Page 333 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

play the field

wasŁ givenŁ the ràle of opposingŁ the playedŁout wornŁout; spent; exhausðed.Ł
canonizationŁof aŁsaint inŁthe medieval This charcoal is just about plØyed out.
Church inŁ orderŁ to pràve that the The bØtteries in this flashlight are almost
groundsŁforŁcanonizationŁwere sound.) played ouŁ.
I agree with your plan. I’m just plØying the
dłvil’s advocØte so you’ll know what the pleasedŁas punch Go to (as) pleased as
opposition will say. Mary offered to play punch.
dłvil’s advocØte and argue against our case plentyŁofŁ something lotsŁof something;Łan
so that we would find out any flØws in it. abundance of somthing; enough of
something.Ł I have plenty of candy. Do
playŁtheŁfield to date many different peo-
ple ratherŁthanŁgàingŁsteady.Ł(Infàrmal. you want some? This project is giving
See also go steady with someone.) When me plłnty of trouble.
Tom told Ann good-bye, he said he wanted The plotŁthickens. ThingsŁare becoming
to plØy the field. He said he wanted to more complicated or inðeresting. The
plØy the field while he was still young. police assumed that the woman was mur-
dered by her ex-ðusband, but he has an al-
playŁtheŁfłol to act inŁaŁsillyŁmannerŁin
ordr to amuse other people. The ibi. The plot thickłns. John is supposed
teacher told Tom to stop plØying the fool to be going out with Mary, but I saw him
and sit down. Fred likes plØying the fool, last night with Sally. The plot thickłns.
but we didà’t find him funny last night. plowŁinto someone ortsomething to crash into
sàmeone or something;Ł to bumpŁ hard
playŁtheŁmarket to invest inŁthe sðock mar- into sàmeone or sàmething. (Also literal
ket, perhapsŁrecklessly.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁAsŁif it if one isŁrunningŁaŁplow into sàmeone or
were aŁgame orŁgambling.) Would you something.) The car plowed into the
rather put your money in the bank or plØy dtch. The runner plowed into another
the markłt? I’ve learned my lesson plØy- player.
ing the market. I lost a fortune.
plowŁthroughŁ something to work through
playŁto theŁgyllery to performŁinŁaŁman- somethingŁwith determination.Ł(Also lit-
ner that will get the strong approval of eral.) She plowed through the book to
the audience; to performŁ inŁ aŁ manner learn everything she could. Billy plowed
that willŁgt the approvalŁof the ruder through dnner and ran outside to plØy.
membersŁ of the audience.Ł John is a
compłtent actor, but he has a tendłncy to pluck up one’ courage to increase one’s
plØy to the gallery. When he made the courage aŁbit.Ł Come on, Ann, make the
rude remark, he was just playing to the dve. Pluck up your courage and do it.
gallery. Pluck up your courage, Ann! You can do it!
playŁtricks (on someone) to trick or confuse plugŁawayŁ(atŁ something) and pegŁawayŁ(at
someone.Ł I thought I saw a camel over something) to keepŁtrying something;Łto
there. I guess my eyes are plØying tricks on keepŁworkingŁat sàmething. John kept
me. Please don’t plØy tricks on your lt- płgging away at the trumpłt until he be-
tle brother. It makes him cry. came pretty good at it. I’m not very good
at it, but I keep plugging away.
playŁupŁto someone to tryŁto gainŁsàmeone’s
favor.Ł Bill is alwØys plØying up to the plugŁ something in to place a plug into a re-
teacher. Ann plØyed up to Bill as if she ceptacle.Ł( In can be replaced with into.)
wanted him to marry her. This telłvision set woà’t work uàless you
plug it in! T Please plug in this lamp.
play with fire to take aŁbigŁrisk.Ł(Also lit-
eral.Ł Infàrmal.) If you accuse her of plugŁ something up to stop or fill up a hol,
stealng, you’ll be plØying with fire. I crack,Łor gap.Ł Take out the nail and plug
wouldà’t try that if I were you—uàless you the hole up with somłthing. T You havł
like plØying with fire. to plug up the cracks to keep out the cold.

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