Dictionary

muck about en · VERB

Meanings

1. (informal, intransitive) To do random unplanned work or spend time idly
   • Stop mucking about and get on with your work!
2. (informal, intransitive) To attempt to do something with a piece of equipment without understanding how it works.
   • Don't muck about with the video machine, or you might break it.
3. (Australia, UK, informal, intransitive) To be playful; full of fun and high spirits; to treat a situation unseriously.
   • It was only a joke. We were only mucking about.
   • The only time I walk out on singin' is when there's muckin' about and youse don't take it serious. 1957, Ray Lawler, The Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Sydney: Fontana Books, published 1974, page 68:
4. (transitive) To play with; to toy with; to waste the time of (a person).
   • Then he started stalling. In the end he mucked me about so much that I lost my patience and decided to nick the books from him. 1955, Billy Hill, Boss of Britain's Underworld, page 100:

Forms

Synonyms

play around · muck up · muck around · fiddle around · screw around · fuck about · mess about · mess around · goof around · fool about · goof off · fuck around

Translations (36)

hu tökölődik (spend time idly) · fi hiplata (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · hu tököl (spend time idly) · eo petolumi (be playful) · ru бить баклуши (spend time idly) · fi puuhastella (spend time idly) · ru шалить (be playful) · fi sorkkia (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · hu majomkodik (be playful) · hu hülyéskedik (be playful) · hu molyol (spend time idly) · es tontear (spend time idly) · de herumalbern (be playful) · hu babrál (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · fi vitsailla (be playful) · hu totojázik (spend time idly) · fi pelleillä (be playful) · fi lorvailla (spend time idly) · ru рукосуйствовать (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · de herumspielen (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · es payasear (be playful) · hu szarakodik (spend time idly) · hu vacakol (spend time idly) · hu ökörködik (be playful) · hu marháskodik (be playful) · hu bohóckodik (be playful) · de herumgammeln (spend time idly) · eo maŝinumi sen kompreno (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works) · eo ludumi (be playful) · hu piszmog (spend time idly) · mi ānewanewa (spend time idly) · es tontear (be playful) · hu idétlenkedik (be playful) · hu babrál (spend time idly) · ru озорничать (be playful) · fi sörkkiä (do something with a piece of equipment when you do not understand how it works)