play for
Idioms-
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.
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also noted how the nearby Dodgers and even the Padres demonstrate how Southern California teams can play for the postseason.
From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2026
Her theatrically minded screenplay is one of the best examples I’ve seen of modifying a stage play for the big screen.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
“An expanded tournament means that more teams that have never been able to take part get to play for the first time,” Daley said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Kerr, who has been linked with a move to the United States, said it has been the "biggest honour" to play for Chelsea.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
“You remember what team you play for, Will?”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
