play out

verb

1. deplete

-

exhaust one's savings

-

We quickly played out our strength

• Syn: ↑run down, ↑exhaust, ↑sap, ↑tire

• Derivationally related forms: ↑sapper (for: ↑sap), ↑exhaustion (for: ↑exhaust)

• Hypernyms:

↑consume, ↑eat up, ↑use up, ↑eat, ↑deplete, ↑exhaust, ↑run through, ↑wipe out

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s something

2. perform or be performed to the end

-

How will the election drama be played out?

• Hypernyms: ↑perform

• Verb Frames:

-

Something ——s

-

Somebody ——s something

3. play to a finish

-

We have got to play this game out, even thought it is clear that we have last

• Topics: ↑game

• Hypernyms: ↑play

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s something

4. become spent or exhausted

-

The champion's strength played out fast

• Hypernyms: ↑change

• Verb Group: ↑run down, ↑exhaust, ↑sap, ↑tire

• Verb Frames:

-

Something ——s

* * *

play out [phrasal verb]

1 a : to happen or occur in usually a gradual way

Let's wait and see how things play out. [=take place, develop]

The consequences of the error will play out for several years to come.

Their personal tragedy was being played out in public.

1 b play out (something) or play (something) out : to make (something) happen

She got to play out [=realize] her fantasy of being on TV.

We watch professional athletes play out [=act out, live out] our dreams on the field.

This scene plays itself out [=happens] daily in every large city in this country.

2 play out (something) or play (something) out : to finish (something)

Her coach let her play out the rest of the season but said she wouldn't be allowed on the team next year.

We'll stop the game after we play out this hand.

playing out dangerous experiments

That style of music had played itself out [=stopped being current or popular] and the record companies wanted something new.

— see also ↑played-out

• • •

Main Entry: ↑play