play dirty
Bend the rules
To play dirty is to use unfair, underhanded, or unscrupulous tactics to gain advantage, especially when others expect fair conduct.
The phrase comes from sports but extends to any competitive situation—business, politics, personal disputes: If they want to play dirty, we can play dirty too.
Someone who plays dirty ignores rules or ethical boundaries to win.
- defraudObtain through deceit
- deceiveCause false belief
- swindleDeception for financial gain
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
- hoodwinkTrick into false belief
victimize · beguile · sandbagging · shaft · dupe · fleece · connive · flimflam · gaslighting · cheat · stack the deck · stab in the back · manipulate · hit below the belt · betrayal · treachery · rook · sabotage