play的習語，你知道幾個？
在你不知道的情況下，搭配是一些單詞組成的短語，它們比你想象的要常用的多。當這些單詞放在一起使用時，他們就有了特殊的含義。
Play是一個常用單詞。作爲一個名詞，它指的是一種現場表演。作爲一個動詞，它通常意味着做一些與運動和遊戲相關的事情，也可以用來描述演奏樂器。然而，在一些其他環境下，英語使用者也會使用play這個詞。這裏將列出一些play的搭配。
1. To play a role (in)
在….中扮演角色
Play最常見的用法之一就是這個短語play a role in。這個短語意爲，一個人、一件事、一個公司或者是一個事件在某事中扮演着一個角色。
In this phrase, the word role can be preceded by words that show how important this role was to whatever is being described. Common adjectives include important, major, key, crucial, significant, large, and vital.
在這個短語中，單詞role可以用一些詞來說明這個角色對被描述的事物而言有多麼重要。常放在role之前的形容詞有important, major, key, crucial, significant, large, 和 vital。
All of these adjectives mean that the role played was very important – perhaps meaning that the result could not have been possible without the thing.
這些形容詞都表示被扮演的角色很重要 –也許這意味着如果沒有這個角色，某種結果是不可能出現的。
Examples
例子
Deciding to travel instead of going straight to college after high school played a major role in my life.
高中畢業去旅行而不是直接上大學，這個決定在我的生活中扮演者重要的角色。
Ronald played a key role in helping the team win today.
羅納德在幫助球隊贏得今天的比賽中發揮了關鍵作用。
2. To play a part (in)
在…中扮演角色/起作用
Play a part 和play a role很相似。它們都表示某事起着…樣的作用。
The difference is that playing a role is usually used to describe someone or something that has a large role. Playing a part can also be more important, but if someone or something wasn’t important, they usually play a part, not a role.
區別就在於play a role用來描述某物或者某人起着很重要的作用，play a part也可以表示起着重要的作用，但是如果扮演的角色不是很重要，那麼就應該用play a part而不是play a role。
That means that adjectives that go before part can include small, insignificant, and fleeting.
這就意味着可以放在part之前的形容詞有small, insignificant 和fleeting。
Examples
例子
Bobby only played a fleeting part in working on the project, but he’s trying to take all the credit.
博比只是在這個項目中扮演着一個微小的角色，但是他卻試圖把所有的功勞都攬在自己身上。
Sandra keeps saying she only played an insignificant part in the company’s success, but she is seriously downplaying how important she was.
桑德拉一直說她只是在公司的成功中扮演了一個無足輕重的角色，但她是在對自己的重要性輕描淡寫。
3. Play your cards right
處理得當，某事做得正確
Play your cards right 是來自於紙牌遊戲的一個習語，意爲舉止得當。這個短語可以在任何情況下使用。
Examples
例子
If you play your cards right, I will buy you a chocolate bar when we leave the store.
如果你表現得好，離開商店時我會給你買一塊巧克力。
I didn’t think it was possible but I was able to get a well-paying job and ace my classes when I played my cards right!
我認爲這不可能，但是如果我表現得好，我的確能得到一份高薪的工作！
4. Play for time
爲爭取時間而拖延
Playing for time means that you deliberately try to delay something. It doesn’t matter what you do to try to delay it, but usually, if you play for time you are trying to delay a difficult decision of some sort.
Play for time意爲故意拖延某事。你爲了拖延這件事做了什麼並不重要，但是通常來說，如果你拖延時間就說明你正在推遲做某種重要的決定。
Examples
例子
His excuses were terrible for continuing to delay the meeting so I could tell he was just playing for time.
他推遲會議的接口很糟糕，所以我敢斷定他只是在拖延時間。
Tom was too pushy so he left me no choice but to play for time.
湯姆太咄咄逼人了，他讓我別無選擇，只好拖延時間。
5. Play it safe
不冒險；求穩；小心翼翼；在牌戲中採取穩定的措施
If you would rather be conservative than take risks, you can play it safe. Regardless of the benefits that you might get from trying different things, play it safe to avoid losses.
如果你寧願保守，也不願冒險，你就可以小心翼翼。儘管你在嘗試不同事物的過程中獲得了很多益處，爲了避免損失，你都要小心行事。
Examples
例子
He played it safe by not gambling when he went to Las Vegas.
他去拉斯維加斯時沒有賭博，這是謹慎行事。
Sometimes playing it safe pays off; sometimes it doesn’t.
有時候謹慎行事是有回報的，有時候則不是。
6. Play with fire
玩火；輕舉妄動；冒險
The opposite of playing it safe is playing with fire. When you play with fire, you take a very big risk, often risks that are unnecessary.
Play it safe的反義詞是play with fire. 當你玩火時，你會冒很大風險，而這往往是不必要的風險。
While what you can gain from taking risks is considerable, it is also extremely risky. Think of a performer who performs with fire. They are appealing because what they do includes a lot of danger.
雖然通過冒險你的收穫相當可觀，但是這風險極大。想想一個用火表演的表演者。他們很有吸引力，因爲他們做的事情有很大的風險。
Examples
例子
Are you sure? It sounds like you might be playing with fire on that one.
你確定嗎？這聽起來你好象是在玩火。
Playing with fire can really pay off if it works out.
如果起作用的話，冒險也可以奏效。
7. Play it cool
抑制住感情，沉着冷靜；玩酷； 不露聲色
When they go on a date, a lot of people try to play it cool! Instead of showing any signs of nervousness, they will pretend they are perfectly calm and even unaffected.
約會時，很多人都想耍酷！他們不會表現出任何的緊張跡象，他們會假裝非常平靜，甚至不受影響。
Playing it cool usually means that someone is setting up a façade, or showing a part of themselves that is not genuine. Along with playing it cool at dates, you can play it cool during interviews, business transactions, at a doctor’s appointment, etc.
耍酷通常意味着某人正在建一種假象，或者是展示自己不真實的一面。除了在約會中表現得很酷，你還可以在面試、商務交易、醫生預約時表現得很酷。
Examples
例子
He tried to play it cool as much as he could but with the sweat running down his face, it’s obvious that he is very nervous.
他想盡可能冷靜下來，但是汗水從臉上流下來，很明顯他很緊張。
Don’t force yourself to play it cool – only do it if you really feel it!
不要強迫自己冷靜下來 – 只有在你真正感覺到的時候才這樣去做。
8. Play it by ear
隨機行事；無計劃地進行
When you don’t know how to prepare for something, you should play it by ear. This means that you take the situation into consideration and adjust as it develops.
當你不知道如何準備某事時，你應該隨機行事。這就意味着你要考慮到眼下的情況並且隨着事情的發展而進行調整。
This expression can be used for any situation; it doesn’t only apply to situations that you can hear.
這個表達可以用於任何情況，它不僅適用於你能聽到的情況。
Examples
例子
The spies were used to playing it by ear.
間諜們習慣於隨機行事。
Sometimes playing it by ear can get you really incredible results.
有時候隨機行事會有意想不到的效果。
9. Play up
誇大；誇口
To play something up means to make the situation seem bigger, more important, more dramatic, or more extreme than it really is.
誇大某些東西意味着使情況看起來更大，更重要，更有戲劇性，或者更極端。
While it doesn’t mean deliberately lying about it, the term does mean exaggerating something – highlighting the details of it and making them seem more noteworthy.
雖然這不意味着故意撒謊，但是這個詞確實意味着誇大一些事情 — 突出其中的細節，讓他們看起來更加引人注目。
Examples
例子
Did he try just try to play up his success? He forgot that I have been with him every step of the way!
他只是試着去誇大他自己的成功嗎?他忘記了我一直和他在一起!
Playing up your weaknesses is a surefire way to get your application rejected.
誇大你的弱點一定是使你的申請被拒絕的原因。
10. Play down
貶低；降低；減少
The opposite of playing up is to play down. Instead of making something bigger, playing down means to try to keep something on the down low, to keep it small, and to make it seem like a smaller deal than it really is. If someone is very humble, they are probably trying to play down their accomplishments.
Play up的反義詞就是play down。Play down意味着試圖將某事保持在低水平，使某事化小，甚至要比它的真實水平還要小而不是誇大它。如果某人非常謙虛，他們很可能試圖貶低他們的成就。
Examples
例子
Wow, he really played down your qualifications! Your experience and education make you the perfect candidate for this job.
哇，他就是在貶低你的資歷！你的經驗和教育背景都說明你纔是這份工作最好的人選。
Don’t play down your skills if you are trying to pitch your services to a potential client.
如果你想向潛在的客戶推銷你的服務，那就不要貶低你的技能。
11. Play ball
屈服；開始活動；開始賽球
Playing ball means to go with the flow, give in, or do what the other person wants you to do. Even if you would rather do something your own way, you might choose to give in because someone else, such as your boss or parents, insist on something else.
Play ball是指隨波逐流，屈服，或者做別人想讓你做的事情。即使你寧願做自己想做的事，你也可以選擇放棄，因爲別人(如你的老闆或父母)堅持要做別的事情。
Note that play ball also has the literal meaning of playing a sport, so do not get confused if you see it used in that context!
請注意play ball 也有做運動賽球的意思，所以如果看到這個詞在這個背景之下使用，不要感到困惑！
Examples
例子
It looks like the boss wants us to do things her way. Alright then, let’s play ball!
看起來老闆希望我們按照她的方式做事。好吧，我們屈服！
What else do you want me to do? I already said I would play ball!
你還想讓我做什麼？我已經說過我要打球了！
Sports
運動
When it comes to sports, there are a number of words that you can use to describe them. While we generally say playing sports, some sports, such as running, ballet, or swimming, use different words. We go running, do ballet, and go swimming.
談到運動，你可以用許多詞來描述它們。我們通常都說做運動，然而一些運動，例如跑步，芭蕾舞或者是游泳，我們用不同的詞來描述它們。我們去跑步，跳芭蕾，去游泳。
Below are some sports that we play rather than go or do.
以下是一些運動，我們通常用play而不是go 或者do來形容。
Play badminton
打羽毛球
Play ping pong
打乒乓球
Play football
踢足球
Play soccer
踢足球
Play baseball
打棒球
Play tennis
打網球
Play hockey
打曲棍球
Play chess
下象棋
Play squash
打壁球
Play volleyball
打排球
Play basketball
打籃球
Play cricket
打板球
Play board and card games
玩滑板和紙牌遊戲
聲明：本雙語文章的中文翻譯系原創內容，轉載請註明出處。中文翻譯僅代表譯者個人觀點，僅供參考。如有不妥之處，歡迎指正。
