English, baby!

mess with

Date: May 10 2001

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

“It really doesn’t mess with my creativity, because I have the the final cut.”
—Movie director Spike Lee talking about the movie “He Got Game.”

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

change something in a way that is likely to cause harm

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

“Mess with” has lots of different uses, and each can have a different meaning. You can use the expression to tell people to stay away from you by saying, “Don’t mess with me.” You tell someone to stay away from your stuff by saying, “Don’t mess with my stuff.” In general, “messing with” something is a bad thing to do.

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

””If you mess with my new stereo I’m going be extremely mad at you. So, don’t do it.”“

””I was messing with my mom’s jewelry last night. I tried on all of her earrings and necklaces.”“

””Carol was messing with my paints. Would you please tell her not to do that anymore?”“

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

To mess with means to affect or interfer with.
by Ammar (Udhailiyah, Saudi Arabia)
When i use it i might say “don’t mess with me.” It just means not to do something, or to stop doing something. Or it can mean that something isn’t going to do something or someone isn’t going to do something.
by Krissy
I think “mess with” means something like…...”interfere with”.....
by Arlete (São Paulo, Brazil)
It means “have to do with”, “get involved with”.
by Iliana
I think the expression “to mess with” in thecontext of this week’s quote means “to interfere with”or “to contrary”, “impede”, “bother”, etc.
by Parick (France)
I guess the meaning is that whatever happenes it will not effect my creativity.
by Vivian (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
The word means mixing up or “mangle up” with things.
by Ravi
The meaning of “mess with” : to bother or interfere with something.
by Chung-Sheu (Taiwan)
I guess “mess with” here means “make one’s thoughts confused” or “make someone couldn’t think logically”
by Tony