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play up

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phrasal verb
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theyplay up
he/she/itplays up
present participleplaying up
past tenseplayed up
past participleplayed up

Related dictionary definitions

  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] British if children play up or play someone up, they behave badly in a way that they think is funny

    I’m exhausted! The children have been really playing up this afternoon.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  play upThesaurus entry for this meaning of play up
  2. 2
    [transitive] to try to persuade people to believe that something is more important than it is

    The newspapers have really played up the government’s poor election results.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  play upThesaurus entry for this meaning of play up
  3. 3
    [intransitive/transitive] to cause difficulties or pain for someone

    The printer’s playing up again.

    My back’s been playing me up all day.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  play upThesaurus entry for this meaning of play up

This is the British English definition of play up. View American English definition of play up.

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