Laxi Dictionary

English Dictionary

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Definition mess in British English

mess verb

verb
/mes/
1

to behave in a silly way, especially when you should be working or paying attention to something

Example

Stop messing about - I'm serious about this!

Synonyms and related words
fool around mess about play about
2

to spend time doing things in a relaxed way

Example

We spent the weekend messing about on John's boat.

Synonyms and related words
fritter away fiddle around knock around
3

to treat someone badly, especially by changing your mind or by not doing what you promised

Synonyms and related words
abuse mistreat oppress
4

to waste time doing things that are not important

Example

There's no point messing about. Let's start now.

Example

They don't mess about, do they? I ordered the book yesterday and it's already come.

Synonyms and related words
fritter away fiddle around knock around
5

to try to change or repair something, especially when this is unnecessary or unsuccessful

Example

He'll spend hours messing about with that motorbike.

Synonyms and related words
fritter away fiddle around knock around
6

to have sex or a sexual relationship with someone, especially when you should not

Example

Diane's been messing around with a married man.

Synonyms and related words
sleep with consummate copulate
7

to make a mistake, or to do something badly

Example

She says she completely messed up the interview.

Example

You messed up. Don't let it happen again.

Synonyms and related words
mess up blunder slip up
8

to make something dirty or untidy

Example

They had managed to mess up the whole office.

Example

The wind had messed his hair up.

Synonyms and related words
dirty pollute smear muddle tangle clutter
9

to be the cause of someone's physical, emotional, or mental problems

Example

Drugs really messed her up.

Example

The virus messed up my body so badly that they told me I was going to die.

Synonyms and related words
catharsis complex conditioning
10

to damage or spoil something

Example

I'm not going to let him mess up my life.

Synonyms and related words
damage spoil mark
11

to make someone angry, or to argue with them

Example

I wouldn't mess with her if I were you.

Synonyms and related words
argue argue the toss bandy words annoy provoke anger
12

to become involved with something that is dangerous

Example

A lot of the kids had been messing with drugs.

Synonyms and related words
risk dare jeopardize
13

to seriously upset someone or make them confused

Synonyms and related words
upset wound disturb discombobulate confuse distract
Definition mess in British English