PLAY AROUND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does play around mean? 

• PLAY AROUND (verb)
  The verb PLAY AROUND has 2 senses:

1. commit adultery

2. work with in an amateurish manner

  Familiarity information: PLAY AROUND used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLAY AROUND (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Commit adultery

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

fool around; play around

Context example:

he plays around a lot

Hypernyms (to "play around" is one way to...):

betray; cheat; cheat on; cuckold; wander (be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Work with in an amateurish manner

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dabble; play around; smatter

Context example:

He plays around with investments but he never makes any money

Hypernyms (to "play around" is one way to...):

busy; occupy (keep busy with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

 Context examples 

After that she didn't play around with the soldiers any more but only with a few flat-footed, short-sighted young men in town who couldn't get into the army at all.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)