Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
ABOUT
I. adverb see: but Date: before 12th century
1. reasonably close to , almost , on the verge of, on all sides ; around ,
3. in rotation, around the outside, here and there , in the vicinity ; near , in the opposite direction ,
II. preposition Date: before 12th century in a circle around ; on every side of ; around ,
2. in the immediate neighborhood of ; near , on or near the person of, in the makeup of , at the command of , engaged in ,
4. with regard to ; concerning , concerned with, fundamentally concerned with or directed toward , over or in different parts of,
III. adjective
Date: 1815
moving from place to place, around 2