Mess about Meaning in English
expression
ˈmɛs/ /əˈbaʊt
MESS uh-BOWT
mˈɛs/ /ɐbˈaʊt
MESS uh-BOWT
Definition
To behave in a silly way, waste time doing unimportant things, or play around instead of working or being serious.
Usage & Nuances
Informal, mainly British English. In American English, 'mess around' is more common. Used for wasting time, playful activity, or being unserious. Common with kids, friends, or when not focusing. Do not confuse with 'mess up' (to make a mistake).
Spanish: hacer tonterías - perder el tiempo - jugarPortuguese (BR): fazer bagunça - brincar - enrolarPortuguese (PT): fazer asneiras - brincar - perder tempoChinese (Simplified): 瞎折腾 - 闲混 - 玩耍Chinese (Traditional): 瞎折騰 - 閒混 - 玩耍Hindi: मस्ती करना - समय बर्बाद करनाArabic: يعبث - يضيع الوقتBengali: আঁটসাঁট করা - দুষ্টুমি করা - অযথা সময় নষ্ট করাRussian: дурачиться - валять дурака - бездельничатьJapanese: ふざける - いたずらをするVietnamese: nghịch ngợm - làm việc linh tinh - lãng phí thời gianKorean: 장난치다 - 빈둥거리다Turkish: oyalanmak - vakit öldürmek - şakalaşmakUrdu: شرارت کرنا - فضول کام کرناIndonesian: bermain-main - membuang-buang waktu
Example Sentences
Stop messing about and do your homework.
basic
The children like to mess about in the garden after school.
basic
He always messes about during meetings.
basic
We were just messing about, nothing serious.
natural
Don’t mess about with my phone, please.
natural
We spent the afternoon messing about by the river.
natural