Meaning

2 senses

  1. To pretend to be dumb, either:

    (idiomatic, informal)To feign muteness.

    Stummheit vortäuschen, vorgeben stumm zu sein, sich dumm stellen

    приду́риватьсяpridúrivatʹsja

  2. (idiomatic, informal)To feign stupidity or ignorance of some knowledge, usually in order to avoid responsibility or gain some advantage.

Examples

20 sentences

  1. Tom, don't play dumb with me.

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CM · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. Don't play dumb, Tom.

    ruНе валяй дурака, Том. — marafon

    deStell dich nicht dumm, Tom. — Naina

    CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B2Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. Don't play dumb with me.

    ruНе прикидывайся мне тут дурачком. — sharptoothed

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  4. Don't play dumb with us.

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  5. Tom played dumb.

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Translations

7 languages
Русский
to pretend to be slow-witted:
Deutsch
to pretend to be mute:
to pretend to be slow-witted:

Forms

plays dumb, playing dumb, played dumb, played dumb
Base formplay dumb · to play dumb
3rd person singularplays dumb
Present participleplaying dumb
Past simpleplayed dumb
Past participleplayed dumb

irregular

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyplay dumb
he, she, itplays dumb

Past simpleLesson

all personsplayed dumb

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave played dumb
he, she, ithas played dumb

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill play dumb

Synonyms

1 synonyms
play stupid

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
plausibilityC1plausibleC1playA1playbackplayboyplayerA1playfulA2
play dumb — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto