| 单词 | to play possum |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto play (also †act) possum P3. slang (originally U.S.) to play (also †act) possum: to feign, dissemble; esp. to pretend to be ill or dead (in allusion to the opossum's supposed habit of feigning death when threatened or attacked). ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > dissimulation, pretence > pretend, dissemble [phrase] > specific illness to have a bone in one's leg (also arm)1614 to play (also act) possum1807 1807 W. Ioor Battle of Eutaw Springs iii. 36 They little thought I was playing 'Possum all the while!.. Now, if I could only stumble upon proof positive, that I was the first clever fellow who saved his life by dying—split me, but I'd apply to his sapient majesty for a patent for it. 1822 W. H. Simmons Notices E. Florida 40 After being severely wounded, they have been known to lie for several hours as if dead... Hence, the expression of ‘playing possum’ is common among the inhabitants, being applied to those who act with cunning and duplicity. 1856 J. F. Kelly Humors of Falconbridge 104 I acted possum again until the foremost Injun got pretty well up, and I wheeled and fired. 1942 Far Eastern Surv. 11 61/1 They do not shoot down as many as they think they did. Enemy planes quite often play 'possum, diving into a low-hanging cloud. 1986 P. Theroux O-zone iv. 43 They were pretending, as some towns did, that there was no life in them, no valuables, no property at all—playing possum. < as lemmas |
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