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.
That, plus stellar play for Forsberg in goal, has frustrated the NHL’s top-scoring team.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
Even with Intel leading the headlines, AMD may still have a case as the best CPU play for investors.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Charles Lemonides, the founder and chief investment officer of ValueWorks, said this is the best play for investors wanting to jump on the AI trend with a broad-based semiconductor manufacturer.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
“Winamp says I can play for a week.”
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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.
