play off
verb- To portray (something) (as unimportant); to dismiss or make light of (a factor in a situation, or one's embarrassment about it); to pretend not to be embarrassed, upset, impressed, or otherwise affected by (it). · After tripping, Sara tried to play her embarrassment off by laughing with everyone else.· Although he's obviously hungover, he's trying to play it off as food poisoning.
- To set (other people) against one another: to induce competition between them, especially in a covert way so that they do not realize the degree to which they have been played (manipulated). · Stalin's propensity to play off his subordinates against one another is a well-studied theme.
- To compete in a play-off; to compete against (an opponent) in a play-off.
- To display; to show; to put in exercise. · to play off tricks
From the library
“No, indeed; certainly not; a good man, a man holding religious office, as does the Abbé Busoni, could not condescend to deceive or play off a joke; but your excellency has not read all.”
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