play for

1. Take part for a particular reason, as in We're not playing for money, just for fun . A special usage of this idiom is play for laughs , that is, with the aim of arousing laughter.

2. play someone for . Manage someone for one's own ends, make a fool of, dupe or cheat. For example, I resent your playing me for a fool , or He suddenly found out she'd been playing him for a sucker . This usage employs play in the sense of “exhaust a hooked fish,” that is, manage it on the line so that it exhausts itself. [Mid-1600s]

Example Sentences

Hayes and Doncic have grown so close in less than one season playing for the Lakers together that they have explored opportunities for Hayes to become a naturalized Slovenian citizen to play for the national team with Doncic.

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The Kares are 13-0 and set to play for a 17th Southern Section football title on Saturday night despite having a student body of only 150, of which 82 are boys.

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Having picked up a ball at Maidenhead at age five then moving to play for Reading, some of her core memories growing up are with sister Ruth and brother Chris playing on different pitches and then begging their parents "for the one pound to go and buy the chips at the clubhouse".

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His work as an actor in BBC productions ranged from a schoolteacher in Play for Today: Pidgeon - Hawk Or Dove?

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Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play for Portugal in their opening game at next summer's World Cup finals despite his red card against the Republic of Ireland.

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Related Words

• pony up 
• speculate 
• wager