[Vocabulary] [adverb] throw something about?

[hhtt21]

This is from a definition for "splash" from Chambers.

"A liquid or a semi-liquid substance splashes or is splashed when it is thrown about in large drops."

Would you please explain this use of "about"? And would you also supply a basic sentence in the active voice?

Unfortunately I need to do as "self-made" and the sentence is intended to describe this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwj7IYvzoQM

"The man threw the birdseed about to the pigeons".

 

[emsr2d2]

It implies "in various/different directions".

I couldn't watch the video but it strikes me that a suitable description of it might be "The man scattered birdseed for the pigeons".

 

[Rollercoaster1]

It implies "in various/different directions".

I couldn't watch the video but it strikes me that a suitable description of it might be "The man scattered birdseed for the pigeons".

Would 'The man scattered/threw the birdseed to the pigeons' mean that the pigeons were far?

 

[GoesStation]

Would 'The man scattered/threw the birdseed to the pigeons' mean that the pigeons were far away from him?

No.

 

[Tdol]

It could be used for birds further away, though. But if the birds are very close to the man and scattered/threw works fine.

 

[Rollercoaster1]

It could be used for birds further away, though. But if the birds are very close to the man and scattered/threw works fine.

Shouldn't there be a comma at the end of the word man? Also, I guess you wanted to add something else after the conjunction and.

 

[probus]

No comma is needed, but I think Tdol inadvertently included an extraneous and near the end of his post.