Pronunciation: /pleɪ dɛd/
noun a dramatic performance or stage presentation
A1 The dog's play dead trick always impresses the children.
A2 During the theater performance, the actor had to do a play dead scene.
B1 The detective suspected foul play in the case of the supposed play dead victim.
B2 The spy's ability to play dead helped him escape capture.
C1 The soldier's training included learning how to play dead in combat situations.
C2 The actress's convincing play dead act earned her critical acclaim.
verb to pretend to be dead or lifeless, especially as a defense mechanism
A1 The dog can play dead when you say the command.
A2 She taught her pet rabbit to play dead for treats.
B1 During the acting class, the students had to learn how to play dead realistically.
B2 The actor's ability to play dead convincingly impressed the audience.
C1 In the movie, the main character had to play dead in a dramatic scene.
C2 The spy had to play dead to avoid being captured by the enemy.
formal The dog was trained to play dead when commanded by its owner.
informal When the teacher caught him cheating, he tried to play dead and pretend he wasn't there.
slang I told my little brother to play dead so we could scare our friends.
figurative During the meeting, I just wanted to play dead and avoid all the drama.
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