Language/English/Vocabulary/(a)round-and-about

(a)round and about

Circular movement, etc: (a)round

We use both round and around (American English usually around) for movement or position in a circle or a curve.  

Examples:

• She walked (a)round the car and looked at the wheels.

• I'd like to travel (a)round the world.

• ‘Where do you live?' ‘Just (a)round the corner.’  

Touring, distribution: (a)round

We also use round or around (American English usually around) to talk about going to all (or most) parts of a place, or giving things to everybody in a group.  

Examples:

• We walked (a)round the old part of the town.

• Can I look (a)round?

• Could you pass the cups (a)round, please?  

Indefinite movement and position: around/about

We use around or about (American English usually around) to refer to movements or positions that are not very clear or definite: ‘here and there’, ‘in lots of places’, ‘in different parts of, ‘somewhere in’ and similar ideas.  

Examples:

• The children were running around/about everywhere.

• Stop standing around/about and do some work.

• ‘Where's Jack?’ ‘Somewhere around/about.’

• I like doing odd jobs around/about the house.  

To talk about time-wasting or silly activity: around/about

We also use around/about in some common expressions to talk about time-wasting or silly activity. 

Example:

• Stop fooling around/about. We're late. 

Approximately: around/about

About and around can both mean ‘approximately’, ‘not exactly’. About is more common than around in British English.  

Examples:

• There were about/around twenty people there.

• ‘What time shall I come?' ‘About/Around seven.’

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