mess about

1. To tinker or fiddle with something. Hey, don't mess about with the thermostat—it needs to stay at 68 degrees. Grandpa's still messing about with that old radio, but I doubt he'll get it to work again.

2. To test or use something in order to learn more about it. I'm messing about with a different platform for my blog, and I can't decide if I like it or not. After messing about with it for a while, I finally got the hang of the controls.

3. To engage in aimless recreation or frivolous time-wasting; to fool about. Quit messing about and work on your book report already, Scotty! It's no wonder we're falling behind schedule, with the amount you lot mess about in the office!

4. To tease or play a prank on one, often by trying to get them to believe something that is not true. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "mess" and "about." Come on, stop messing about. There's no such thing as ghosts. Don't mess your brother about like that—you know he's got an overactive imagination.

5. To make something disorderly or untidy. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "mess" and "about." Hey, I just got my hair styled—don't mess it about like that! Someone's been messing about the papers in my office, and I want to know who is responsible!

mess about

(with something) Go to mess around (with something).

mess about

verb

See mess around with someone

词组	mess about
释义	mess about mess about 1. To tinker or fiddle with something. Hey, don't mess about with the thermostat—it needs to stay at 68 degrees. Grandpa's still messing about with that old radio, but I doubt he'll get it to work again. 2. To test or use something in order to learn more about it. I'm messing about with a different platform for my blog, and I can't decide if I like it or not. After messing about with it for a while, I finally got the hang of the controls. 3. To engage in aimless recreation or frivolous time-wasting; to fool about. Quit messing about and work on your book report already, Scotty! It's no wonder we're falling behind schedule, with the amount you lot mess about in the office! 4. To tease or play a prank on one, often by trying to get them to believe something that is not true. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "mess" and "about." Come on, stop messing about. There's no such thing as ghosts. Don't mess your brother about like that—you know he's got an overactive imagination. 5. To make something disorderly or untidy. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "mess" and "about." Hey, I just got my hair styled—don't mess it about like that! Someone's been messing about the papers in my office, and I want to know who is responsible! See also: mess Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. mess about (with something) Go to mess around (with something). See also: mess McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. mess about verb See mess around with someone See also: mess McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions See also: mess about with (someone or something) mess about with someone fiddle with fiddle with (something) mess around mess around mess about mess around with (someone or something) mess around with someone mess around with something mess about with something monkey with (someone or something)
随便看	take a flyer on something take a free ride take after take after (one) take against (one) take a gamble take a gander take a gander at take a gander (at someone or something) take a gander at someone/something take a grip on (oneself) take a guess take a hammering take a hand in take a hand in (something) take a hard left take a hard line take a hard right take a hike take a hint take a hit take (a)hold take (a)hold of (someone or something) take a hold on (oneself) take aim