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.
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
That, plus stellar play for Forsberg in goal, has frustrated the NHL’s top-scoring team.
From Los Angeles Times • 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
He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
He wasn’t staying for any two weeks, but obedient and helpful was the safest play for now.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
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.
