monkey around

• Фразовый глагол, используемый для обозначения занятия игривой, озорной или бесцельной деятельностью, часто с тратой времени или причинением мелких неприятностей.

A phrasal verb used to indicate engaging in playful, mischievous, or aimless activity, often wasting time or causing minor trouble.

uncountable · intransitive · phrasal, no object

1. Waste time or act foolishlyinformal

   To behave in a silly, playful, or unproductive way; to waste time.

   Бездельничать

   • Stop monkeying around and get back to work.
   • The kids were monkeying around in the backyard all afternoon.
   • He got fired for monkeying around instead of doing his job.

   Synonymsclown arounddawdledilly-dallyfool aroundhang aroundhorse aroundidleloiterlollygagmess aroundplay around

   Antonymsapplyconcentratefocuslaborstrivetoilwork

2. Tamper or interfereinformal

   To handle or play with something carelessly, often causing damage or problems.

   Возиться или вмешиваться

   • Don't monkey around with the thermostat; it's very sensitive.
   • Someone has been monkeying around with my computer settings.
   • He monkeyed around with the engine and now it won't start.

   Synonymsfiddlefool aroundmeddlemess aroundplay aroundtampertinkertrifle

Base verbmonkey