jack around

jack around

1. To waste or pass time idly, as by doing nothing or engaging in foolish behavior. Stop jacking around and start cleaning this place up—my parents will be home soon! The final product is so shoddy. It's like the development team spent the whole time jacking around instead of actually working on it!
2. To tinker or fiddle (with something). He's been out jacking around with that engine for days now, but I know he'll never get it working again. My dad liked to jack around with old electronics that he picked up at flea markets.
3. To tease someone, often by trying to convince them of something untrue. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "jack" and "around." Quit jacking me around, I know there isn't a Hollywood director calling me right now. The older members of staff like to jack around the new team members when they join the company.
4. To waste someone's time, often by being evasive, indirect, or insincere. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "jack" and "around." I don't understand why they didn't just tell me "no" right away. Instead, they jacked me around for three weeks when I could have been looking for other jobs. The company is being accused of jacking around customers who are requesting refunds for faulty products.
See also: around, jack
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

jack someone around

 and jerk someone around
Sl. to give someone a difficult time; to harass someone. Come on! Stop jacking me around! Max started jerking Lefty around, and it looked as if there was going to be trouble. You jack around everyone you know!
See also: around, jack

jack around

 and jerk around
sl. to waste time. Stop jacking around and get some work done! The kids spend most of the day jerking around.
See also: around, jack
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

jack around

in. to waste time; to mess around. (Akin to jack off.) Stop jacking around and get busy.
See also: around, jack

jack someone around

tv. to hassle someone; to harass someone. (see also jerk someone around.) The IRS is jacking my brother around.
See also: around, jack, someone
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • jack someone around
  • loaf about
  • piddle around
  • faff
  • faff about
  • faff around
  • fanny about
  • fanny around
  • tooling
References in periodicals archive
"Ali always used to follow Jack around, they were inseparable," said mum-of-three Joanne.
City mum fears for safety of children; RUNNING AMOK: Two dogs tear apart family cat only steps from the front door
ANDY MURRAY draped a Union Jack around his shoulders as he prepared to fly the flag once more for British tennis in his first Wimbledon quarter-final against Rafael Nadal today.
Lawn Tennis: Aggression the key to success; WIMBLEDON MURRAY'S BIGGEST TEST YET
With Jack around, Jon won't be put under too much pressure.
FUTURE IN SAFE HANDS; GLOUCESTERSHIRE
"As much as the group wanted to make an effort to turn Farmer Jack around, economic realities surrounding the company and in the state of Michigan will prevent them from doing so."
Supermarket sector in transition
"I'm the godfather and having Jack around definitely makes me want to have kids.
CROONER IN THE KITCHEN
However, since we jack around with (say "engineer" if you're full of yourself) different barrel lengths and bullet weights for use with AR-15s, paying it some attention helps attain optimum function, and, well, happiness.
The gas system: when more isn't better
So Paul took oldest son Jack around the aisles as they picked up a few items, while Vanessa breastfed Jack on a bench just inside the store.
`I was ordered out for breastfeeding my baby'
But the world was not quite through with horsing Jack around and, in May of 1942, he got drafted into the army; and he spent the rest of World War II undergoing training in northwestern Canada, where he said that all he really did was "learn how to guard pine trees and hose out garbage cans." Given compassionate leave in 1944 when my parents' first child and only daughter, Barbara, died, Jack never saw service overseas.
The death of a "very married man."