English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: Sports, Games and Athletics-2
from: 'play the game'
to: 'take for a ride'
- play the game
- If you play the game, you accept to do things according to generally-accepted customs or code of behaviour.
"Not all website owners play the game. Some download content from other sites without permission."
- If you play the game, you accept to do things according to generally-accepted customs or code of behaviour.
- play games with someone
- If you are not completely honest, or behave in a way that is insincere, evasive or intentionally misleading, you are playing games with someone.
"Look, stop playing games with us. Just tell us if you're interested in the project or not."
- If you are not completely honest, or behave in a way that is insincere, evasive or intentionally misleading, you are playing games with someone.
- play hard to get
- When someone plays hard to get, they deliberately pretend to be uninterested in another person in order to appear
more attractive, interesting or seductive.
"Kelly decided to play hard to get in the hope that her uninterested attitude would attract Alex."
- When someone plays hard to get, they deliberately pretend to be uninterested in another person in order to appear
more attractive, interesting or seductive.
- play a waiting game
- A person who plays a waiting game delays taking any action or making any decision because they prefer to wait and see how things
develop, usually in the hope that this will put them in a stronger position.
"Our competitors are not reacting. They're playing a waiting game."
- A person who plays a waiting game delays taking any action or making any decision because they prefer to wait and see how things
develop, usually in the hope that this will put them in a stronger position.
- play by the rules
- If you play by the rules, you behave in a fair and honest way with people.
"You can trust him, don't worry. He always plays by the rules."
- If you play by the rules, you behave in a fair and honest way with people.
- play into someone's hands
- If you play into someone's hands, you do exactly what your opponent or enemy expects you to do, so that they gain an advantage over you.
"When the leaders of the protest movement became violent, they played right into the hands of the police."
- If you play into someone's hands, you do exactly what your opponent or enemy expects you to do, so that they gain an advantage over you.
- two can play at that game
- You say this to tell someone that you can behave towards them in the same unpleasant way that they have behaved towards you.
"He refuses to take my call? Tell him two can play at that game!"
- You say this to tell someone that you can behave towards them in the same unpleasant way that they have behaved towards you.
- hang up your boots
- When a sports player hangs up their boots, they stop playing and retire.
(This expression is often used to refer to retirement in general.)
"Dad says he's going to hang up his boots at the end of the year."
- When a sports player hangs up their boots, they stop playing and retire.
- learn the ropes
- If you learn the ropes, you learn how to do a particular job correctly.
"He's a bright young man. It won't take him long to learn the ropes."
- If you learn the ropes, you learn how to do a particular job correctly.
- make the cut
- If you make the cut, you reach a required standard or succeed in passing from one round of a competition to another.
"After intensive training, Sarah made the cut and joined the team."
- If you make the cut, you reach a required standard or succeed in passing from one round of a competition to another.
- paddle your own canoe
- If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do without help or interference from anyone.
"David decided to paddle his own canoe and set up his own business."
- If you paddle your own canoe, you do what you want to do without help or interference from anyone.
- a race against time
- When someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time.
"It was a race against time to get everything ready for the inauguration."
- When someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time.
- ride (someone's) coattails
- If you use your connections with someone successful in order to achieve fame or success for yourself, without any personal effort, you ride
their coattails.
"The candidate rode his uncle's coattails in the hope of being elected."
- If you use your connections with someone successful in order to achieve fame or success for yourself, without any personal effort, you ride
their coattails.
- take for a ride
- To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.
"I discovered he had charged me double the normal fee. He really took me for a ride!"
- To take someone for a ride means to cheat or deceive them.
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