play the game en · VERB
Meanings
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To behave fairly; to abide by the rules.
Myth #5— Acceptance and participation in the mainstream of society is automatically desirable. In order to be accepted you may have to compromise important personal values because average middle-American values are most important. You have to "play the game".
1979 December 1, Ron Vachon, quoting Bernice Goodman, “Homosexuality: Changing Clinical Perspectives”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 19, page 3:And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat, / Or the selfish hope of a season's fame, / But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote / "Play up! play up! and play the game!"
1892, Henry Newbolt, Vitaï Lampada:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| plays the game | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| playing the game | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| played the game | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| played the game | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (7)
fi noudattaa pelisääntöjä (behave fairly) · pl trzymać się zasad (behave fairly) · pt jogar limpo (behave fairly) · it stare al gioco (behave fairly) · sv spela spelet (behave fairly) · fr jouer le jeu (behave fairly) · cmn 循規蹈矩 /循规蹈矩 (behave fairly)