playdown
or play-down
[ pley-doun ]
/ ˈpleɪˌdaʊn /
noun Chiefly Canadian.
a play-off.
Words nearby playdown
Definition for play down (2 of 2)
Origin of play
before 900; (noun) Middle English
pleye, Old English
plega; (v.) Middle English
pleyen, Old English
pleg(i)an (cognate with Middle Dutch
pleien to leap for joy, dance, rejoice, be glad)
SYNONYMS FOR play
2
show.
3
diversion,
pastime.
Play,
game,
sport refer to forms of diverting activity.
Play is the general word for any such form of activity, often undirected, spontaneous, or random:
Childhood should be a time for play.
Game refers to a recreational contest, mental or physical, usually governed by set rules:
a game of chess. Besides referring to an individual contest,
game may refer to a pastime as a whole:
Golf is a good game. If, however, the pastime is one (usually an outdoor one) depending chiefly on physical strength, though not necessarily a contest, the word
sport is applied:
Football is a vigorous sport.
18, 19 liberty.
23 enact.
25 personate, impersonate.
30 use.
32 bet.
33 back.
45 sport, frolic, romp, revel.
47 dally.
OTHER WORDS FROM play
British Dictionary definitions for play down (1 of 2)
play down
verb
(tr, adverb)
to make little or light of; minimize the importance of
British Dictionary definitions for play down (2 of 2)
play
/ (pleɪ) /
verb
noun
Derived forms of play
playability, noun playable, adjectiveWord Origin for play
Old English
plega (n),
plegan (vb); related to Middle Dutch
pleyen
Idioms and Phrases with play down (1 of 2)
play down
Make little of, minimize the importance of, as in A skillful salesman plays down the drawbacks of the product and emphasizes its good features. [First half of 1900s]
play down to. Lower one's standards to meet the demands of someone, as in Some stand-up comics deliberately play down to the vulgar taste of their audiences. [Late 1800s]
Idioms and Phrases with play down (2 of 2)
play