messing

mess-ing · verb

imported

Definitions

verb

  1. 1.

    Present participle of "mess"; making dirty or untidy.

  2. 2.

    Behaving in a silly or aimless way; fooling around.

  3. 3.

    Interfering or tampering with something.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    messing around/about — spending time idly or behaving foolishly
  • •
    messing with — interfering with; provoking someone
  • •
    messing up — making mistakes; creating disorder
  • •
    no messing — seriously; without joking (British informal)

Related words

Antonyms: organizing, tidying
See also: fooling, mess, messed, messy
Synonyms: fiddling, fooling, playing, tampering

Etymology

Present participle of mess, from Old French mes ("portion of food").