fool around

Idioms  

1. Also, monkey around . Engage in idle or casual activity, putter. For example, Jim loved to fool around with his computer , or She was monkeying around with some figures in hopes of balancing the budget . [Second half of 1800s]

2. Engage in frivolous activity, waste time. For example, Instead of studying, he spends all his spare time fooling around . Also see fool away .

3. Engage in flirting or casual sexual acts; also, engage in adultery. For example, He caught the two teenagers fooling around in the basement . [1830s]

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Example Sentences

Swallows, with their forked black tails, fool around in the wind by the raw bluff face, just beneath a stretch of floppy, black, muddy pipe that used to be underground.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 28, 2023

Those who doubt this are welcome to fool around and find out.

From Washington Post • Apr. 13, 2023

The group lingered to snap photos and fool around, building a hump of snow for taking jumps.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2023

Still, “No Rules Sandy” sounds like Sylvan Esso had ample time to fool around in the studio.

From New York Times • Aug. 11, 2022

“Walking backwards, you gonna fool around and fall flat on your backside,” Ma warned us.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore