play down
play down · plays down · played down · playing down
зрубати, зрубувати
сокращать, снижать, уменьшать
fällen, einschränken, kürzen
To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obviousTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
» A boy plays and falls down.
Ein Junge spielt und stürzt.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)To make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
The essay attempts to play down the role slavery had in the Civil War.
The senator played down the threat of a recession.
More definitions
- understate the importance or quality of
Examples
1 sentencesA boy plays and falls down.
deEin Junge spielt und stürzt.
Forms
plays down, playing down, played down, played down| Base form | play down · to play down |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | plays down |
| Present participle | playing down |
| Past simple | played down |
| Past participle | played down |
irregular
Phrasal verbs
15 phrasal verbs- play upвитягти, витягатиUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, up.
- play offвідповідати, зійтисяTo 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).
- play outнабридати, втомлюватисяTo play (a game etc.) to its conclusion.
- play downзрубати, зрубуватиTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
- play alongслідувати, дотримуватисяTo take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
- play onTo exploit (a potential weakness or vulnerability) by exacerbating.
- play inUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, in.
- play backTo replay a recording.
More 7
- play awayTo be sexually unfaithful out of one's home
- play intoTo support (an idea or plan).
- play aroundTo behave in a silly, childish, or irresponsible way.
- play throughTo overtake a slower group of players ahead of one's own group, rather than waiting for them to finish the hole before proceeding.
- play aboutSynonym of play around.
- play withUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: play with.
- play toUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, to.
Synonyms
25 synonymsdegradeC1deprecateC2disparageC2minimizeB1underestimateB2de-emphasizedownplaybagatellizebanalizebelittlecut downdenigratederogatedispraise
Close in meaning
- understate the importance or quality of:backgrounddownplay
Antonyms
11 antonymsWord family
1 related wordsDeriveddownplay
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Phrasal verbs: introduction — Because it is a phrasal verb