Library / English Dictionary

PLAY UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

Example:

The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics

Synonyms:

foreground; highlight; play up; spotlight

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "play up" is one way to...):

bring out; set off (direct attention to, as if by means of contrast)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

play down (understate the importance or quality of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior

Example:

She is playing up to the chairman

Synonyms:

cotton up; cozy up; play up; shine up; sidle up; suck up

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "play up" is one way to...):

ingratiate (gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Credits