mess around

mess around (third-person singular simple present messes around, present participle messing around, simple past and past participle messed around)

1. (informal) To fiddle idly.

   The kids sat there messing around with leaves and blades of grass because they were bored.

   These guys don't mess around! They finished the whole job in ten minutes.

2. (informal) To joke, kid, or play.

   Hey, don't take it personally. I was only messing around.

   Don't mess around with electricity if you don't understand it.

3. (informal) To have a sexual relationship, especially one which is non-commital.

   Rumor has it that he's messing around with his secretary.

• (fiddle idly): faff about (British, idiomatic), dick around (American, vulgar), waste time

• mess with