play about

phrasal verb

played about; playing about; plays 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.