messing
Translation
messing around, fooling around, goofing off
Examples
There was a lot of messing about in class today.
There was a lot of messing around in class today.
"No messing," said the coach, "we need to win."
"No messing around," said the coach, "we need to win."
Grammar Patterns
messing around the act of wasting time or behaving foolishly There was a lot of messing around in class today.
no messing around used to say that something must be done seriously "No messing around," said the coach.
Similar Words
Synonyms: fooling around, joking, goofing off
Etymology
The gerund form of the verb 'to mess', meaning to make things untidy or to handle something badly.
Memory Tips
Think of the action (-ing) of creating a 'mess' – either a physical one or a mess of your time.