play possum . pretend to be asleep装睡；装傻
The boy seemed to be fast asleep，but I knew he was playing possum．这孩子看上去象是睡熟了，但我知道他是装的。
Don't let his silence fool you；he's just playing possum．别被他的沉默骗了，他只不过是装傻。
play possum . stay quiet for self-protection；try to escape attention by inactivity 不动声色；不引起注意
The rabbit played possum under the bushes， hoping the hunter would not see him．兔子静待在灌木丛中，希望猎人看不见它。
play safe . be very careful求稳；不冒险
Tom didn't know what the other driver would do，so he played safe and stopped his own car．汤姆不知道另一个司机要干什么，为安全起见他就停下车子。
I don't think it will rain today，but I'd better play safe and take a raincoat．我看今天不会下雨，不过为稳妥起见，我还是带件雨衣好。
play second fiddle . act a smaller part居次要职位；当副手
I'm tired of playing second fiddle to George—why can't I run the business? 老是给乔治当副手我烦死了，为什么我就不能管事呢?
He was only too glad to play second fiddle to Professor Smith at the symposium．他非常乐意在讨论会上当史密斯教授的助手。
play the devil with . cause confusion in；upset扰乱；破坏
The high winds played the devil with my new hairstyle．大风吹乱了我的新发型。
Mother's illness played the devil with our party．由于母亲生病，我们取消了聚会。
play the game . obey the rules； do right符合规则；做事公道
Tom told the teacher what had happened，but all his friends thought he had been unfair and that he hadn't played the game properly．汤姆把所发生的一切告诉了老师，但他的朋友都认为他不公正，太不光明磊落了。
I hold her in high esteem，since she is an honest person and has always played the game．我非常尊敬她，因为她是个诚实的人，一向办事公道。
play the market . try to make money on the stock market by buying and selling stocks玩股票
Sometimes Mr．White makes a lot of money when he plays the market，and sometimes he loses．怀特先生玩股票有时赚大钱，有时则赔本。
play to the gallery . try to get the approval of the audience讨好（低级趣味的）观众；迎合大众的口味
In the past few years，television has been playing to the gallery．过去几年里，电视一直在迎合大众的口味。
The speaker played to the gallery by indulging in vulgar jokes．为了哗众取宠，那位演讲者大讲粗俗的笑话。
play up . emphasize强调
The coach played up the possibilities of success．教练竭力强调成功的可能性。
In the article he plays himself up and plays the others down．在文章中他抬高自己，贬低别人。
play up . play well； do one's best 做好；加油
I expect them to play up this afternoon．我希望他们今天下午赛出水平来。
play up . behave mischievously；cause trouble调皮；折磨；制造麻烦
The new teacher didn't know what to do when the class started playing up．班级开始乱哄哄时，新来的老师不知该怎么办。
The old wound has been playing up again lately．近来旧伤又在折磨人。
Those children do play their parents up．那些孩子确实给父母惹麻烦。
The engine began playing up．引擎开始出毛病了。
play up .（a band） begin to play（乐队）开始演奏
The band played up the national anthem．乐队奏起了国歌。
play up to . flatter讨好
He is always playing up to the pretty girl students．他总是向那些长得漂亮的女学生献殷勤。
He always plays up to his political boss．他总是对他的政界上司献媚。
He is the sort of man who dislikes being played up to．他是那种不愿被奉承的人。
play with . have fun with和…玩
The boy is playing with his new toys．这小男孩在玩他的新玩具。
play with . trifle with轻率对待；玩弄
She's not a woman to tolerate being played with．她不是一个容忍别人玩弄的女人。
He's been playing with the idea of leaving his job and buying a farm，but he'll never do it ．他一直在考虑离开现在的工作，去买一个农场，但他永远也不会这样做。
play with fire . take risks；put oneself in danger 冒险；引火烧身
He loved driving fast，even though he knew he was playing with fire．即使他知道开快车是很危险的，但他还是喜欢这么干。
He who plays with fire gets burned．玩火者必自焚。
plead guilty . declare in official language that one is guilty服罪
In the face of so much evidence，the thief was forced to plead guilty．在大量证据面前，那小偷只得低头认罪。
plead with . make an appeal to向…恳求
He pleaded with them to give him more time to pay．他恳求他们给他更多的时间来付钱。
With that kind of man you will plead in vain．你向那种人恳求是无济于事的。
pleased with . happy about因…而满意或快慰
Are you pleased with your new clothes? 你喜欢你的新衣服吗?
plod away at . work slowly and steadily at .缓慢而辛勤地干
He plods away at his studies every night，but he doesn't enjoy the work．他每天晚上都认真看书，但他一点也不喜欢这样做。
He plods away at his lessons until he learns them．他刻苦钻研功课，直到弄通为止。
plough into . begin work vigorously into干劲十足地投入
On his return to the office， he ploughed into his work．一回到办公室，他就干劲十足地开始工作。
plough into . crash into with force撞上
The car ploughed into a wall and was completely damaged．汽车猛撞在一堵墙上，给撞得一塌糊涂。