fool around

1. Also, monkey around . Engage in idle or casual activity, putter. For example, Jim loved to fool around with his computer , or She was monkeying around with some figures in hopes of balancing the budget . [Second half of 1800s]

2. Engage in frivolous activity, waste time. For example, Instead of studying, he spends all his spare time fooling around . Also see fool away .

3. Engage in flirting or casual sexual acts; also, engage in adultery. For example, He caught the two teenagers fooling around in the basement . [1830s]

Example Sentences

Composers were fooling around with repetition, drones, tape loops and the like.

From Los Angeles Times

Pashinyan has also attacked other senior clergymen, including accusing one archbishop of having an affair, with the extraordinary allegation of "fooling around" with his uncle's wife.

From BBC

They fooled around briefly with different group names and pop-rock styles until Dennis came up with the idea of doing a song about surfing.

From Los Angeles Times

It's only been two and a half weeks and they've already accessed the Treasury Department and are fooling around with the computer system that pays America's bills.

From Salon

Players were in a dorm room fooling around with a gun.

From Los Angeles Times