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Glite Dictionary
to play it for all it's worth

to play it for all it's worth

7.5
Use a chance as much as possible to get the most from it
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : sacar el máximo provecho
  • To succeed in business, you must learn to play it for all it's worth during negotiations.

Examples

  • She decided to play it for all it's worth and make the most of her job interview.

  • I decided to play it for all it was worth.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • After landing the sponsorship, the team played it for all it's worth to gain more exposure.

Synonyms

to take advantage of
vsto play it for all it's worth
465 2.5

Use someone's trust or weakness to get something unfairly

focuses on using an opportunity widely without unfair harm to others
to exploit
vsto play it for all it's worth
95 4.1

To use resources or chances well to get a good result

focuses on squeezing a situation as much as possible
to strike while the iron is hot
vsto play it for all it's worth
  • Informal
3 4.7

Do something quickly to use a good chance before it ends

is about making fullest use overall, not only quick timing
to make out like a bandit
vsto play it for all it's worth
  • Informal
2 8.4

Get a lot of money or things by luck

seeks to use an opportunity broadly rather than only profit size
to play the angle
vsto play it for all it's worth
1 7.7

Use clever or dishonest moves to get an advantage

aims to use an opportunity fully rather than just manipulate it
to take for all one has got
vsto play it for all it's worth
  • Informal
9.9

To trick someone and steal all their money and belongings

means to use an opportunity fully rather than to ruin someone

Antonyms

to miss an opportunity
14 2.8

Fail to use a chance to do something you want

How Much

to play it for all it's worth
  • Informal
7.5
to exploit
214 5.6
to use
∞ 6.3

Surface Forms

play it for all it's worth infinitive
played it for all it's worth past
played it for all it's worth past participle
playing it for all it's worth present participle
plays it for all it's worth third person singular

Morphology

play + it + for + all + it's + worth

The component 'for all (its) worth' transparently conveys 'to the fullest extent of its value' and 'play' can be interpreted as 'use' or 'make use of', so a learner may partly infer that the phrase means to exploit an opportunity fully. However, the collocation 'play it' with this idiomatic quantifier is metaphorical and conventionalized; the exact pragmatic nuance ('exploit strategically') is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

Play it for all it's worth comes from the image of a player using a strong card or move to get every bit of value, because you play something to try to get its full worth. That's why it means 'use a chance or thing as much as you can to get the most benefit'.