Phrasal Verbs With 'Play'

We have 26 phrasal verb definition related to 'play'.

Play about: Meaning:

Be silly

Example:

Please stop PLAYING ABOUT.

Notes:

Inseparable

British English
Play about: Meaning:

Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful

Example:

She PLAYED ABOUT before she got married.

Notes:

Inseparable

British English
Play along: Meaning:

Pretend to agree or accept something in order to keep someone happy or to get more information

Example:

I disagreed with the idea but I had to PLAY ALONG because everyone else liked it.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play around: Meaning:

Be silly

Example:

The children were PLAYING AROUND and being annoying.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play around: Meaning:

Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful

Example:

I PLAYED AROUND a lot at college.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play at: Meaning:

Pretend to be something

Example:

He just PLAYS AT being a lawyer- he never wins a case.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play away: Meaning:

Be sexually unfaithful when away from home

Example:

He travels abroad a lot and his wife thinks he PLAYS AWAY.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play back: Meaning:

Listen to or watch something you've recorded

Example:

We PLAYED the recording BACK to see if it was OK.

Notes:

Separable [optional]

International English
Play down: Meaning:

Try to make something seem less important

Example:

The Government has tried to PLAY DOWN the importance of the minister's resignation.

Notes:

Separable [optional]

International English
Play off: Meaning:

Play a game to decide who the winner is

Example:

As both teams had the same points, they PLAYED OFF to decide the winner.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play off: Meaning:

Make people compete against each other so that you benefit

Example:

He PLAYED them OFF against each other to get the best deal.

Notes:

Separable [obligatory]

International English
Play on: Meaning:

Continue playing a sport though there might be a reason to stop

Example:

It looked like a foul, but the referee told them to PLAY ON.

Notes:

Intransitive

British English
Play on: Meaning:

Continue playing music

Example:

The band PLAYED ON for another hour.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play on: Meaning:

Exploit a weakness

Example:

They are just PLAYING ON our fears to get us to do what they want.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play on: Meaning:

Pun

Example:

The advert PLAYS ON the slogan

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play out: Meaning:

Progress, often till it finishes

Example:

Let's see how things PLAY OUT.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play out: Meaning:

Pretend that something is real and reduce its effect

Example:

Computer games allow people to PLAY OUT their violent urges.

Notes:

Separable [optional]

International English
Play out: Meaning:

Play something to the end

Example:

Rain stopped them PLAYING the game OUT.

Notes:

Separable [optional]

International English
Play out: Meaning:

Unwind (e.g., fishing line)

Example:

When he hooked the swordfish, his line rapidly PLAYED OUT.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play up: Meaning:

Behave badly

Example:

The children PLAYED UP all evening and drove the babysitter mad.

Notes:

Intransitive

International English
Play up to: Meaning:

Flatter someone

Example:

I'm PLAYING UP TO my boss at the moment because I want the promotion.

Notes:

Intransitive

American English
Play up to: Meaning:

Behave in a way expected

Example:

He's got a reputation for being trouble and PLAYS UP TO it.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play upon: Meaning:

Exploit a weakness

Example:

They are PLAYING UPON people's concerns to get their way.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play with: Meaning:

Touch and move something to occupy your hands

Example:

He can't stop PLAYING WITH his beard.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play with: Meaning:

Not eat much of a meal

Example:

I wasn't hungry, so I just PLAYED WITH the food.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English
Play with: Meaning:

Consider something, but not seriously

Example:

We PLAYED WITH the idea, but decided against it.

Notes:

Inseparable

International English

Phrasal Verbs With 'Play'

Play about

Meaning:

Example:

Play about

Meaning:

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Play along

Meaning:

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Play around

Meaning:

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Play around

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Play at

Meaning:

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Play away

Meaning:

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Play back

Meaning:

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Play down

Meaning:

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Play off

Meaning:

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Play off

Meaning:

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Play on

Meaning:

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Play on

Meaning:

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Play on

Meaning:

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Play on

Meaning:

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Play out

Meaning:

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Play out

Meaning:

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Play out

Meaning:

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Play out

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Play up

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Play up to

Meaning:

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Play up to

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Play upon

Meaning:

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Play with

Meaning:

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Play with

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Play with

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