释义 |
overplayo‧ver‧play /ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ $ ˌoʊvər-/ verb [transitive] VERB TABLEoverplay |
Present | I, you, we, they | overplay | | he, she, it | overplays | Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | overplayed | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have overplayed | | he, she, it | has overplayed | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had overplayed | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will overplay | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have overplayed |
|
Present | I | am overplaying | | he, she, it | is overplaying | | you, we, they | are overplaying | Past | I, he, she, it | was overplaying | | you, we, they | were overplaying | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been overplaying | | he, she, it | has been overplaying | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been overplaying | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be overplaying | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been overplaying |
- The press tends to overplay these disagreements among Cabinet members.
- Amelia fretted that the press overplayed accidents, but there was nothing she could do about it; news was news.
- Bob did not overplay his obvious selfishness.
- Eventually, however, Safdarjung overplayed his hand.
- If his opponents were intent on overplaying their hand, it could only improve his position with the cardinal.
- The unions overplayed their hand in the end.
- This drove a much harder bargain and, it has been suggested, represents the moment at which Edward overplayed his hand.
► exaggerate to say that something is much bigger, better, worse, more important etc than it really is: · He exaggerated his own achievements.· These claims are wildly exaggerated.· The grass in the garden was about three feet high – I’m not exaggerating. ► blow something (up) out of all proportion to say a situation or event is a lot worse or much more serious than it really is: · The problem really has been blown up out of all proportion. ► make too much of something to treat something that has happened as though it were more important or serious than it really is – used especially when saying that you should not do this: · She loved the fact that he’d sent her flowers, but she didn’t want to make too much of it in case it meant nothing.· It's probably nothing – children often get these strange ideas. You shouldn’t make too much of them ► overemphasize (also overemphasise British English) to say that a part of something is more important and has a bigger effect than is really true, especially in relation to other things: · The importance of cleanliness in the preparation of food cannot be overemphasized.· Historians have tended to overemphasize the role of the monarchy in British history. ► overstate to describe something in a way that makes it sound more important or serious than it really is: · Sometimes she overstates her case.· The importance of advertising can hardly be overstated. ► overplay to make something seem more important than it is, in the way that you talk about it or treat it: · The media has greatly overplayed this issue. ► glorify to make someone or something seem much better, less harmful etc than they really are – used when you think it is wrong to do this: · His films glorify violence.· My father never glorified war.· These images were produced in order to glorify the empire. ► talk something up informal to talk about something in a way that makes it appear more important, interesting, or successful than it really is, especially to get someone’s support or interest: · At the interview, he talked up his experience of working in sales.· The government tried to talk up the threat posed by these countries, in order to justify an increase in military spending. ► overrated adjective if you think someone or something is overrated, you think they are not nearly as good as people claim: · I think her books are overrated.· As a player he’s overrated. ► idealized adjective an idealized image, view, picture etc of someone or something shows them as being much better than they really are: · His books give an idealized picture of English rural life.· her friend’s idealized view of marriage NOUN► hand· The unions overplayed their hand in the end.· If his opponents were intent on overplaying their hand, it could only improve his position with the cardinal.· Eventually, however, Safdarjung overplayed his hand.· This drove a much harder bargain and, it has been suggested, represents the moment at which Edward overplayed his hand.· Should she spell it out to him, or would that fatally overplay her hand? ► overplay your hand- By opposing even a moderate ban on assault weapons, the gun lobby has overplayed its hand.
- Eventually, however, Safdarjung overplayed his hand.
- If his opponents were intent on overplaying their hand, it could only improve his position with the cardinal.
- Should she spell it out to him, or would that fatally overplay her hand?
- The unions overplayed their hand in the end.
- This drove a much harder bargain and, it has been suggested, represents the moment at which Edward overplayed his hand.
1to make something seem more important than it is OPP underplay: His role in the group’s success has been overplayed.2overplay your hand to behave too confidently because you think you are in a stronger position than you actually are: The unions overplayed their hand in the end and failed to get the pay rise they wanted. |