mess around

• Verbo usado para indicar passar o tempo com atividades aleatórias ou sem objetivo, comportar-se de forma brincalhona ou pouco séria, ou desperdiçar tempo à toa.

A phrasal verb used to indicate engaging in casual or aimless activity, behaving in a playful or unserious manner, or wasting time.

incontável · intransitivo · phrasal, sem objeto

1. Behave playfully or waste timeinformal

   To engage in playful or silly behavior, often wasting time instead of doing something productive.

   Ficar à toa ou brincar

   • Stop messing around and finish your homework.
   • The kids were messing around in the backyard.
   • We spent the afternoon just messing around at the park.

   Sinônimosclown arounddallyfool aroundhorse aroundidlelarkloiterplay around

   Antônimosapplylaborperseverestrivework

2. Tinker or experimentinformal

   To handle or work with something in an unskilled or casual way, often to understand or fix it.

   Mexer ou experimentar

   • He likes to mess around with old radios.
   • She was messing around with the settings on her phone.
   • They messed around with the recipe until it tasted right.

   Sinônimosdabblefiddlefool aroundmonkey aroundplay aroundpotterputtertinker

   Antônimosabandonignoreneglect

3. Treat someone unfairlyinformal

   To cause trouble or confusion for someone, often by being dishonest or inconsiderate.

   Tratar injustamente

   • Don't mess around with her feelings.
   • He felt his boss was messing him around with the schedule.
   • They messed around with the contract terms at the last minute.

   Sinônimosdeceiveexploitmistreatstring alongtoy with

   Antônimoshelphonorrespectsupporttreat

Verbo basemess