Go around doing something

[Ashraful Haque]

I was having a conversation with a friend about an online store that sent him some bad quality products and then gave him a full refund afterward. He was calling them fraud. But since he got a full refund, I was trying to defend them. So I said the following.

"You can't go around calling a company fraud after getting a full refund."

I've heard people using the phrase and I think that it means something like spreading a piece of information.
Have I used the phrase correctly?
I'd really appreciate an explanation of the phrase.

 

[Tarheel]

You used it correctly. Why do you need an explanation?

I might say: "You shouldn't go around bad mouthing a company after they gave you a full refund. Maybe you didn't get what you wanted, but you can't claim that they cheated you."

 

[5jj]

You can't 'call a company fraud'.

 

[Tarheel]

@5jj We were getting to that.

 

[5jj]

Get on with it, then.

 

[teechar]

You can't go around calling a company (a bunch of) fraudsters after getting a full refund.

Try that.

 

[Tarheel]

@teechar Excellent! (I think "crooks" works too.)

 

[Barque]

I've heard people using the phrase and I think that it means something like spreading a piece of information.

"You can't go around [doing something]" generally just means "You aren't supposed to [do something]". It often, but not always, refers to something repeated.

He was calling them fraud.

He was calling them fraudsters.
He was calling it (the transaction) a fraud.

You can call an individual "a fraud" and a group of people "frauds". Funnily, this is often used for dishonest acts that aren't serious crimes.
You can call people "fraudsters".
You can call a thing or act "a fraud".

 

[teechar]

You can call an individual "a fraud" and a group of people "frauds". Funnily, this is often used for dishonest acts that aren't serious crimes.

I don't think that it necessarily excludes serious criminals.

 

[Barque]

I didn't say it does, Teechar. I merely said it's often used for minor dishonest acts too.

 

[emsr2d2]

"You can't go around [doing something]" generally just means "You aren't supposed to [do something]". It often, but not always, refers to something repeated.

The nuance in that original sentence comes from "go around". It suggests that the person is doing it without any thought. They're not considering whether it's warranted or appropriate to the situation.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

"You can't go around [doing something]" generally just means "You aren't supposed to [do something]". It often, but not always, refers to something repeated.

What's the difference between "You can't call a company...." and "You can't go around calling a company...."?

 

[Barque]

Please read #11.