Showing 14 phrasal verbs and 26 definitions related to the verb 'Play'.
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Play about phrasal verb
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Meaning: Be silly
(Inseparable | British English)
» Example: Please stop PLAYING ABOUT. -
Meaning: Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful
(Inseparable | British English)
» Example: She PLAYED ABOUT before she got married.
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Meaning: Be silly
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Play along phrasal verb
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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.
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Meaning: Pretend to agree or accept something in order to keep someone happy or to get more information
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Play around phrasal verb
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Meaning: Be silly
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: The children were PLAYING AROUND and being annoying. -
Meaning: Be sexually promiscuous or unfaithful
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: I PLAYED AROUND a lot at college.
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Meaning: Be silly
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Play at phrasal verb
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Meaning: Pretend to be something
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: He just PLAYS AT being a lawyer- he never wins a case.
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Meaning: Pretend to be something
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Play away phrasal verb
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Meaning: Be sexually unfaithful when away from home
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: He travels abroad a lot and his wife thinks he PLAYS AWAY.
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Meaning: Be sexually unfaithful when away from home
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Play back phrasal verb
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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.
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Meaning: Listen to or watch something you've recorded
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Play down phrasal verb
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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.
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Meaning: Try to make something seem less important
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Play off phrasal verb
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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. -
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.
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Meaning: Play a game to decide who the winner is
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Play on phrasal verb
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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. -
Meaning: Continue playing music
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: The band PLAYED ON for another hour. -
Meaning: Exploit a weakness
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: They are just PLAYING ON our fears to get us to do what they want. -
Meaning: Pun
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: The advert PLAYS ON the slogan
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Meaning: Continue playing a sport though there might be a reason to stop
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Play out phrasal verb
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Meaning: Progress, often till it finishes
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: Let's see how things PLAY OUT. -
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. -
Meaning: Play something to the end
(Separable [optional] | International English)
» Example: Rain stopped them PLAYING the game OUT. -
Meaning: Unwind (e.g., fishing line)
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: When he hooked the swordfish, his line rapidly PLAYED OUT.
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Meaning: Progress, often till it finishes
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Play up phrasal verb
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Meaning: Behave badly
(Intransitive | International English)
» Example: The children PLAYED UP all evening and drove the babysitter mad.
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Meaning: Behave badly
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Play up to phrasal verb
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Meaning: Flatter someone
(Intransitive | American English)
» Example: I'm PLAYING UP TO my boss at the moment because I want the promotion. -
Meaning: Behave in a way expected
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: He's got a reputation for being trouble and PLAYS UP TO it.
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Meaning: Flatter someone
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Play upon phrasal verb
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Meaning: Exploit a weakness
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: They are PLAYING UPON people's concerns to get their way.
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Meaning: Exploit a weakness
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Play with phrasal verb
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Meaning: Touch and move something to occupy your hands
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: He can't stop PLAYING WITH his beard. -
Meaning: Not eat much of a meal
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: I wasn't hungry, so I just PLAYED WITH the food. -
Meaning: Consider something, but not seriously
(Inseparable | International English)
» Example: We PLAYED WITH the idea, but decided against it.
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Meaning: Touch and move something to occupy your hands