV. 217. Amountyng to the some of 30l. or therabout.
1564. Brief Exam., *****ij b. Referred to the Prophetes tymes, and thereabout.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. (1787), 15. A company of volunteers, in number four hundred, or thereabout.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. ii. (1840), 51. At the distance of less than two hundred years, or thereabout.
1908. [Miss E. Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme. 369. She has walked 221,490 miles, or thereabout.
3. About, concerning, or with reference to that matter or business; thereanent. To go or be thereabout, to occupy or busy oneself therewith: cf. ABOUT B. 10, 11. Now arch. or rare.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22885 (Edin.). Þe mar man swink him þar aboutin Fra sped þe ferre he sal ben outin.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 972. But i were busi þer a-boute to blame i were.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 129. What wol ye dyne? I wol go ther-aboute.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 2698. Thar-obout wil i be bayn.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 56. Here resonable expensys þere abowte awȝte ferst to be takyn vp.
1450–1530. Myrr. our Ladye, 51. All that wyll do theyr besynes there aboute.
1534. More, Treat. Passion, Wks. 1289/2. How much payn so euer himselfe tooke thereabout.
1611. Bible, Luke xxiv. 4. They were much perplexed thereabout.
1657. W. Rand, trans. Gassendi’s Life Peiresc, II. 77. Peireskius … congratulated with him thereabout.
