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Discover LudwigThe phrase "mess about" is correct and is often used in written English.
It generally has a negative connotation and refers to wasteful or aimless activities. Example sentence: Don't just mess about; you need to get some work done.
Dictionary
mess about
verb
To misbehave
Exact(60)
I wasn't going to mess about and play at it.
Climate change is too serious to mess about with.
Why would we even attempt to mess about with it?
Cohen's gimlet-eyed title track doesn't mess about, either.
Let's not mess about: the plates look like vaginas.
"In the evening, we sort of mess about," her husband said.
But it's a world-class place to mess about on boats – and it's welcoming to everyone.
"It's like being allowed to mess about with a national treasure," he said.
Don't mess about with income tax … The government has shot itself in the foot.
And that's what is intoxicating about fiction: how it lets you mess about with identity.
Best not to mess about with old faithfuls like this too much.
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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com