play on

sfruttare, fare leva su

Usare le paure, le speranze o i punti deboli di qualcuno per influenzarlo.

In inglese semplice: To use someone’s fears, hopes, or weaknesses to influence them.

• He played on her fears.
• These adverts play on our wish to look younger.
• Are you trying to play on my guilt?

Come si usa: play on someone’s feelings (The advert plays on parents’ fears.)

Sinonimi: exploit, take advantage of

Espressioni comuni: play on fears, play on someone’s guilt

continuare a giocare, continuare a suonare

Proseguire un gioco o continuare a suonare musica.

In inglese semplice: To continue playing a game or making music.

• The band played on.
• Despite the rain, both teams played on.
• The referee told us to play on.

Sinonimi: keep playing, continue

Contrari: stop

Espressioni comuni: play on quietly, play on despite something

fare un gioco di parole su

Usare suoni simili o significati diversi delle parole per fare una battuta o creare un effetto.

In inglese semplice: To use similar sounds or different meanings of words to make a joke or create an effect.

• The joke plays on two meanings of “light”.
• Her slogan played on the company’s name.
• This poem plays on words that sound alike.

Come si usa: play on something (The title plays on the word “spring”.)

Sinonimi: make a pun on

Espressioni comuni: play on words, play on a name

tormentare, assillare

Continuare a preoccupare qualcuno o a farlo sentire in colpa.

In inglese semplice: To keep troubling someone’s thoughts or making them feel guilty.

• The mistake played on my mind.
• Her lie has been playing on her conscience for weeks.
• Does that memory still play on your mind?

Come si usa: play on someone’s mind/conscience (The unanswered question played on his mind.)

Sinonimi: weigh on, trouble, haunt

Espressioni comuni: play on someone’s mind, play on someone’s conscience

tenere in gioco

Trovarsi in una posizione che impedisce a un avversario di essere in fuorigioco.

In inglese semplice: To stand where your position keeps an opposing player within the rules rather than offside.

• The defender played him on.
• Your position played their striker on when the pass was made.
• Who played the attacker on before that goal?

Come si usa: play someone on (The last defender played the striker on.)

Sinonimi: keep onside

Espressioni comuni: play someone on, play the striker on

riprendere, ritornare su

Tornare più volte sulla stessa idea o sullo stesso tema in un testo o discorso.

In inglese semplice: To return repeatedly to a particular idea or theme in writing or speech.

• The poem plays on the theme of loneliness.
• His speech played on the idea of national unity.
• Several chapters play on the conflict between duty and desire.

Come si usa: play on a theme/idea (The novel plays on the idea of lost identity.)

Sinonimi: return to, revisit

Espressioni comuni: play on a theme, play on an idea