Language/English/Vocabulary/(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.’