overplay
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overplay — ► VERB ▪ overemphasize. ● overplay one s hand Cf. ↑overplay one s hand … English terms dictionary
overplay — (v.) to emphasize (something) too much, 1930, a metaphor from card games, in to overplay (one s) hand, to spoil one s hand by bidding in excess of its value, from OVER (Cf. over) + PLAY (Cf. play) (v.) … Etymology dictionary
overplay — [ō΄vər plā′, ō′vər plā΄] vt. 1. to overact, overdo, or overemphasize 2. to overestimate the strength of (one s hand in cards) and be defeated as a result: the phrase overplay one s hand is usually used figuratively … English World dictionary
overplay — [v] be dramatic accent, accentuate, blow out of proportion*, dramatize, exaggerate, get carried away*, ham it up*, hyperbolize, labor at, lay it on thick*, magnify, maximize, mug*, overact, overdo, overdraw, overemphasize, overstate, overstress,… … New thesaurus
overplay — UK [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈpleɪ] / US [ˌoʊvərˈpleɪ] verb [transitive] Word forms overplay : present tense I/you/we/they overplay he/she/it overplays present participle overplaying past tense overplayed past participle overplayed to treat something as being… … English dictionary
overplay — verb (T) 1 to make something seem more important than it is: The poet s importance is overplayed by his biographer. opposite underplay (1) 2 overplay your hand to try to gain more advantage than you know you can reasonably expect: If you re… … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
overplay — Date: 1767 transitive verb 1. a. to present (as a dramatic role) extravagantly ; exaggerate b. to place too much emphasis on 2. to rely too much on the strength of usually used in the phrase overplay one s hand 3. to strike a golf ball beyond (a… … New Collegiate Dictionary
overplay — o|ver|play [ˌəuvəˈpleı US ˌouvər ] v [T] 1.) to make something seem more important than it is ≠ ↑underplay ▪ His role in the group s success has been overplayed. 2.) overplay your hand to behave too confidently because you think you are in a… … Dictionary of contemporary English
overplay — o|ver|play [ ,ouvər pleı ] verb transitive to treat something as being more important or severe than it really is overplay your hand to believe you are in a stronger situation or position than you really are and fail as a result … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
overplay — [[t]o͟ʊvə(r)ple͟ɪ[/t]] overplays, overplaying, overplayed 1) VERB If you say that someone is overplaying something such as a problem, you mean that they are making it seem more important than it really is. [V n] ...overplaying the depth of the… … English dictionary
