out'n about
Gone from the house; out running around somewhere.
Also called out and about, outnabout, out-n-about.
Updated September 24, 2026
out'n about pronunciation
/OUT-n uh-BOUT/
Meaning
Out'n about is the run-together Southern way to say out and about. It means somebody is not home. Maybe they are at the store, visiting kin, or just tooling around town. You ask where Daddy went and Mama says he's out'n about.
How folks use it
- “I stopped by twice, but she was out'n about both times.”
- “He's out'n about somewhere in that old truck.”
Origin and etymology
Contraction of the common English phrase out and about. Rural Southern and Appalachian speech often reduces and to 'n and runs the words together. Same meaning as the longer form, just quicker on the tongue.