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jump around

A2 informal intransitive
In simple words

To keep jumping in different directions, or to keep changing from one thing to another.

Literal meaning: To jump in a circular or random pattern — transparent.

Meanings

1 A2 informal

To jump energetically and repeatedly in no particular direction.

"The kids spent the afternoon jumping around in the inflatable castle."

"Jump around! Jump around! Jump up, jump up and get down!"

— House of Pain, 'Jump Around' (1992)
2 B1 informal

To move quickly and without order between different topics, tasks, or locations.

"He kept jumping around between chapters instead of reading the book in order."

Usage notes

Common in both literal and figurative senses. The figurative sense ('jumping around between topics') is used in academic and professional contexts to describe disorganized communication. The literal sense is extremely common in everyday speech and children's language.

Commonly used with

excitedly topics chapters jobs places wildly stage

Forms

Base
jump around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
jumps around
he/she/it
Past simple
jumped around
yesterday
Past participle
jumped around
have + pp
-ing form
jumping around
continuous

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