muck about

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

muck about verb

1. (intransitive) to waste time; misbehave
2. when intr, followed by with: to interfere with, annoy, or waste the time of

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

muck /mʌk/   n. [uncountable]

1. animal waste matter used as fertilizer;
   manure.
2. mud, filth, dirt, or slime.
3. insulting remarks to hurt the reputation of another:
   stirring up muck about his political opponent.

v. 

4. [Informal.] to make dirty;
   soil:
   [~ + up + object] He had mucked up his clothes in the barnyard.
5. Informal Terms muck about or around, [no object] to waste time:
   He was mucking about the house all summer.
6. muck up, [Informal.] to make a mess of* fail badly at;
   bungle: [~ + up + object]
   He had mucked up the whole report.
   [~ + object + up]
   He must have mucked it all up.

muck•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

muck  (muk), n. 

1. moist farmyard dung, decaying vegetable matter, etc.;
   manure.
2. Agriculture a highly organic, dark or black soil, less than 50 percent combustible, often used as a manure.
3. mire;
   mud.
4. filth, dirt, or slime.
5. defamatory or sullying remarks.
6. a state of chaos or confusion:
   to make a muck of things.
7. Informal Terms, British Terms [Chiefly Brit. Informal.] something of no value;
   trash.
8. Mining (esp. in mining) earth, rock, or other useless matter to be removed in order to get out the mineral or other substances sought.

v.t. 

9. Agriculture to manure.
10. to make dirty;
    soil.
11. to remove muck from (sometimes fol. by out).
12. Informal Terms
    • to ruin;
      bungle (often fol. by up).
    • to put into a state of complete confusion (often fol. by up).
13. Informal Terms muck about or around, to idle;
    waste time;
    loiter.

• Old Norse myki cow dung
• Middle English muc, muk 1200–50