Muck about with
verb
To behave in a silly or playful way; to waste time.
Stop mucking about with your food and eat it.
Often appears as...
- mucking about with friends
- mucking about with toys
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
verb
To interfere with or change something, often in a careless or experimental way.
You mucked about with the settings and now the TV doesn't work.
Often appears as...
- mucking about with the settings
- mucking about with the system
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
verb
To behave in a silly or playful way; to waste time.
Stop mucking about with your food and eat it.
Often appears as...
- mucking about with friends
- mucking about with toys
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
verb
To interfere with or change something, often in a careless or experimental way.
You mucked about with the settings and now the TV doesn't work.
Often appears as...
- mucking about with the settings
- mucking about with the system
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Playful Context
Use 'muck about with' when referring to casual, non-serious activities.
The kids were mucking about with their new puppy in the garden.
Pro Tip 2/3Time Wasting
Implies time could be better spent; often used to call out unproductive behavior.
He's just mucking about with his phone instead of studying.
Pro Tip 3/3Light Scolding
Can be used to mildly scold someone, especially in an affectionate way.
Mum told us to stop mucking about with the hose before we soaked everyone!
Pro Tip 1/3Playful Context
Use 'muck about with' when referring to casual, non-serious activities.
The kids were mucking about with their new puppy in the garden.
Pro Tip 2/3Time Wasting
Implies time could be better spent; often used to call out unproductive behavior.
He's just mucking about with his phone instead of studying.
Pro Tip 3/3Light Scolding
Can be used to mildly scold someone, especially in an affectionate way.
Mum told us to stop mucking about with the hose before we soaked everyone!
Pro Tip 1/3Playful Context
Use 'muck about with' when referring to casual, non-serious activities.
The kids were mucking about with their new puppy in the garden.
Pro Tip 2/3Time Wasting
Implies time could be better spent; often used to call out unproductive behavior.
He's just mucking about with his phone instead of studying.
Pro Tip 3/3Light Scolding
Can be used to mildly scold someone, especially in an affectionate way.
Mum told us to stop mucking about with the hose before we soaked everyone!
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