about to
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 6.36 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
phrase
Indicates something that will happen very soon; indicates action that is imminent; ready to; went to
phrase
Indicates that one has no intention of doing the stated thing at any time in the future.
Canadian usage; Informal
phrase
Indicates that one is preparing or planning to do the stated thing at some time in the future, not necessarily imminently.
Obsolete
Example Sentences
- "He's standing at the edge, and I think he's about to jump."
- "She seemed about to say something."
- "And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:"
- "I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West."
- "I had travelled one morning down to Aylesbury, and had left my train, and was about to cross the footbridge, when I heard the imperious whistle of a "B1." I paused, and round the bend came the "Master Cutler" with its engine working absolutely flat out."
- "I'm not about to let the lockdown stop me from going to the beach every day."