boss around

• From boss and around.

boss around (third-person singular simple present bosses around, present participle bossing around, simple past and past participle bossed around)

1. (transitive) To act in a bossy manner with another person, ordering them to do things, whether or not one is actually their superior.
   • 2013, Ryk E. Spoor, Spheres of Influence:

     One big difference between me and my literary original; I haven't the faintest desire to boss around planetsful of people.

• boss about