- play off
- verbset 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
• Verb Frames:-Somebody ——s somebody
-Something ——s somebody
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transitive verb1. : 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-offhad to play off against last year's winner
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play off1. To manipulate so as to counteract2. To set (one person against another)3. To take part in a play-off4. 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 verbif 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 winnerThe 16 finalists will play off to see who will win the championship.
Thesaurus: to perform an action in a game or sporthyponymMain 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-offThe two teams played off for third place.
— see also ↑play-off2 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 betterIn 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 youThey 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.