play someone false
Deceive a trusting person
To play someone false is to betray or deceive them, especially by acting contrary to promises or professed loyalty.
The phrase is literary and somewhat old-fashioned: His memory played him false, She played him false and married another.
When memory or senses play someone false, they mislead rather than betray.
- deceiveCause false belief
- lead astrayCause to err
- betrayViolate a trust
- maskFace-worn concealment
- hushAbsence of sound
treachery · perfidy · double-cross · throw under the bus · gaslighting · string along · silence · traitor · duplicity · dirty tricks · backstab · mislead · pull the wool · disloyalty · dishonesty · bad faith · sell out · knife
play someone falseplay fair
Act honestly in competition
play it straight · stand by · have someone's back · look out for
play, plays, played, playing, player, players, playful, playfully, playfulness