play about
phrasal verb
played about; playing about; plays about
Definition of play about
British
1
: to have sex with someone who is not one's husband, wife, or regular partner
He's not the kind of guy who plays about.
—often + on She's been playing about on her husband. —often + with She's been playing about with one of her coworkers.
2
: to deal with or treat something in a careless way
When it comes to protecting his family, he doesn't play about.
—often + with You can't play about with diabetes; it's a very serious disease.
3
: to use or do something in a way that is not very serious
It's time to stop playing about and get busy.
—often + on I spent the evening playing about on the piano/computer/Internet. —often + with I'm not really a painter; I just like to play about with paints.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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