play off

play off
verb
set into opposition or rivalry
-

let them match their best athletes against ours

-

pit a chess player against the Russian champion

-

He plays his two children off against each other

• Syn: ↑pit, ↑oppose, ↑match
• Derivationally related forms: ↑playoff, ↑match (for: ↑match), ↑opponent (for: ↑oppose)
• Hypernyms: ↑confront, ↑face
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s somebody

-

Something ——s somebody

* * *

transitive verb
1. : to complete the playing of (an interrupted or delayed contest)
2. : to break (a tie) by means of a play-off
: to participate in a play-off

had to play off against last year's winner

* * *

play off
1. To manipulate so as to counteract
2. To set (one person against another)
3. To take part in a play-off
4. To play from the tee (golf)
5. To have as a handicap (golf)
6. To toss off (Shakespeare)
7. To bring off (eg a hoax)
• • •
Main Entry: ↑play

* * *

ˌplay ˈoff [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they play off he/she/it plays off present participle playing off past tense played off past participle played off] phrasal verb
if two or more teams or players who have the same number of points in a competition play off, they play a game or games to see who is the winner

The 16 finalists will play off to see who will win the championship.

Thesaurus: to perform an action in a game or sporthyponym
Main entry: play

* * *

(of two teams or competitors) play an extra game or match to decide a draw or tie

* * *

play off [phrasal verb]
1 chiefly Brit : to participate in a game that decides a winner from people or teams that had the same results in an earlier game : to play in a play-off

The two teams played off for third place.

— see also ↑play-off
2 play off (someone or something) US : to react to (someone or something) in a pleasing way : to combine with (someone or something) in a way that makes each part better

In this scene, the two actors play off each other extremely well.

The sweetness of the wine plays off the sharp flavor of the cheese.

3 play (someone or something) off against (someone or something) : to cause two people or groups to fight or compete with each other in a way that helps you

They have been playing him off against his old enemies. [=causing him to fight with his old enemies]

He played one side off against the other.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑play

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Play-off — auch: Play|off 〈[plɛıɔ̣f] n.; Gen.: s, Pl.: s; Sport〉 Verfahren der Qualifikation durch Ausscheidungsspiele; Play off Runde [Etym.: <engl. play »spielen« + off »fort, weg«] …   Lexikalische Deutsches Wörterbuch

  • Play-off — Play off, auch Play|off [... |ɔf, engl. plei ɔf] das; [s], s <aus engl. play off »Entscheidungsspiel«> System von Ausscheidungsspielen in verschiedenen Sportarten, bei dem die Mannschaften, die die Endrunde erreicht haben, in Hin , Rück u.… …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • play-off — /play awf , of /, n. 1. (in competitive sports) the playing of an extra game, rounds, innings, etc., in order to settle a tie. 2. a series of games or matches, as between the leading teams of two leagues, in order to decide a championship: In… …   Universalium

  • play off — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 7}}[wym. plej of – akcent na ostatniej sylabie] {{/stl 7}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż. ndm a. I, D. u, Mc. play offoffie {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} w niektórych grach zespołowych: spotkania rozgrywane systemem pucharowym po zasadniczej części… …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • play-off — s.m.inv. ES ingl. {{wmetafile0}} TS sport in giochi di squadra come pallacanestro, pallavolo e sim., fase finale del campionato in cui le squadre con i migliori piazzamenti si disputano il titolo in una serie di incontri a eliminazione diretta… …   Dizionario italiano

  • play-off — /pleiˈɔf, ingl. ˈpleɪˌHf/ [vc. ingl., deriv. di (to) play off «finire, concludere»] s. m. inv. (sport) finale …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • play-off — play offs also playoff 1) N COUNT A playoff is an extra game which is played to decide the winner of a sports competition when two or more people have got the same score. Nick Faldo was beaten by Peter Baker in a play off. ...a playoff game to… …   English dictionary

  • play-off — |pleiofe| s. m. [Esporte] Conjuntos de jogos, geralmente disputados após a época normal de competição, para desempatar, determinar um vencedor ou para apurar para outra fase ou para outra competição. • Plural: play offs.   ‣ Etimologia: palavra… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • play off — ► play off bring (two or more people or parties) into conflict for one s own advantage. Main Entry: ↑play …   English terms dictionary

  • play off — (ingl.; pronunc. [pléi óf]; sing. o pl.) m. Dep. En baloncesto, liguilla final que juegan los equipos que han quedado mejor clasificados para decidir el campeón. * * * (voz inglesa) ► masculino DEPORTES Sistema de competición en el que se van… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • play-off — n 1.) BrE a game played to decide who will win after a previous game has ended with two teams or players having equal points 2.) [usually plural] AmE a game, usually one of a series of games, played by the best teams or players in a competition… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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