to toy with
29
4.5
- phrasal verb
- /tɔɪ wɪð/
:
jugar con
- And so I was also toying with the idea of law school and trying to think about what might be most practical.
- toyed with the idea
- toyed with the notion
Yeah, Yeah, there's a, a company that I'm, I'm toying with investing in and they do this for people.
- Yeah, Yeah, there's a, a company that I'm, I'm toying with investing in and they do this for people.
- But in Quentin's mind, there's already that alternative route that he's toying with.
- So if we're going to explore that on the show, I mean, you don't want to toy with it so much that it seems disingenuous.
- And it's a simple thing and I'm toying with the idea of using this sort of problem on the exam.
- Well, since Sean just came up a couple of minutes ago and we have been toying with some quantum gravity territory just a little bit.
- And I, that's why I'm like, I've been toying with the idea of like, is this chapter closed on my channel or or not?
- And so I was also toying with the idea of law school and trying to think about what might be most practical.
- I'm actually toying with the idea of starting one of those soap series in a lab where a lot of romances start.
- We had toyed with the idea of discussing maybe Hitler wasn't such a bad guy.
- He played with, toyed with, like played with the wrong a bunch of ideas, but the last one he had was around building a startup around death.
- So my one day off because I was, it was so heavy and I was kind of toying with method at that time.
Examples
-
For a while, I seriously toyed with the idea of calling myself Mr. Pretentious.
Fiction book (2000) -
And it's a simple thing and I'm toying with the idea of using this sort of problem on the exam.
-
So a while ago I was toying with the idea of making a set of Mass Effect armor.
-
The United States and Russia have long toyed with the idea of having an energy dialogue.
Academic text (2009) -
I could tell when he was questioning me that he was toying with the idea.
Fiction book (1995) -
In college, she toyed with many subjects, but ultimately found herself attracted to African history.
Academic text (2005) -
I was already kind of toying with vegetarianism.
-
Actually, I was toying with the idea of leaving the moustache on.
-
Matt and I have been looking at our house plans and our building plans, and we are toying with the idea of having a utility room or laundry room upstairs.
-
In college, I toyed with the idea of studying abroad for a semester.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To give attention to something in your mind
∞
1.0
Keep a person or thing in your mind when making plans
82
4.2
Think about an idea or possibility
67
5.5
To handle something in a playful, not serious way
47
3.4
To try something in a casual playful way without being serious
39
3.5
To make someone feel excited or curious without telling them more
9
4.6
Discuss an idea informally without making a decision
1
7.5
To think about an idea without planning to do it
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
toy + with
The phrase 'toy with' is a metaphorical extension of the verb 'toy' (to handle or play with something) applied to abstract objects: treating an idea playfully or without commitment. This physical-to-mental mapping is fairly clear but requires a figurative transfer, so a B1 learner who knows the parts will likely guess the general sense but not the exact pragmatic nuance, making it semi-transparent.
Etymology
Toy with comes from the simple image of someone playing with a small toy in their hands and not doing anything serious. So, if you toy with an idea, you 'consider' it lightly and do not make a firm decision.