toy with

present singular third person toys with · participle present toying with · participle past toyed with · past toyed with

1. idiomaticTo handle something in a careless or frivolous manner.

   You shouldn't toy with someone's feelings.

   1 more example

   Roy Hodgson's team had toyed with everyone's nerves. They had come across a Poland side that gave everything on a night when Wembley often sounded more like Warsaw, and Gerrard's late, decisive strike came at a stage of the night when England's management was thinking about little more than protecting Wayne Rooney's first-half goal.

   15 October 2013, Daniel Taylor, “Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup”, in The Guardian

2. idiomaticTo play, especially with or as with a toy.