monkey around

monkey around
verb
do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
-

The old lady is usually mucking about in her little house

• Syn:
• Derivationally related forms: ↑tinker (for: ↑tinker), ↑tinkerer (for: ↑tinker), ↑potterer (for: ↑potter), ↑putterer (for: ↑putter)
• Hypernyms: ↑work
• Hyponyms: ↑puddle
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s

-

Somebody ——s PP

* * *

ˌmonkey a ˈround ˌmonkey a ˈbout [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they monkey around he/she/it monkeys around present participle monkeying around past tense monkeyed around past participle monkeyed around] informal phrasal verb
to behave in a silly way
Thesaurus: to behave in a silly waysynonym
Main entry: monkey

* * *

monkey around (or Brit monkey about) [phrasal verb]
informal
1 : to do things that are not useful or serious : to waste time

We just monkeyed around [=fooled around, messed around] all afternoon.

a young scientist monkeying around in the lab

2 monkey around/about with (something) informal
2 a : to use or do (something) in a way that is not very serious

He enjoys monkeying around with [=fooling around with] his car's engine.

2 b : to handle or play with (something) in a careless or foolish way

You shouldn't be monkeying around with dangerous chemicals.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑monkey

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • monkey around — phrasal verb monkey around or monkey about [intransitive] Word forms monkey around : present tense I/you/we/they monkey around he/she/it monkeys around present participle monkeying around past tense monkeyed around past participle monkeyed around …   English dictionary

  • monkey\ around — • fool around • mess around • play around • monkey around v informal 1. To spend time playing, fooling, or joking instead of being serious or working; waste time. If you go to college, you must work, not fool around. The boys fooled around all… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • monkey around — v. (colloq.) (AE) (D; intr.) to monkey around with * * * (colloq.) (AE) (D; intr.) to monkey around with …   Combinatory dictionary

  • monkey (around) with (something) — to adjust something. It seems like any time they monkey with taxes, wealthy people benefit the most. Usage notes: usually said about an effort to fix or improve something, especially an effort that does not succeed …   New idioms dictionary

  • monkey around — See: FUCK AROUND, HORSE AROUND, MESS AROUND …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • monkey around — See: FUCK AROUND, HORSE AROUND, MESS AROUND …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • monkey around — verb To act foolishly. I wanna be a man, man cub and stroll right into town and be just like the other men Im tired of monkeying around …   Wiktionary

  • monkey\ around — Goofing off, especially when you don t have time to goof off. Dad to Tom, Better do your homework and quit sending words to the pseudodictionary, son. You don t have time to be monkeying around this evening …   Dictionary of american slang

  • monkey\ around — Goofing off, especially when you don t have time to goof off. Dad to Tom, Better do your homework and quit sending words to the pseudodictionary, son. You don t have time to be monkeying around this evening …   Dictionary of american slang

  • To monkey around with — Monkey Mon key, v. t. & i. To act or treat as a monkey does; to ape; to act in a grotesque or meddlesome manner. [1913 Webster] {To monkey with}, {To monkey around with}, to handle in a meddlesome manner. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster +PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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