play up to
play up to · plays up to · played up to · playing up to
To try to gain favour with by flatteryTo try to gain favour with by flattery.
Meaning
1 sensesTo try to gain favour with by flattery.
Forms
plays up to, playing up to, played up to, played up toirregular
| Base form | play up to · to play up to |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | plays up to |
| Present participle | playing up to |
| Past simple | played up to |
| Past participle | played up to |
Tenses
play up to · played up to · will play up to · have played up toPoint at a form to see it in a sentence.Tap a form to see it in a sentence.
Phrasal verbs
16 phrasal verbs- play withjuguetear conbawić sięTo fiddle with; make small adjustments to, for example to something mechanical in order to improve its performance.
- play inOf a batsman, to settle and become comfortable with the conditions at the beginning of his innings.
- play onTo exploit (a potential weakness or vulnerability) by exacerbating.
- play outTo play (a game etc.) to its conclusion.
- play alongподыгрыватьTo participate in a joke or trick while hiding one's knowledge of its true nature.mitspielenTo participate in a joke or trick while hiding one's knowledge of its true nature.seguir el juegoTo participate in a joke or trick while hiding one's knowledge of its true nature.stare al giocoTo participate in a joke or trick while hiding one's knowledge of its true nature.udawać głupiegoTo participate in a joke or trick while hiding one's knowledge of its true nature.To take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
- play aroundTo behave in a silly, childish, or irresponsible way.
- play offTo 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 aboutSynonym of play around.
More 8
- play toTo act in a way most suitable to; to act in a way that best brings out (a quality, condition, etc.).
- play upTo make or attempt to make something appear more important, likely, or obvious; to showcase or highlight.
- play backTo replay a recording.
- 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 intoTo support (an idea or plan).
- play up toTo try to gain favour with by flattery.
- play downTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
- play awayslangTo be sexually unfaithful out of one's home
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.