play one against another

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

play one against another (third-person singular simple present plays one against another, present participle playing one against another, simple past and past participle played one against another)

1. (idiomatic) To manipulate two persons into competing against one another in a way that benefits the person carrying out the manipulation.
   • 1989 December 10, Glenda Edwards, “They Can't Keep Me Away From My Stink”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 5:

     You would expect that we would stick together more, but no way Pete! They lie and snitch on each other and so the system has even more control over us by playing us against each other.