taking the piss

Making fun of something or someone

1) to do/say something without intent

2) to do/say something for the hell of it

3) joking

Making fun of someone - without hurtful intentions.

It's now often used when people take liberties and don't care about the consequences, for instance someone living in a nice house and trashing it or ridings roughshod over neighbours, knowing he won't get evicted by the authorities.

To appear serious, but actually meaning the opposite - most of the time. Usually followed up by the 'piss taker' (the one who joked) revealing he/she was only joking.

joking around.

Generally Irish expression with the implications:

1) To joke with someone, to say something without intending it.

2) (Similarly), To lie in an obvious manner.