play sb sth
41play (merry) hell with something — play (merry) ˈhell with sth/sb idiom (BrE, informal) to affect sth/sb badly • Driving on these rough roads has played hell with my tyres. Main entry: ↑hell …
42play (merry) hell with somebody — play (merry) ˈhell with sth/sb idiom (BrE, informal) to affect sth/sb badly • Driving on these rough roads has played hell with my tyres. Main entry: ↑hell …
43play fast and loose (with somebody) — play fast and ˈloose (with sb/sth) idiom (old fashioned) to treat sb/sth in a way that shows that you feel no responsibility or respect for them Main entry: ↑fastidiom …
44play fast and loose (with something) — play fast and ˈloose (with sb/sth) idiom (old fashioned) to treat sb/sth in a way that shows that you feel no responsibility or respect for them Main entry: ↑fastidiom …
45play something back (to somebody) — ˌplay sthˈback (to sb) derived to play music, film, etc. that has been recorded on a tape, video, etc • Play that last section back to me again. related noun ↑playback Main entry: ↑playderived …
46play second fiddle to sb — play second fiddle to sb/sth ► to be seen as less important than another person or thing: »There were times when security seemed to play second fiddle to how the security company wanted to present itself to the world. Main Entry: ↑fiddle …
47play (something) by ear — play (sth) by ˈear idiom to play music by remembering how it sounds rather than by reading it Main entry: ↑earidiom …
48play chicken — play ˈchicken idiom to play a game in which people do sth dangerous for as long as they can to show how brave they are. The person who stops first has lost the game • The children had been playing chicken by running across the railway line.… …
49play on something — ˈplay on/upon sth derived to take advantage of sb s feelings, etc. Syn: ↑exploit • Advertisements often play on people s fears. Main entry: ↑playderived …
50play upon something — ˈplay on/upon sth derived to take advantage of sb s feelings, etc. Syn: ↑exploit • Advertisements often play on people s fears. Main entry: ↑playderived …