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fuck about

B2 slang inseparable both
In simple words

To waste time doing silly things, or to treat someone badly by not being serious or honest with them.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic slang

To waste time or behave in a silly, unproductive way.

"Stop fucking about and get the report finished before the deadline."

Grammar: inseparable
2 B2 idiomatic slang

To treat someone poorly by being dishonest, unreliable, or inconsiderate with their time or feelings.

"He's been fucking her about for months — he needs to decide if he wants a relationship or not."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Strongly vulgar; exclusively British usage. Not appropriate in formal or professional settings. Can be intransitive (wasting time) or transitive (messing someone around). The transitive use implies deliberately misleading or inconveniencing someone.

Commonly used with

time people system job feelings

Forms

Base
fuck about
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fucks about
he/she/it
Past simple
fucked about
yesterday
Past participle
fucked about
have + pp
-ing form
fucking about
continuous

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Synonyms

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