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Glite Dictionary
⬇️ To downplay 🎭 To act subtly 🃏 To play low
to underplay

to underplay

7.4
To play a lower card when you could play a higher one
  • verb
  • /ˈʌndərˌpleɪ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : subestimar
  • In a surprising move, she chose to underplay her winning hand, hoping to mislead her opponents.

Examples

  • During the poker game, he decided to underplay his strongest card to avoid revealing his strategy.

  • To keep his chances alive, he opted to underplay the best card he had while the others played aggressively.

  • The fact that the Cubs have not taken advantage of their, well, advantages to this point is much to their discredit, but those who think that the Cubs will continue to underplay their hand do so at their own peril.

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How Bold

to overplay
5 5.2
bluff
64 5.5
to play
467 1.0
to underplay
  • Jargon
7.4
to duck
  • Informal
64 6.8

Surface Forms

underplay infinitive
underplayed past
underplayed past participle
underplaying present participle
underplays third person singular

Morphology

underplay = play (transparent) = under + play

In card-play sense the prefix 'under-' (to a lesser degree) + 'play' (put a card into play) yields the meaning 'play a lower card', which is directly inferable for learners.

Etymology

Underplay comes from the parts under- meaning 'below' and play meaning 'to play a card'. In card games to underplay is to put down a lower card than you could, saving higher cards for a later, more important moment.