mess around

verbfiddle; goof off

Synonyms for mess around

verb fiddle; goof off

Antonyms for mess around

Word Origin & History

c.1300, "food for one meal, pottage," from Old French mes "portion of food, course at dinner," from Late Latin missus "course at dinner," literally "a placing, a putting (on a table, etc.)," from past participle of mittere "to put, place," in classical Latin "to send, let go" (see mission).

Meaning "communal eating place" (especially a military one) is first attested 1530s, from earlier sense of "company of persons eating together" (early 15c.), originally a group of four. Sense of "mixed food," especially for animals, (1738) led to contemptuous use for "jumble, mixed mass" (1828) and figurative sense of "state of confusion" (1834), as well as "condition of untidiness" (1851). General use for "a quantity" of anything is attested by 1830. Meaning "excrement" (of animals) is from 1903.

Example Sentences for mess around

But I knew you wouldn't, so I just had to mess around by myself.

One hook, the biggest, had caught in a rock lining the gully, and the ropes were in a mess around the wheels and the rear axle.

I always loved to mess around a campfire, and Uncle Peter proved a most delightful companion.

I intend to mess around myself, and change my mind every other day about all sorts of things.

And the last thing we need to do is mess around with Social Security.

mess around

Synonyms for mess around

Antonyms for mess around

dabbling

experiment

experimented

experimenting

experiments

mess around

Synonyms for mess around

Antonyms for mess around

More words related to mess around

dabble

dabbling

experiment

experimented

experimenting

experiments