dick around
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle around
Meanings
Waste time doing nothing useful (informal, sometimes rude)
Why “around”? Activity continues without a clear direction, purpose, or commitment.
“Stop dicking around and finish.”
“They dicked around online instead of studying.”
Test yourself
“Stop dicking around and finish.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
fool around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Behave in a silly or playful way; Have casual romantic or sexual relationships
hang around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Stay nearby without a purpose; Stay in a place without doing much; Spend time with a person or group regularly
lie around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Be left unused in plain sight
lounge around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Pass time in a relaxed sprawl
mess around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Spend time in a careless or playful way; Treat someone unfairly or unreliably
mooch around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Drift about with no purpose
play around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Experiment in a casual way; Have casual romantic or sexual affairs
sit around
Same around pattern: no clear way
Sit somewhere doing nothing useful
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