to horse around
7
6.3
- phrasal verb
- /hɔrs əˈraʊnd/
- Informal
:
hacer el tonto
- The children were horsing around in the backyard, giggling and playing tag.
- just horsing around
- quit horsing around
- stop horsing around
Corn Pop was allegedly horsing around at the pool, so Joey told Corn Pop to knock it off.
- Corn Pop was allegedly horsing around at the pool, so Joey told Corn Pop to knock it off.
- And other actors like to horse around and and jabber with their with their fellow actors.
Examples
-
We're just horsing around.
-
Quit horsing around, guys.
-
Do you want to stop horsing around?
-
It's probably just the guys horsing around.
-
We were just horsing around.
-
So you think you're going to horse around with me, do you?
-
Then quit horsing around with the customers.
-
Quit horsing around, you two.
-
Will you stop horsing around?
-
While waiting for their parents to pick them up after the game, the boys began horsing around, kicking bottles and throwing cans around the parking lot.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
233
1.8
To behave in a silly, playful way and waste time
46
3.6
Act in a silly, playful way instead of working
1
9.9
To waste time doing silly or lazy things instead of useful work
Antonyms
How Playful
- Informal
1
7.4
- Informal
7
6.3
- Informal
13
7.7
- Informal
46
3.6
220
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
horse + around
The particle 'around' signals aimless or playful movement, which gives a partial clue to the meaning, but 'horse' as a noun does not literally mean 'to play'. The sense depends on a metaphorical extension (cf. 'horseplay') and informal usage, so a B1 learner who only knows the literal words would only partially infer the correct meaning.
Etymology
The verb horse around comes from the picture of people acting like a horse — running, kicking and playing around loudly. That's why it means 'to play or behave in a silly or noisy way'.