to lark about
1
8.1
- phrasal verb
- UK
:
jugar
- 'Go on, Cash, I didn't mean it; you know I was just larking about.' That could have been my dad, I said, 'and how was he to know you're Mr. Humorous himself?'
Examples
-
Stop larking about and get back to your studies!
-
The young ones, Fane, for one, must lark about in the billiard room... ...and break all the windows.
-
Stop larking about.
-
"Evelyn cast her eyes over the dance floor, where a slow pavane was in progress, then thought to clarify, "We are larking about, are we not?"
Blog text (21) -
The children were larking about in the park, laughing and playing games.
-
He loves to lark about with his friends, making silly jokes and pretending to be someone else.
Synonyms
217
1.1
To play and move quickly in different directions while making noise
88
2.1
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
46
3.6
Act in a silly, playful way instead of working
40
2.4
To say funny things and behave in a playful way to make people laugh
39
2.7
To play or move around in a lively, cheerful way
12
7.7
To jump and move around in a playful, excited way
9
4.8
To act silly and playful to make people laugh
8
3.3
To play and move about happily
8
2.8
To run and play in a lively, energetic way
4
7.3
To play and move in a loud, happy way
3
4.4
To move in a happy, lively way, often by jumping or skipping
2
7.4
To play in a lively, carefree way
1
7.0
To act in a playful way to make someone laugh
1
8.0
To run or jump playfully with a lot of energy
1
9.6
To enjoy yourself by behaving in a lively, playful way
To play and run around in a lively carefree way
To act in a silly, playful way instead of being serious
Act in a silly way like a clown to make people laugh
How Playful
- Informal
- UK
1
8.1
- Informal
46
3.6
476
1.0
- UK
3
5.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to behave playfully or foolishly' follows directly from combining 'lark' (to play or frolic) with 'about' (around/in various places); this verb + particle composition yields a predictable sense of 'play around'. The construction mirrors common cross-linguistic patterns (verb + particle indicating distributed or ongoing behaviour) and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents, despite its informal/British register.
Etymology
The phrasal verb lark about may come from the small bird the lark and the idea of moving about, because larks fly around in a lively, playful way. That's why lark about means 'to behave in a silly, playful way'.