play off

dresser contre, opposer

Faire rivaliser ou se disputer des personnes pour en tirer un avantage.

En anglais simple : 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?

Comment l'utiliser : play someone off against someone (The buyer played one supplier off against another.)

Synonymes : pit against, set against

Contraires : unite

Expressions courantes : play off rivals, play off two sides

minimiser, dédramatiser

Présenter quelque chose comme moins grave ou gênant qu'il ne l'est réellement.

En anglais simple : 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?

Comment l'utiliser : play something off as something (She played the mistake off as a joke.); play something off (He played his embarrassment off with a smile.)

Synonymes : play down, brush off, make light of

Contraires : emphasize

Expressions courantes : play off something, play off a mistake

disputer un match de barrage

Disputer un match supplémentaire pour déterminer le vainqueur.

En anglais simple : 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?

Comment l'utiliser : play off against someone (The two finalists will play off against each other.)

Synonymes : compete

Expressions courantes : play off against someone, teams play off