english
1
general::
mess around
( UK also mess about ) SPEND TIME
1. informal to spend time doing various things that are not important, without any particular purpose or plan
• They spend their weekends messing around on their boat.
• My brother likes messing around with computers.
• He spent the day with friends, just messing about., mess sb up
CAUSE PROBLEMS
1. to cause someone to suffer emotional and mental problems
• Drugs can really mess you up., mess with sb
informal
to treat someone in a bad, rude or annoying way, or to start an argument with them
• I've warned you already, don't mess with me!, mess around with sth
( UK also mess about with sth ) informal
to use or treat something in a careless or harmful way
• I don't want him coming in here and messing around with our computers.
• Never mess around with scissors., mess with sth
mainly US
to try to change or repair something, but not carefully and usually without success
• He was messing with his bike and then he couldn't fit the parts back together., mess with sth/sb
informal
to use or become involved with something or someone dangerous
• You shouldn't mess with drugs., mess around with sb
mainly US informal
If a married man or woman messes around with someone, they have a sexual relationship with someone who is not their wife or husband.
• She found out that her husband was messing around with his secretary., mess sb up
INJURE
2. US slang to hit someone repeatedly so that they are badly injured , mess sb about/around
UK
to treat someone badly
• I'm tired of being messed around by my bank.
• Don't mess me about!, mess around
( UK also mess about ) ACT STUPIDLY
2. to behave in a stupid or annoying way
• Stop messing about and listen to me!., mess about
UK
mess around , mess sth up
[ M ]
to make something untidy or dirty
• Who's messed up the bookshelf?, mess (sth) up
[ M ] informal
to spoil or damage something, or to do something wrong or badly
• I feel I've messed up my chances of becoming a great singer.
• He says that his divorce has really messed his life up.
• You've really messed up this time.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
noun ADJ. absolute, complete, real, right, total | appalling, awful, bloody (taboo), nasty, terrible | confusing | tangled, untidy Her hair was a tangled mess. | gooey, slimy, soggy, sticky | emotional He's an emotional mess since his girlfriend left him. | economic, financial VERB + MESS leave, make Must you always leave such a mess? She felt she was making a terrible mess of her life. | clean up, clear up, tidy up, wipe up | feel I felt a mess. | look | create, get sb into Who got us into this mess in the first place? | deal with, get sb out of, sort out PREP. in a ~ The kitchen's in an awful mess. | ~ of There was a soggy mess of porridge on the table.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
3
general::
noun
in disorder:
The room was in a mess.
verb
disordered:
He messed up the room playing.
Simple Definitions
4
general::
In addition to the idioms beginning with MESS, Also see GET INTO TROUBLE (A MESS); MAKE A HASH (MESS) OF. see GET THE MESSAGE.
American Heritage Idioms