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Meanings of mess around in English

Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly.

To waste time doing something without a particular purpose.

Usage of mess around in English
1
The health and safety rules are not something you mess around with.
The South African
2
Don't mess around trying to save money by making the product cheaper.
NY Magazine
3
Toward the end, Luther let me mess around on my off hours.
Commuters: a novel
4
I go home now, mess around, listen to music, make some clothes.
A singular man
5
Morgan, I don't think we can mess around too much over there.
The talisman
6
But if you make a mess around the sink, clean it up.
Is it just me?: or is it nuts out there?
7
We just go to the kitchen and mess around a little bit.
Reuters
8
But this comes back to burn him and Angie doesn't mess around.
News.com.au
9
Jess doesn't mess around with anyone, because she likes having a boyfriend.
Something wicked
10
Munster, therefore, is not a place in which to mess around.
The Irish Times
11
He didn't want to give him a chance to mess around with evidence.
Damaged
12
We can be in Florida this time tomorrow if we don't mess around.
Heart-shaped box
13
When I'm not on camera, I look a hot mess around my house!
Ebony
14
Pesangas had mastered the art of the silent approach-andthey didn't mess around.
Aspho Fields
15
But now was not the time to mess around being experimental.
The Great Book of Amber
16
We don't make enough money for them to mess around with.
Consent to kill: a thriller
This collocation consists of:
Mess around through the time
Mess around across language varieties
United States of America
Common
United Kingdom
Less common