play off

Meanings

1. To portray (something) (as unimportant); to dismiss or make light of (a factor in a situation, or one's embarrassment about it); to pretend not to be embarrassed, upset, impressed, or otherwise affected by (it).
2. To set (other people) against one another: to induce competition between them, especially in a covert way so that they do not realize the degree to which they have been played (manipulated).
3. To compete in a play-off; to compete against (an opponent) in a play-off.
4. To display; to show; to put in exercise.