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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

fuck around and find out en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (intransitive, slang, vulgar) To experience the negative consequences of engaging in a risky course of action.
    • In essence, it was a dare to both Senate Republicans and the Supreme Court itself: fuck around and find out. 2020, Mark Joseph Stern, “Unpacking Joe Biden's Court Packing Position”, in Slate:
    • Debuting on Soulelection's new Beats 1 program, the new track titled "B's & H's" was produced by Fisticuffs and is a sultry warning to any "bitches and hoes" who don't even know what they're in for with a guy who's "gonna fuck around and find out". 2016, Corbin Reiff, “Jhené Aiko Calls Out Unfaithful Men on 'B's & H's'”, in Complex:
    • “A'ight, you keep on waiting. She gon' fuck around and find out on her own”. 2014, Keisha Ervin, Reckless 2: Nobody's Girl, page 22:
  2. To engage in trial and error or experimentation, especially when it involves serious risk.
    • What makes fucking around and finding out into science is that you write down your findings.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
fucks around and finds out Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
fucking around and finding out Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
fucked around and found out Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
fucked around and found out Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

step on a rake · live by the sword, die by the sword · get what's coming to one · hoist by one's own petard · play stupid games, win stupid prizes · what goes around comes around · trial and error · find out the hard way · you reap what you sow

Synonyms

FAFO

Translations (4)

es siembras lo que recoges (to experience the negative consequences of engaging in a risky course of action) · es sembrar vientos y recoger tempestades (to experience the negative consequences of engaging in a risky course of action) · pl igrać z ogniem (to experience the negative consequences of engaging in a risky course of action) · ru довыёбываться (to experience the negative consequences of engaging in a risky course of action)