play one against another en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
You would expect that we would stick together more, but no way Pete! They lie and snitch on each other and so the system has even more control over us by playing us against each other.
1989 December 10, Glenda Edwards, “They Can't Keep Me Away From My Stink”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 5:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| played one against another | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| played one against another | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| plays one against another | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| playing one against another | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Translations (2)
fi saada juonittelemaan toisiaan vastaan (manipulate two persons into competing against one another) · cmn 挑撥離間 /挑拨离间 (manipulate two persons into competing against one another)