play down

英 [pleɪ daʊn]

美 [pleɪ daʊn]

降低…的重要性; 贬低; 淡化

柯林斯词典

• PHRASAL VERB 降低…的重要性；贬低；淡化
  If youplay downsomething, you try to make people believe that it is not particularly important.
  1. Western diplomats have played down the significance of the reports...
     西方外交官刻意贬低这些报告的重要性。
  2. He plays down rumours that he aims to become a Labour MP...
     他对那些说他想要成为工党下院议员的传言轻描淡写。
  3. Both London and Dublin are playing the matter down.
     伦敦和都柏林方面对此事都在有意淡化。

英英释义

verb

• understate the importance or quality of
  1. he played down his royal ancestry
  Synonym:backgrounddownplay

双语例句

• It's a well-tried tactic to play down public expectations in advance of a superpower summit.
  在超级大国的峰会之前降低公众的期望值是个屡试不爽的策略。
• The conspiracy theorists might say that he is trying to play down his influence over the prime minister.
  阴谋论者也许会说，默多克试图淡化他对现任英国首相的影响。
• We must not play down these feelings of fear and uncertainty, and I certainly won't do that.
  我们决不能贬低人们恐惧与不安的感受，我的确不能那样做。
• Desperate for any job, they play down qualifications and experience in their applications.
  他们迫切想要得到工作，因此在申请时他们往往会贬低自己的资历和经验，降格以求。
• 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 reporter wrote the play down, as he had not liked it.
  那记者轻描淡写地评价了一下那个剧，因为它不喜欢它。
• I raised this instance not to play down the importance of psychology.
  我举这个例子并不是说心理素质不重要。
• Our government is trying to play down the abductees 'issue because they cannot do anything right now.
  我国政府正试图淡化被绑架者问题，因为眼下他们什么也做不了。
• He will play down the financial difficulties of the company.
  他故意把公司的财政困难讲得轻些。
• He can also play down the middle.
  他同样可以在中场。