adv. and prep., a genitival form of ABOUT used in 5–6; still preserved in certain compound adverbs as HEREABOUTS, THEREABOUTS, WHEREABOUTS, and the obs. THENABOUTS. [prob. of northern origin, with -es for -en, as in northern genitives, plurals, possessive pronouns, and vbl. inflections.]
A. adv.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Graal, II. 27. In his herte hadde he gret thowht howh this mater abowtes schold ben browht.
B. prep.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xxv. 215. Al and some abowtes him ganne to drawen.
1552–3. Inv. Church Goods, Stafford, 29. Abouts iiij yeres paste [they] solde xlix shepe & vi kie.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ix. 36. His garment, nought but many ragged clouts … The which his naked sides he wrapt abouts.
