toy with

Idioms  

1. Amuse oneself idly with, trifle, as in He teased her, toying with her as a cat toys with a mouse . [Early 1500s]

2. Treat casually or without seriousness, as in I'm toying with the idea of writing a novel . [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Claire toyed with me for all of recess, pretending to be up to nothing.

From Literature

She worked nine months for Rep. Patricia Schroeder, a Colorado Democrat who championed women’s rights and toyed with a run for presidency.

From The Wall Street Journal

"They also took from us perfumes, and make-up, as well as phones and power banks. Any toy with a remote-control was taken."

From BBC

Magnetic toys with numbers, wooden toys with holes for different shapes, stacking toys, counting toys.

From Literature

He sells a set of nine blind boxes—collectible toys with the exact design a mystery to the buyer—for around $34, heavily discounted from the toymaker’s suggested retail price of about $50.

From The Wall Street Journal