PLAY UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does play up mean? 

• PLAY UP (verb)
  The verb PLAY UP has 2 senses:

1. move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

2. ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior

  Familiarity information: PLAY UP used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLAY UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

foreground; highlight; play up; spotlight

Context example:

The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics

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

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

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

Context example:

She is playing up to the chairman

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

ingratiate (gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP