1 B2 idiomatic informal
To spend time lazily, doing very little that is productive.
"He spent most of the holiday bumming around the apartment watching old films."
inseparable
bum around
B2 informal inseparable intransitive
To spend time idly, doing nothing useful, or to travel casually without a plan.
In plain English
To do nothing useful and wander around without any real plan or purpose.
What does "bum around" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To travel casually and cheaply without a fixed plan or itinerary.
"After graduating, she spent a year bumming around Southeast Asia before looking for work."
inseparable
Usage tip
Chiefly North American and Australian. Suggests a carefree, somewhat idle lifestyle. Can describe both lazy behaviour at home and aimless travel. Not generally offensive, but implies a lack of ambition.
Words that pair with "bum around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
Europe town all day summer beach year
How to conjugate "bum around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bum around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
bums around
he/she/it
Past simple
bumed around
yesterday
Past participle
bumed around
have + pp
-ing form
buming around
continuous
Hear "bum around" in the wild
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