thereabouts

English

Etymology

The adverb is derived from Middle English there-aboutes, þare aboutes (“of a place or an object: around there, in its vicinity; of time: about then, around that time”) , from ther (“in that place, in those places, there; on that; thither, to that place; from there, thence; at that time; thereupon; in that situation, under those circumstances; in that case, with regard to that”) (from Old English þǣr (“there”)) + aboutes (“in all directions, around”, adverb), aboutes (“in all directions from, on all sides of; near; concerned with”, preposition) (from aboute, abouten (“so as to surround; so as to cover; on the border or edge; as measured around the outside; to as to travel around something; so as to revolve about an axis or centre; aside; in all directions; in the vicinity; in connection with something; in several places; everywhere, throughout; to all or everyone; almost, approximately; concerning; in succession; so as to be or happen”, adverb), aboute, abouten (“surrounding; covering; over; upon; on the border of; in all directions; in the vicinity of, near to; in several places; everywhere, throughout; almost, approximately; concerning; engaged in; on behalf of”, preposition) (from Old English abūtan, onbūtan (“about; round about; on; on the outside”)) + -s (suffix forming adverbs)); see further at thereabout. The English word is analysable as thereabout +‎ -s (suffix forming adverbs).

The noun may result from a confusion of thereabouts with whereabouts.

The word is attested later than thereabout.

Pronunciation

• Adverb:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ðɛəɹəˈbaʊts/, /ˈðɛəɹəbaʊts/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈðɛɹəˌbaʊts/, /ˌðɛɹəˈbaʊts/

  • Audio (GA)

    (file)

• Noun:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈðɛəɹəbaʊts/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈðɛɹəˌbaʊts/
• Hyphenation: there‧a‧bouts

Adverb

thereabouts (not comparable)

1. Synonym of thereabout:
   1. About or near that place.
      • 1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; , London: W Taylor , →OCLC, page 266:

        [W]e reſolv'd to put into a ſmall River, which however had a Depth enough of Water for us, and to ſee if we could, either over Land, or by the Ship's Pinnace, come to know what Ships were in any Port thereabouts.

   2. About or around that date or time.
      • 1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; , London: W Taylor , →OCLC, page 338:

        We ſtay'd by it a quarter of an Hour or thereabouts, 'till the Powder in the Eyes, and Mouth, and Ears of the Idol blew up; and we could perceive had ſplit and deform'd the Shape; […]

   3. About or near to that condition or quality.
   4. Approximately that number or quantity.
      • c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 247, column 2:

        Fiue or ſix thouſand horſe I ſed, I will ſay true, or thereabouts ſet downe, for Ile ſpeake truth.

   5. (obsolete)
      1. About that; concerning that.
      2. (figuratively) Near to that activity or situation.
         • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 355, column 2:

           Cam. [i.e., Canidus.] Our Fortune on the Sea is out of breath,
           And ſinkes moſt lamentably. Had our Generall
           Bin what he knew himſelfe, it had gone well:
           Oh his [i.e., he] ha's giuen example for our flight,
           Moſt groſſely by his owne.
           Eno[barbus]. I, are you thereabouts? Why then goodnight indeede.

           Canidus. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,
           And sinks most lamentably. Had our general
           Been his old self, it would have gone well.
           Oh, he has given us an example for our desertion,
           Most grossly by his own.
           Enobarbus. Ay, are you near that situation ? Why, then we must be at the end indeed.

         • c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page 280, column 2:

           Cam[illo]. I dare not know (my Lord.)
           Pol[ixenes]. How, dare not? doe not? doe you know, and dare not?
           Be intelligent to me, 'tis thereabouts:
           For to your ſelfe, what you doe know, you muſt,
           And cannot ſay, you dare not.

         • 1675, John Driden [i.e., John Dryden], The Rival Ladies. A Tragi-comedy. , London: T N for Henry Herringman, , →OCLC, Act IV, scene iii, page 46:

           Amid[eo]. […] [D]o not work
           Upon my pity; for I feel already
           My ſtout heart melts.
           Hip[polito]. Oh! are you thereabouts?

Usage notes

Thereabouts is more common in the English spoken in Southern England than thereabout.

Translations

See also

Noun

thereabouts pl (plural only)

1. (possibly erroneous) Location; whereabouts.
   • 1905, Robert Ernest Vernède, The Pursuit of Mr. Faviel, page 89:

     True, he had stopped at Langston Bucket by chance, and there was no reason why Mr. Boke should theorise as to his thereabouts.

   • 2014, Dave Duncan, The Stricken Field:

     My companions are not far off, and are aware of my thereabouts.

References

Anagrams

• breathes out, outbreathes