UNDERPLAY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does underplay mean? 

• UNDERPLAY (verb)
  The verb UNDERPLAY has 2 senses:

1. act (a role) with great restraint

2. play a card lower than (a held high card)

  Familiarity information: UNDERPLAY used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNDERPLAY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they underplay    ... he / she / it underplays   
Past simple: underplayed   
Past participle: underplayed   
-ing form: underplaying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Act (a role) with great restraint

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

underact; underplay

Hypernyms (to "underplay" is one way to...):

act; play; playact; roleplay (perform on a stage or theater)

Domain category:

dramatic art; dramatics; dramaturgy; theater; theatre (the art of writing and producing plays)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Play a card lower than (a held high card)

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "underplay" is one way to...):

play (bet or wager (money))

Domain category:

card game; cards (a game played with playing cards)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something