to play it safe
42
3.4
- phrasal verb
:
actuar con prudencia
- You should play it safe, not quit your job just yet.
If we play it safe, we play it safe.
- If we play it safe, we play it safe.
- If you keep playing it safe, you're taking God out of the formula.
- They're like, dude, you know, I want to play it safe.
- So if you know you're going to die, why are you playing it safe?
- They're going to look back and say I played it safe.
- So Microsoft meanwhile is playing it safe.
- But if you're using a Samsung, maybe mail it in too, to play it safe.
- The only thing I haven't played it safe with was my career, but I play it safe a lot.
- So maybe we can start with just talking a little bit about what you mean when you say play it safe versus not playing it safe.
- And it just so happens that this corresponds with, it is the riskiest time in the world to play it safe because whatever you were sold as safe.
- And this isn't the words are being used up, it's to do with the fact that people in AD agencies and copyrights are playing it safe increasingly more and more.
- Most people play it safe because it's easier, and the older you get, the easier it becomes.
Examples
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It's wise to play it safe and stick to well-known paths when hiking in dense forests.
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So right now I'm going to play it safe and guess that it's going to be a colder spring.
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Most people play it safe because it's easier, and the older you get, the easier it becomes.
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You told me you were tired of playing it safe.
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Given the risk, it makes sense to play it safe.
Academic text (2001) -
In many companies, employees play it safe because they know a single failure can end a career.
Blog text (10) -
I'd rather play it safe.
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Let's see who else decides to play it safe.
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Why don't we play it safe for now?
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Sometimes it's just better to play it safe, that's all.
Synonyms
979
1.0
Take care to avoid danger or getting hurt
582
3.0
To be careful to avoid danger or trouble
168
1.8
To be careful to avoid danger
25
3.6
Do things to avoid harm or danger
6
3.9
Act carefully to avoid mistakes, danger, or upsetting others
Antonyms
How Risky
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to avoid risks; act cautiously' is directly derivable from the constituents: 'play' (to act/perform) combined with 'safe' (protected from danger) following the predictable English pattern 'play it + ADJ' meaning 'act in a [ADJ] way'. This construction is also mirrored in many other languages (e.g. Spanish 'jugar a lo seguro'), so an average B1 learner who knows the parts will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Play it safe comes from the picture of a player in a game who chooses a move with little risk instead of a risky one. So, to play it safe means 'to avoid risks' by choosing the safer option.