18. Around and about as Around and about are often interchangeable in phrasal verbs: both particles are equally possible with all the verbs in A below and with some of the verbs in B. Note also that round can sometimes replace aroustd Phrasal verbs with around and about often express the idea of acting in a relaxed way, or without a particular purpose or without concentrating. Most of the verbs in this unit are informal. HEPA Spending time phrasal verb meaning example ‘wait aboutiaround stay in one place without doing anything 8 you waie for something to happen Ifyou can wait around for about an hour, we should be able ta tell you ow femdea laze aboutlaround relax and enjoy yourself by doing very licele For the frst week of our holiday we usually just laze about on the beach. sit about/around (comewnere) spend time sitting down and doing very lee Please let me help you. | don't like just sieting about all ay. hang aboutlaround! round (somewhere) (informal) spend time somewhere without doing very much “There ora aha & lot of rather suspicious-Iooking men hanging round ‘outside that bar ‘mess about/around spend time playing or doing things with re particular purpose behave stupidly, waste time doing unimportant things Tim spends his weekends messing ‘around in the garage repairing things. “The pupils were given extra homework: for messing around in cass ‘mess sb abouty around (informal) ‘reat someone badly or waste thelr time. eg. by changing your mind or not doing what you promised Hes been messing her around tor ages and just won't commit to the relationship. lie aboutiaround aprand th ig. down dot very Bele hate die way Ie jot Hee around all day watching IV while I'm working HEIE being in a place Fans were milling about/around/round the hotel lobby hoping to see the film star and get her autograph. [walking around a particular place or area, usually while waiting for something] Meanwhile photographers and journalists were standing about/around/round chatting to each other. [spending time standing in a place waiting for someone or doing very little] Mick: Can you stick around this afternoon? [informa stay somewhere for a period of time] If co, I'll take you around/round the office and introduce you to the other secretaries if you like. [visit a place with someone showing them the most interesting, or important parts} Anne: No, it all right, thanks, The boss has already shown me around/round. [gone with someone to a place that they have not visited before and shown them the interesting parts) 40 Engl Phrasal Verbs in Useind ther cs) ting ith ing 18.2 18.3 Exercises Draw lines to match the verbs in the left-hand column with the best definitions in the right-hand column. 1 mess lie down doing very litle 2 hang spend time sitting down and doing very little 3 lie aboutl()round relax enjoy yourself and do very litle 4 sit behave stupidly or waste time 5 laze spend time somewhere not doing very much Now use the verbs from exercise 18.1 to fill the gaps in these sentences. Write the verbs in the correct form and use each verh ance only. 1 She just around on the sofa all day reading magazines. wish she'd get a job. 2. We could be round here for hours waiting for a taxi. Let's walk. 3 After the meeting we were just around chatting for a while. 4 My idea of a perfect weekend is just around at home with a good book. 5 Lwish the kids would stop about. Rewrite the underlined words in these sentences, using phrasal verbs from the opposite page. 1 Do you want w stay here after dhe meeting? T finish work at 5 pan aud Teould yo with you and show you the most interesting places in the old town. 2. Nothing much happened at the demonstration. We just stood in one place not doing much and held our banners up. 3 They spend most weekends just doing things without much purpose in their boats they don't really sail it seriously. 4 On my first day, the boss went with me through the workshop and introduced me to various people I'd be working with, 5 At the drinks party people were just wandering here and there hoping to find someone they knew. 6 Look, I'm sorry, I don’t want to cause you problems and waste your time, but I wonder if we Could postpone our meeting ill neat week? Here are some other phrasal verbs with about/around. Read the sentences and try 9 explain in your own words what they mean. Use a dictionary if necessary. 1 ve got to go now but I'll see you around. 2. Don’t order me about! I'm not your servant, you know. 3 Shop assistant: Can I help you? Customer: Noo thanks. I’m just looking around. 4 My suitcase got a bit bashed about on the plane. 5 He told the kids to stop fooling around. Englch PhracolVorbe in Use