play off

対立させる、競わせて利用する

自分が得をするために、人々を競わせたり争わせたりすること。

やさしい英語で： 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?

使い方： play someone off against someone (The buyer played one supplier off against another.)

類義語： pit against, set against

反対語： unite

よく使う表現： play off rivals, play off two sides

軽く扱う、大したことではないように見せる

実際より深刻でない、または恥ずかしくないように扱うこと。

やさしい英語で： 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?

使い方： play something off as something (She played the mistake off as a joke.); play something off (He played his embarrassment off with a smile.)

類義語： play down, brush off, make light of

反対語： emphasize

よく使う表現： play off something, play off a mistake

決定戦を行う

勝者を決めるために、チームや選手が追加の試合をすること。

やさしい英語で： 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?

使い方： play off against someone (The two finalists will play off against each other.)

類義語： compete

よく使う表現： play off against someone, teams play off