play dead
The phrase "play dead" is an idiomatic expression used to describe the act of pretending to be lifeless, often for self-defense or strategic purposes.
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Definition
B2Self-defense
(idiom)To pretend to be lifeless to avoid harm or deter an attacker.
Example
- During the bear encounter, he decided to play dead in hopes that the animal would lose interest.
B1Performance
(informal)To act as if lifeless, often as a trick or for entertainment.
Example
- The dog has been trained to play dead on command.
B2Strategy
(tactical)To feign death as a tactic to wait for an opportunity to counterattack or escape.
Example
- The soldier played dead until the enemy passed by.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "play dead":
play possumplay dumblay lowlie downplay alongleave for deadlay downdrop deadlie backdead sleeplive downlay back