play one person off against another

См. также в других словарях:

• play one person off against another — cause two people to argue, place two people in opposition …   English contemporary dictionary

• 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 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 — playingly, adv. playless, adj. playlike, adj. /play/, n. 1. a dramatic composition or piece; drama. 2. a dramatic performance, as on the stage. 3. exercise or activity for amusement or recreation. 4. fun or jest, as opposed to seriousness: I said …   Universalium

• play off — verb set into opposition or rivalry let them match their best athletes against ours pit a chess player against the Russian champion He plays his two children off against each other • Syn: ↑pit, ↑oppose, ↑match • Derivationally related for …   Useful english dictionary

• play — [plā] vi. [ME plein < OE plegan, to play, be active] 1. to move lightly, rapidly, or erratically; flutter [sunlight playing on the waves] 2. to amuse oneself, as by taking part in a game or sport; engage in recreation 3. to take active part in …   English World dictionary

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (novel) — One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest   …   Wikipedia

• play — v. & n. v. 1 intr. (often foll. by with) occupy or amuse oneself pleasantly with some recreation, game, exercise, etc. 2 intr. (foll. by with) act light heartedly or flippantly (with feelings etc.). 3 tr. a perform on or be able to perform on (a… …   Useful english 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 — [[t]ple͟ɪ[/t]] ♦ plays, playing, played 1) VERB When children, animals, or perhaps adults play, they spend time doing enjoyable things, such as using toys and taking part in games. ...invite the children round to play... They played in the little …   English dictionary

• play — [[t]pleɪ[/t]] n. 1) a dramatic composition; drama 2) a dramatic performance, as on the stage 3) activity, often spontaneous, engaged in for recreation, as by children 4) fun or jest, as opposed to earnest: I said it merely in play[/ex] 5) a pun… …   From formal English to slang