[play the market]{v. phr.} To try to make money on the stock market bybuying and selling stocks, •/John lost all his savings playing the market./•/Sometimes Mr. Smith makes a lot of money when he plays the market, andsometimes he loses./

[play to the gallery]{v. phr.} To try to get the approval of theaudience. •/Whenever John recites in class he seems to be playing to thegallery./ •/The lawyer for the defense was more interested in playing tothe gallery than in winning the case./ Compare: SHOW OFF.

[play tricks on]{v. phr.} To make another the victim of some trick orjoke. •/Al got angry when his classmates played a trick on him by hiding hisclothes while he was swimming./

[play up]{v.} To call attention to; talk more about; emphasize.•/The coach played up the possibilities, and kept our minds off ourweaknesses./ •/The director played up the woman’s glamor to conceal herlack of acting ability./

[play upon] See: PLAY ON.

[play up to]{v. phr.}. {slang} 1. To try to gain the favor of,especially for selfish reasons; act to win the approval of; try to please.•/He played up to the boss./ 2. To use (something) to gain an end; toattend to (a weakness). •/He played up to the old lady’s vanity to get hersupport./

[play with fire]{v. phr.} To put oneself in danger; to take risks.•/Leaving your door unlocked in New York City is playing with fire./•/The doctor told Mr. Smith that he must watch his diet if he doesn’t want toplay with fire./ Compare: SKATE ON THIN ICE.

[plough] or [plow through] {v. phr.} Pass through laboriously.•/Saw had to plough through hundreds of pages of American history to getready for his test./

[plow] See: PUT ONE’S HAND TO THE PLOW.

[plow into]{v.} 1. To attack vigorously. •/He plowed into his workand finished it in a few hours./ 2. To crash into with force. •/A truckplowed into my car and smashed the fender./

[pluck up]{v.} 1. To have (courage) by your own effort; make yourselfhave (courage). •/In spite of failure, he plucked up heart to continue./•/He plucked up courage when he saw a glimmer of hope./ 2. To becomehappier; feel better; cheer up. •/He plucked up when his wife recovered./

[pluck up one’s courage] See: SCREW UP ONE’S COURAGE.

[plug away] See: PEG AWAY.

[plug in]{v. phr.} To connect (an electrical appliance) to a powerwire by putting its plug into a receptacle or hole. •/The integrated circuithas multiplied the number of small radios that need not be plugged in./

[plug into]{v.} To connect (an electrical appliance) to a power wireby inserting its plug into a receptacle or hole. •/He thought he had left thelamp plugged into the wall, and so was puzzled when it wouldn’t light thatnight./

[plume oneself]{v. phr.}, {literary} To be proud of yourself;boast. •/He plumed himself on having the belle of the ball as his date./•/He plumed himself on his successful planning in the election./ •/Sheplumed herself on the grace with which she sat on a horse./ Compare: PRIDEONESELF.

[plunk down]{v.}, {informal} 1. To drop down; fall. •/Afterwalking a mile we plunked down on a bench to rest./ 2. To drop somethingnoisily or firmly. •/He plunked the heavy suitcase down at the station./ 3.To pay out, primarily an excessive amount •/I had to plunk down $55 for aconcert ticket./

[please] See: AS YOU PLEASE.

[pocket] See: BURN A HOLE IN ONE’S POCKET, LINE ONE’S POCKETS.

[pocket money] See: SPENDING MONEY.

[pocket one’s pride] See: SWALLOW ONE’S PRIDE.

[point] See: AT SWORDS' POINTS, AT THE POINT OF, BESIDE THE POINT, BOILINGPOINT, CASE IN POINT, COME TO THE POINT, EXTRA POINT, MAKE A POINT, ON THEPOINT OF, SORE SPOT or SORE POINT, STRETCH A POINT or STRAIN A POINT, TALKINGPOINT.

[point-blank]{adv.} Straightforwardly; bluntly; directly. •/Suerefused point-blank to discuss marriage with Sam./

[point of view]{n.} Attitude; opinion. •/From the American point ofview, Fidel Castro is a bad neighbor to have./

[point out]{v.} 1. To show by pointing with the finger; point to; makeclear the location of. •/The guide pointed out the principal sights of thecity./ 2. To bring to notice; call to attention; explain. •/The policemanpointed out that the law forbids public sale of firecrackers./ •/The schoolsecretary pointed out that the closing date for making applications hadpassed./

[point up]{v.} To show clearly; emphasize. •/The increase in crimepoints up the need for greater police protection./ •/Johnny’s report cardpoints up his talent for math./

[poison-pen]{adj.} Containing threats or false accusations; written inspite or to get revenge, and usually unsigned. •/Mrs. Smith received apoison-pen letter telling her that her husband was untrue./ •/To getrevenge on Mary, Alice wrote a poison-pen letter to the teacher and signedMary’s name to it./

[poke] See: PIG IN A POKE, TAKE A PUNCH AT or TAKE A POKE AT.

[poke around] or [poke about] {v.} 1. To search about; look intoand under things. •/The detective poked around in the missing man’soffice./ 2. To move slowly or aimlessly; do little things. •/He didn’t feelwell, and poked around the house./

[poke fun at] See: MAKE FUN OF.

[poles apart]{adj.} Completely different. •/The two brothers werepoles apart in personality./ •/ It was hard for the members to make anydecisions because their ideas were poles apart./

[polish off]{v.}, {informal} 1. To defeat easily. •/The Dodgerspolished off the Yankees in four straight games in the 1963 World Series./ 2.To finish completely; finish doing quickly, often in order to do somethingelse. •/The boys were hungry and polished off a big steak./ •/Marypolished off her homework early so that she could watch TV./

[polish the apple]{v. phr.}, {slang} To try to make someone likeyou; to try to win favor by flattery. •/Mary polished the apple at workbecause she wanted a day off./ •/Susan is the teacher’s pet because shealways polishes the apple./ — [apple polisher] {n.}, {slang} Aperson who is nice to the one in charge in order to be liked or treated better;a person who does favors for a superior. •/Jane is an apple polisher. She isalways helping the teacher and talking to him./ •/Joe is an apple-polisher.He will do anything for the boss./ Compare: EAGER BEAVER, YES-MAN. — [apple polishing] {n.}, {slang} Trying to win someone’s good-willby small acts currying favor; the behavior of an apple polisher. •/When JohnI brought his teacher flowers, everyone thought he was apple polishing./

[politics] See: PLAY POLITICS.

[pond] See: LITTLE FROG IN A BIG POND.

[pool] See: CAR POOL.

[pooped out]{adj.}, {slang} Worn out; exhausted. •/Everyone waspooped out after the hike./ •/The heat made them feel pooped out./

[poor as a church mouse]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Penniless; broke;extremely poor. •/The newly arrived boat people were poor as church mice./

[poor-mouth]{v.} To be constantly complaining about one’s poverty;keep saying how one cannot afford the better things in life. •/Uncle Jackindulges in an awful lot of poor-mouthing, but we know that he has half amillion dollars stashed away in a secret savings account./