57 PLAY: 玩，玩耍；玩弄；比赛；演奏，演出；

57 PLAY: 玩，玩耍；玩弄；比赛；演奏，演出；做，行动；假装；（纸牌游戏中）出牌；打赌，下注；对待

词组讲解

1. play around with sb. or sth. *** 玩耍

解 短语动词；词义溯源：与某人或某物一起在［周围、附近（around）］玩

例 Tommy, I told you not to play around with my computer, didn't I?

2. play ball with sb. / play ball ** 一起进行球类比赛；合作，协助

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：与某人玩［球（ball）］；play ball也有“开始打棒球”的意思

例 Whenever we play ball with the Seattle Mariners, we lose.

We refuse to play ball with such a disreputable company.

3. play both ends against the middle / play both ends ** 使对立的双方争斗而从中获利，为渔利而使…相斗

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：让双方在［中间（the middle）］比赛（对抗）；参照play sb. off against sb. else

例 I failed in playing both ends against the middle. Instead of getting angry at each other, both parties got angry at me!

4. play cat and mouse with sb. ** 与某人玩猫鼠游戏，对某人欲擒故纵

解 习语；词义溯源：与某人玩［猫捉老鼠的游戏（cat and mouse）］

例 The killer played cat and mouse with the woman, letting her go and then catching her again and again.

5. play fair ** 公正比赛；正当行事

解 习语；词义溯源：［公正（fair）］比赛

例 If we can't win by playing fair, then I don't even want to play.

6. play fast and loose with sb. or sth. ** 对某人反复无常，拿某事当儿戏

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：对待某人或某物［时快时慢（fast and loose）］

例 He wasted the $3 million inheritance by playing fast and loose with it.

7. play first chair ** 成为（管弦乐团或者乐队中）某一种乐器的首席演奏者；成为领导、负责人

解 习语；词义溯源：作为［首席演奏者（first chair）］来演奏

例 You'll have to practice harder than this if you want to play first chair.

Find out who plays first chair and go directly to him or her with the problem.

8. play footsie with sb. / play footsie ** 与某人碰脚调情；与某人勾勾搭搭；与某人进行秘密交易

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：与某人玩［（在桌子底下）碰脚（footsie）］调情

例 Don't you think playing footsie is a little childish, Ronald?

Now it's up to the prosecutors to determine who played footsie with whom.

9. play for keeps * 认真地做事

解 俚语；词义溯源：［（不是开玩笑而是）认真地（for keeps）］做

例 When we play cards, Wu Jin always insists we play for keeps.

These land developers play for keeps, so you have to fight them hard.

10. play hard to get ** 故意装出难以接近的样子（以鼓励对方进一步追求）

解 习语；词义溯源：假装［很难得到（hard to get）］；大多用于异性之间

例 She played hard to get for too long. She got old and nobody ever married her.

11. play hooky * 逃学，旷课

解 俚语；词义溯源：做出［逃学（hooky）］的举动

例 You never played hooky while you were a student? That's hard to believe.

12. play into one's hands ** 使某人（常指对手）获利而自己吃亏

解 习语；词义溯源：在某人的［手掌（hands）］中玩耍

例 This is what they want you to do, John. They want you to complain, so they'll have a reason to fire you. You're playing right into their hands.

13. play it cool * 冷静处理，泰然自若

解 俚语；词义溯源：［冷静地、泰然地（cool）］做某事

例 His lawyer advised him to play it cool and keep to his daily routine.

14. play it safe ** 谨慎行事

解 习语；词义溯源：［安全地（safe）］行动

例 We decided to play it safe and avoid walking on dark streets.

15. play on 〔upon〕 sth. *** 对某事造成影响；利用（别人的感情）

解 短语动词；词义溯源：做出［对（on）］某事有影响的行动

例 You should never play on a child's fears to make them obey you.

16. play one's cards close to one's 〔the〕 chest 〔vest〕 ** 保守秘密

解 习语；词义溯源：从接近［胸口（chest）］或［背心（vest）］的地方出牌

例 Until your invention has been patented, I suggest you play your cards close to your chest.

17. play one's cards right 〔well〕 ** 事情处理得当；做事有心计

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：［准确地（right）］出自己的［牌（cards）］

例 Play your cards right and the director's job can be yours, Paul.

18. play one's trump card ** 使出绝招，打出王牌

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：出［王牌（trump card）］

例 The chairman owes me a personal favor. If we can't get the permission we need for this project, I might play my trump card and get him to approve it.

19. play politics ** 玩弄权术，玩弄政治手段

解 习语；词义溯源：玩弄［权术（politics）］

例 Nobody likes a guy who gets his promotions not on merit but by playing politics.

20. play possum 〔opossum〕 ** 装病，装死，装睡；装傻

解 习语；词义溯源：假装成［负鼠（possum，opossum）］

例 When an enemy soldier passed by, I would play possum.

21. play second fiddle to sb. ** 居次要地位；当副手

解 习语；词义溯源：作为［（管弦乐团的）第二小提琴手（second fiddle）］演奏；这里的second fiddle有“第二小提琴手；二把手，次要地位”的意思

例 After playing second fiddle to Reagan for eight years, Bush was elected President.

22. play sb. for sth. *** 把某人像…一样对待

解 短语动词；词义溯源：把某人［当做（for）］…对待；参照take sb. for sb. or sth.

例 You play me for an amateur, but I have over 12 years' experience im marketing.

23. play sb. off against sb. else *** 使双方反目成仇收渔利

解 短语动词；词义溯源：耍手段让某人与某人［对抗（against）］［切断（off）］联系

例 One military strategy we employed was to play one enemy off against another, allowing them to weaken each other in battle.

24. play sb. or sth. down *** 对…不重视，贬低

解 短语动词；词义溯源：对某人或某事（放在）［低处（down）］对待

例 Dreyer's Restaurant played down the report of unsanitary conditions.

25. play sb. or sth. up *** 对…重视，强调

解 短语动词；词义溯源：对某人或某事（放在）［高处（up）］对待

例 Bill plays up his role in the Snyder Election Campaign, but he was only a district chief.

26. play sth. by ear ** （不看乐谱）听了就会演奏；没有正规地学习但演奏得很好

解 习语；词义溯源：不看乐谱［通过听觉（by ear）］来演奏

例 We used to play old rock songs by ear in the garage at Joe's house.

He started his career in music playing various instruments by ear.

27. play the field ** 广泛结交异性；不专一；从事多种活动

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：在赛马比赛中对［最热门的马和其他所有出场的赛马（field）］打赌

例 Bob thinks that young people should delay getting married and play the field for a few years.

28. play the market ** 做股票生意

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：像比赛或者赌博一样在股市下注

例 InvestWare 5.1 software helps amateur investors play the market.

29. play to the gallery ** 迎合大众的口味；哗众取宠

解 习语；词义溯源：演出［迎合（to）］［趣味低俗或通俗的一般观众（gallery）］的口味

例 Politicians' remarks are often nothing more than words intended to play to the gallery.

30. play tricks on sb. / play tricks ** 开玩笑，捉弄

解 习语；词义溯源：对某人玩［骗术、恶作剧（tricks）］

例 Is somebody playing tricks on me? I know I put my car keys on my desk, now they are gone.

31. play up to sb. *** 迎合，讨好

解 短语动词；词义溯源：对某人［有所企图（up to）］而采取行动

例 Larry is playing up to the boss again. He brought the boss a gift for his birthday.

32. play with fire ** 玩火；做危险的事

解 〈口〉习语；词义溯源：玩［火（fire）］

例 If you want to challenge his power, go ahead. But you'll be playing with fire.

参考译文

1. 汤米，我跟你说过不要乱动我的电脑，是不是？

2. 每次与西雅图水手队打球我们都会输。

我们拒绝与这样一家声名狼藉的公司合作。

3. 我试图挑拨离间而从中获利，但是失败了。双方没有惹恼对方，倒是对我非常生气！

4. 杀手和那个女人玩猫鼠游戏，放她走后又一次次抓住她。

5. 如果我们不能通过公正比赛获得胜利，那我宁愿不参赛。

6. 他非常轻率地处理了300万美元的遗产，浪费了这笔钱。

7. 如果你想做首席演奏者，就要更加努力练习。

找到负责人，然后直接去跟他或她谈这个问题。

8. 你不觉得调情有点幼稚吗，罗纳德？

现在由检察官判定谁与谁有秘密交易。

9. 我们打牌的时候，武晋总是认为我们应该认真点。

这些土地开发商动真格的了，所以你们必须跟他们努力抗争。

10. 她一直故意装出难以接近的样子。后来她老了，没有人娶她。

11. 你在学生时代从来没逃过学？真是让人难以置信。

12. 这就是他们想要让你做的，约翰。他们想让你抱怨，这样他们就有理由解雇你了。你这样正好让他们占了便宜。

13. 他的律师建议他冷静点，不要影响日常生活。

14. 我们决定不冒险，不在漆黑的街道上行走。

15. 你不应该利用孩子的恐惧让他们服从你。

16. 在你的发明获得专利权之前，我建议你保守秘密。

17. 只要你把事情做好，主任的位置就是你的，保罗。

18. 总裁欠我一个人情。如果这个项目得不到许可，我可能会打出我们的王牌，让他批准。

19. 没有人会喜欢一个不靠功绩而靠不正当手段获得晋升的人。

20. 当敌方士兵经过的时候，我就装死。

21. 为里根担任八年副手后，布什被选举为总统。

22. 你拿我当业余的耍，我可是有12年的市场营销经验。

23. 我们采用的一项军事战略是让敌人相互争斗，让他们在争斗中削弱彼此。

24. 德雷尔餐厅不重视卫生状况不良的报告。

25. 比尔太突出他在斯奈德选举活动中的重要地位了，但其实他只不过是一个区长。

26. 我们以前常在乔家的车库里不看乐谱演奏听过的摇滚老歌。

他没有经过专业训练，但能演奏各种乐器，由此开始了他的音乐生涯。

27. 鲍勃认为年轻人应该晚点结婚，花几年时间多谈几个朋友。

28. InvestWare 5.1软件可以帮助业余投资者炒股。

29. 政客们的言辞往往除了哗众取宠外没有任何意义。

30. 是不是有人在跟我开玩笑啊？我确定把车钥匙放在桌子上了，但现在找不到了。

31. 拉里又在讨好老板了。老板过生日的时候他送了一份礼物。

32. 如果你想挑战他的能力，那就去吧。不过你这是在玩火。