play off

gegeneinander ausspielen

Menschen zum Wettbewerb oder Streit miteinander bringen, um selbst davon zu profitieren.

In einfachem Englisch: To make people compete or argue with each other so that you gain an advantage.

• She played the two rivals off against each other.
• The manager played off his employees to keep control.
• Are they playing us off against the other team?

So benutzt man es: play someone off against someone (The buyer played one supplier off against another.)

Synonyme: pit against, set against

Gegenteile: unite

Häufige Wendungen: play off rivals, play off two sides

herunterspielen, verharmlosen

Etwas weniger ernst oder peinlich erscheinen lassen, als es wirklich ist.

In einfachem Englisch: To treat something as less serious or embarrassing than it really is.

• He tried to play off his mistake.
• She played the injury off as nothing serious.
• Can you really play off that insult as a joke?

So benutzt man es: play something off as something (She played the mistake off as a joke.); play something off (He played his embarrassment off with a smile.)

Synonyme: play down, brush off, make light of

Gegenteile: emphasize

Häufige Wendungen: play off something, play off a mistake

ein Entscheidungsspiel austragen

Als Mannschaften oder Spieler in einem zusätzlichen Spiel den Sieger ermitteln.

In einfachem Englisch: Teams or players compete in an extra match to decide a winner.

• The teams will play off tomorrow.
• They played off for the last place in the final.
• Who will we play off against?

So benutzt man es: play off against someone (The two finalists will play off against each other.)

Synonyme: compete

Häufige Wendungen: play off against someone, teams play off