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play possum

To dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

Etymology:

  • English play + possum, from the behaviour of the Virginia opossum, feigning death when threatened. First documented 1822.
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'play possum':

play possumTo feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.
play possumTo feign sleep, illness, etc.
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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to play possum

play the fieldplay old harryplay the foolplay the ball and not the manplay the anglesplay second fiddlePlay Second Fiddleplay Old Gooseberryplay outplay the anglesplay silly buggersplay one's cards rightplay offplay one against another

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