1 C1 idiomatic slang
To waste time by behaving foolishly or doing unimportant things.
"Stop jacking around and finish cleaning the garage."
inseparable
jack around
C1 slang inseparable intransitive
To behave foolishly, waste time, or not take something seriously.
In plain English
play around instead of doing what you should
What does "jack around" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
To handle something casually or carelessly instead of seriously.
"Don't jack around with the wiring unless you know what you're doing."
inseparable
Usage tip
Mostly North American slang. Often appears as 'jack around' or 'jack around with.' Tone is casual and slightly rough.
Words that pair with "jack around"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
at work in class with tools with the settings all day
How to conjugate "jack around"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
jack around
I/you/we/they
3rd person
jacks around
he/she/it
Past simple
jacked around
yesterday
Past participle
jacked around
have + pp
-ing form
jacking around
continuous
Hear "jack around" in the wild
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Other ways to say "jack around"
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