Phrasal verb
lark around
Definition
phrasal verb. to behave in a playful or mischievous way, often by making jokes or playing tricks.
phrasal verb. to act in a lighthearted or teasing manner, typically involving harmless pranks or teasing; informal phrasal verb.
Examples
“The children larked around in the garden all afternoon.”
“During the meeting, the new intern kept larking around, much to the boss's frustration.”
“The sailors, having larked around all morning with the deck chairs, finally settled down for lunch.”
Examples
simple
“The children larked around in the garden all afternoon.”
contextual
“During the meeting, the new intern kept larking around, much to the boss's frustration.”
complex
“The sailors, having larked around all morning with the deck chairs, finally settled down for lunch.”
Usage
followed by a place or situation where the playful behavior occurs.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'mess around' (more chaotic) and 'joke around' (more focused on humor); all are informal but differ in nuance.
Pitfall
They larked in the park.
They larked around in the park.
'around' is required to convey the playful, wandering nature of the action.
Phrasal verb
Particles
around
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
lark + around + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/lark-around