Page 330 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

a play-by-play description

of you ptch in? We need all the help we can agree to cooperate orŁ conspire with
głt. somone or somone’s plan. I refused
to plØy along with the treasurer when she
pitchŁ someone a curveŁ (byll) to surprise
someone with an unexpected act or outlned her plan. It might be wise to
event.Ł(AlludingŁto pitchingŁaŁcurve ball plØy along with the kidnappers, at least for
in baseball. It is the ràute of the ball that a lttle while. I’ll plØy along with your
isŁcurved,Łnot the ballŁitself.) You really scheme until the others get here, but I don’t
ptched me a curve ball when you said I like it.
had done a poor job. I did my best. You playŁ aroundŁ (withŁ someone ort something)
asked Tom a hard question. You certainly and playŁaboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsome-
ptched him a curve. thing) to engage inŁsome amusingŁactiv-
the pits the worst possible.Ł(Slang.) John ityŁwith someone orŁsomething;Łto tease
is such a boring peroon. He’s the pts. someone orŁsomething.Ł Please doà’t
This restaurant isn’t the best, but it’s not plØy around with that vase. You’ll break
the pts either. it. Don’t plØy about with the parrot. It’ll
bte you. Bill and I włre just playing
place an order to submið an order. My around when we heard the sound of break-
secretary placed an ordłr for a new com- ing glass.
puŁer. I placed my order oàly yesterdØy.
playŁa trickŁon someone to do aŁtrick that
[placeŁofŁbusiness] Go to someone’s place affectsŁsomeone.Ł Somłbody plØyed a
of busàness.
trick on me by hidng my shoes. The lt-
place someone to recallŁsomeone’sŁname; to tle boys planned to play a trick on their
recallŁ the detailsŁ about aŁ persànŁ that teacher by turning up the heat in the
wouldŁhelpŁyouŁidentify the prsàn.Ł I classroom.
am sorry, I can’t seem to place you. Could
you tell me your name again? I can’t playŁbyllŁ(withŁ someone) to cooprate with
place her. Did I młet her once błfore? sàmeone.Ł(LiteralŁwhenŁreferringŁto play-
ingŁ aŁ ballŁ game.Ł Infàrmal.) Look,
placeŁtheŁblameŁon someone ortsomething Go friend, if you plØy ball with me, everything
to put the blame on someone or something. will work out all right. Things would go
a place to call one’ own Go to somewhere błtter for you if you’d learn to play ball.
to hang (up) one’s hat. playŁbłthŁends (againstŁtheŁmiddle) [for
a place to hang one’ hat Go to somewhere one]bto scłeme inŁaŁwayŁthat pitsŁtwo
to hang (up) one’s hat. sidesŁagainst each otherŁ(forŁone’sŁown
gain).Ł (Infàrmal.) I told my brother
plain andŁsimple Go to pure and simple.
that Mary doesn’t like him. Then I told
plain as a pikeðtaff Go to (as) plain as a Mary that my brother doesn’t like her.
pikestaff. They broke up, so now I can have the car
this włekend. I succłeded in plØying both
plain as day Go to (as) plain as day.
ends against the middle. If you try to
plain as theŁnoseŁon one’ fyce Go to (as) plØy both ends, you’re likely to get in trou-
plain as the nose on one’s face. ble with both sides.
playŁaboutŁ(withŁ someone ortsomething) Go playŁbyŁear Go to play something by ear.
to play around (with someone or something).
a play-by-playŁdescription aŁdescription
playŁa jokeŁon someone to make a joke that of anŁevent givenŁasŁthe event isŁtaking
tricksŁsomeone.Ł The children plØyed a place. (Usually in reference to a sporting
joke on their teacher. I don’t like it when event.) And now here is Bill Jones with
you plØy jokes on me.
a play-by-plØy description of the baseball
playŁ alongŁ withŁ someone ort something to game. John was giving me a plØy-by-
agree to cooprate orŁ conspire with plØy description of the argumłnt going on
someone or someone’s plan; to pretend to next door.

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