Horse around
Meaning
To engage in boisterous, playful, or silly behavior, often in a disruptive manner.
Origin
The phrase 'horse around' gallops straight from the stables, drawing a vivid comparison between human antics and the boisterous, often uncontrolled, movements of a playful horse. Just as young horses kick, rear, and run in exuberant bursts, humans who 'horse around' engage in similarly energetic, silly, or rough behavior. It captures the spirit of an untamed animal's frolic, applied metaphorically to lighthearted, yet sometimes disruptive, human play, especially when such exuberance is deemed out of place.
Examples
- The kids started to horse around in the living room, nearly knocking over a lamp.
- My boss gets annoyed when employees horse around instead of focusing on their work.