play someone or something down
- play someone or something down
play someone or something down†
to lessen the effect or importance of someone or something. •
John is a famous actor, but the director tried to play him down as just another member of the cast.
•
Her lawyer tried to play down her earlier arrest.
Dictionary of American idioms.
2013.
Look at other dictionaries:
cry someone/something down — (dated) DISPARAGE, run down, belittle, make light of, denigrate, decry, deprecate, depreciate, play down, trivialize, minimize; archaic hold cheap. → cry * * * dated disparage or belittle someone or something … Useful english dictionary
Down (Jay Sean song) — Down Single by Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne from the album All or Nothing … Wikipedia
play — play1 W1S1 [pleı] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(children)¦ 2¦(sports/games)¦ 3¦(music)¦ 4¦(radio/cd etc)¦ 5¦(theatre/film)¦ 6 play a part/role 7 play ball 8¦(pretend)¦ 9¦(behave)¦ 10 play games … Dictionary of contemporary English
play — 1 /pleI/ verb 1 CHILDREN (I, T) when children play, they do things that they enjoy, often together or with toys: The children ran off to play on the beach. | play sth: The boys were playing soldiers. | I don t want to play that game! (+ with):… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
play — play1 [ pleı ] verb *** ▸ 1 take part in sport/game ▸ 2 make music/sound ▸ 3 have part in play, etc. ▸ 4 when children have fun ▸ 5 when light moves ▸ + PHRASES 1. ) intransitive or transitive to take part in a sport or game: The girls are out… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
play — verb 1》 engage in games or other activities for enjoyment rather than for a serious or practical purpose. ↘amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretence. ↘(play with) treat inconsiderately for one s own amusement: she likes to play… … English new terms dictionary
play — /pleɪ / (say play) noun 1. a dramatic composition or piece; a drama. 2. a dramatic performance, as on the stage. 3. exercise or action by way of amusement or recreation. 4. fun, jest, or trifling, as opposed to earnest: he said it merely in play …
play*/*/*/ — [pleɪ] verb I 1) [I/T] to take part in a sport or game The children were playing football in the park.[/ex] He played for AC Milan before he was transferred to Arsenal.[/ex] 2) [I/T] to compete against someone in a sport or game She plays the… … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
play up — verb 1. move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent (Freq. 1) The introduction highlighted the speaker s distinguished career in linguistics • Syn: ↑foreground, ↑highlight, ↑spotlight • Ant: ↑play down, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
down — I. adverb Etymology: Middle English doun, from Old English dūne, short for adūne, of dūne, from a (from of), of off, from + dūne, dative of dūn hill Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) toward or in a lower physical position (2) to a lying or… … New Collegiate Dictionary
down — 1. mod. depressed; melancholy. (See also down with something.) HI feel sort of down today. □ We’re all a little down. 2. mod. [of a machine] inoperative. (Originally said of a computer.) □ The system is down. Come back later. □ … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions