mess with somebody/something phrasal verb informal (see also mess)

1. to get involved with someone or something that may cause problems or be dangerous:
Don’t mess with drugs.

2. to deceive someone or cause trouble for them:
You mess with me, and I’ll rip your head off.

3. to try changing something, especially in a way that damages or spoils it

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

mess with
mess with (someone)
to annoy, worry, or cause problems for someone.
I'm tired of people messing with me and not telling me the truth.

Usage notes: often used with not:
You don't want to mess with this guy.

Related vocabulary: fool with someone
mess with (something)
1.
to take apart or fix something complicated esp. in order to learn more about how it works.
I enjoy messing with computers the way some folks get pleasure from rebuilding old cars.

2.
to change something in a way that is likely to cause harm.
Crime really messes with the quality of life in a community.

Don't mess with funding for education programs that have a direct impact on student learning.

3.
to become involved with something dangerous.
He admitted that he had messed with drugs as a teen.

You wouldn't want to mess with a truckload of mail that might be contaminated.

Related vocabulary: fool with something, fiddle with something, fuss with something

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

mess with something
mess with (something)
1.
to take apart or fix something complicated esp. in order to learn more about how it works.
I enjoy messing with computers the way some folks get pleasure from rebuilding old cars.

2.
to change something in a way that is likely to cause harm.
Crime really messes with the quality of life in a community.

Don't mess with funding for education programs that have a direct impact on student learning.

3.
to become involved with something dangerous.
He admitted that he had messed with drugs as a teen.

You wouldn't want to mess with a truckload of mail that might be contaminated.

Related vocabulary: fool with something, fiddle with something, fuss with something

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

mess with someone
mess with (someone)
to annoy, worry, or cause problems for someone.
I'm tired of people messing with me and not telling me the truth.

Usage notes: often used with not:
You don't want to mess with this guy.

Related vocabulary: fool with someone
mess with (something)
1.
to take apart or fix something complicated esp. in order to learn more about how it works.
I enjoy messing with computers the way some folks get pleasure from rebuilding old cars.

2.
to change something in a way that is likely to cause harm.
Crime really messes with the quality of life in a community.

Don't mess with funding for education programs that have a direct impact on student learning.

3.
to become involved with something dangerous.
He admitted that he had messed with drugs as a teen.

You wouldn't want to mess with a truckload of mail that might be contaminated.

Related vocabulary: fool with something, fiddle with something, fuss with something

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲