Phrasal Verbs With 'Play'

Play about phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Be silly
    (Inseparable | British English)
    » Example: Please stop PLAYING ABOUT.
  2. Meaning: Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful
    (Inseparable | British English)
    » Example: She PLAYED ABOUT before she got married.

Play along phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Pretend to agree or accept something in order to keep someone happy or to get more information
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: I disagreed with the idea but I had to PLAY ALONG because everyone else liked it.

Play around phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Be silly
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: The children were PLAYING AROUND and being annoying.
  2. Meaning: Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: I PLAYED AROUND a lot at college.

Play at phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Pretend to be something
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: He just PLAYS AT being a lawyer- he never wins a case.

Play away phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Be sexually unfaithful when away from home
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: He travels abroad a lot and his wife thinks he PLAYS AWAY.

Play back phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Listen to or watch something you've recorded
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: We PLAYED the recording BACK to see if it was OK.

Play down phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Try to make something seem less important
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: The Government has tried to PLAY DOWN the importance of the minister's resignation.

Play off phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Play a game to decide who the winner is
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: As both teams had the same points, they PLAYED OFF to decide the winner.
  2. Meaning: Make people compete against each other so that you benefit
    (Separable [obligatory] | International English)
    » Example: He PLAYED them OFF against each other to get the best deal.

Play on phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Continue playing a sport though there might be a reason to stop
    (Intransitive | British English)
    » Example: It looked like a foul, but the referee told them to PLAY ON.
  2. Meaning: Continue playing music
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: The band PLAYED ON for another hour.
  3. Meaning: Exploit a weakness
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: They are just PLAYING ON our fears to get us to do what they want.
  4. Meaning: Pun
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: The advert PLAYS ON the slogan

Play out phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Progress, often till it finishes
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: Let's see how things PLAY OUT.
  2. Meaning: Pretend that something is real and reduce its effect
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: Computer games allow people to PLAY OUT their violent urges.
  3. Meaning: Play something to the end
    (Separable [optional] | International English)
    » Example: Rain stopped them PLAYING the game OUT.
  4. Meaning: Unwind (e.g., fishing line)
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: When he hooked the swordfish, his line rapidly PLAYED OUT.

Play up phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Behave badly
    (Intransitive | International English)
    » Example: The children PLAYED UP all evening and drove the babysitter mad.

Play up to phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Flatter someone
    (Intransitive | American English)
    » Example: I'm PLAYING UP TO my boss at the moment because I want the promotion.
  2. Meaning: Behave in a way expected
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: He's got a reputation for being trouble and PLAYS UP TO it.

Play upon phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Exploit a weakness
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: They are PLAYING UPON people's concerns to get their way.

Play with phrasal verb

  1. Meaning: Touch and move something to occupy your hands
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: He can't stop PLAYING WITH his beard.
  2. Meaning: Not eat much of a meal
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: I wasn't hungry, so I just PLAYED WITH the food.
  3. Meaning: Consider something, but not seriously
    (Inseparable | International English)
    » Example: We PLAYED WITH the idea, but decided against it.

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