play up

英 [pleɪ ʌp]

美 [pleɪ ʌp]

强调…的重要性; 夸大; 渲染; （机器、身体部位等）（给…）制造麻烦，（使）痛苦; （小孩）淘气，不听话

柯林斯词典

PHRASAL VERB 强调…的重要性；夸大；渲染
If youplay upsomething, you emphasize it and try to make people believe that it is important.
1. The media played up the prospects for a settlement...
  媒体夸大了达成和解的可能性。
2. His Japanese ancestry has been played up by some of his opponents.
  他的日本血统被一些对手大肆渲染。
PHRASAL VERB （机器、身体部位等）（给…）制造麻烦，（使）痛苦
If something such as a machine or a part of your bodyis playing uporis playingyouup, it is causing problems because it is not working properly.
1. The engine had been playing up...
  发动机一直有问题。
2. It was his back playing him up.
  是他的后背在作痛。
PHRASAL VERB （小孩）淘气，不听话
When childrenplay up, they are naughty and difficult to control.
1. Patrick often plays up when he knows I'm in a hurry.
  帕特里克常常明知我手忙脚乱还要调皮捣蛋。

verb

move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
1. The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics
Synonym:foregroundhighlightspotlight
ingratiate oneself to
1. She is playing up to the chairman
Synonym:cozy upcotton upshine upsidle upsuck up

He wants the two actors to play up to him.
看来他希望那两个演员能和他好好配合。
He tried to play down my part in the work and play up his own.
他极力贬低我在这工作中的作用，而拼命抬高他自己的份量。
The children are very active, but never play up.
这些孩子很活泼，可是从不淘气。
I know you try to play down my part in the affair and play up your own.
我知道你有意贬低我在这件事中起的作用，而抬高你自己。
Patrick often plays up when he knows I'm in a hurry.
帕特里克常常明知我手忙脚乱还要调皮捣蛋。
It seems that she needs two good actors to play up to her.
看来他需要两个好演员来配合他。
She tried to play down his part in the affair and play up her own.
她想贬低他在这件事里起的作用，夸大自己的作用。
In the interview you should play up your experience of working abroad.
在面试时，你应该刻意凸显你在国外的工作经验。
I used to play up front when I was a kid, then I went to central midfield and right wing.
我学了很多把握助攻时机的东西，你得小心不要被人钻了空子。我小时候经常打前场位置，然后是中场和右边锋。
The American joke is to play up to the European ( and Eastern) legend of the West.
美国笑话是向欧洲人（和东方人）吹嘘西部的传说。