overplay
pronunciation
How to pronounce overplay in British English:
UK [ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ]
How to pronounce overplay in American English:
US [ˌoʊvərˈpleɪ]
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- Verb:
- exaggerate one's acting
Word Origin
- overplay (v.)
- "to emphasize (something) too much," 1933, a metaphor from card games, in to overplay (one's) hand, "to spoil one's hand by bidding in excess of its value" (1926), from over- + play (v.). The word was used earlier in a theatrical sense. Related: Overplayed; overplaying.
Example
- 1. It would be easy to overplay the importance of his move .
- 2. But in trying to reverse this , the fed could overplay its hand .
- 3. The same thing could happen to the survivors if they overplay their hands .
- 4. But , mr li says , " people shouldn 't overplay the significance of a personal relationships " .
- 5. Guys who try to overplay their hands will only turn the women off .