What Does “Play sb up” Mean?
“Play sb up” means to cause someone trouble or discomfort, often by affecting their body or emotions negatively.
Introduction
The phrase “play sb up” is a common English phrasal verb used to describe a situation where someone is troubled or bothered by something. It often refers to physical discomfort, such as pain or illness, but can also apply to emotional or mental strain. Understanding the play sb up meaning helps learners use this expression naturally in everyday conversations. It is especially useful when talking about health issues or when something is causing problems for someone. This article will explain how to use “play sb up” correctly, provide examples, and highlight common mistakes to avoid.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: play somebody up
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
- Short meaning: to cause someone pain or trouble
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Play sb up” is a transitive phrasal verb, meaning it requires a direct object (someone). It is inseparable, so you cannot put the object between “play” and “up.”
Correct pattern: play + somebody + up
Incorrect pattern: play + up + somebody
How to Use “Play sb up”?
This phrase is commonly used when talking about health or emotional states. For example, if someone’s leg hurts or an old injury causes pain, you can say “My leg is playing me up.” It can also refer to things causing stress or problems in daily life.
Use it mostly in informal conversations or personal stories to describe discomfort or trouble caused by a person’s body or mind.
Examples
Here are some natural sentences using “play sb up in a sentence”:
- My back has been playing me up all week, so I can’t sit for long.
- Don’t let your cold play you up before the big game tomorrow.
- Her nerves played her up during the interview, but she still did well.
- Sometimes my eyes play me up when I spend too much time on the computer.
- His old injury started playing him up after the long hike.
Common Mistakes
Many learners confuse the word order or misunderstand the meaning of “play sb up.”
- Incorrect: The injury played up him.
- Correct: The injury played him up.
- Incorrect: My leg is playing up me.
- Correct: My leg is playing me up.
Remember, the object (sb) always comes between “play” and “up.”
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include “act up” and “play up,” but they have slight differences.
- Act up: Usually refers to malfunctioning (machines) or bad behavior (people).
- Play up: Can mean causing trouble or exaggerating something.
- Play sb up: Specifically means causing a person discomfort or trouble.
For example, “My computer is acting up” means it’s not working properly, but “My leg is playing me up” means it’s causing pain.
Common Collocations
“Play sb up” is often used with body parts or emotions that can cause discomfort:
- Leg – pain or injury
- Back – aches or strain
- Eyes – strain or irritation
- Nerves – anxiety or stress
- Health – general problems
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of play sb up:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a simple conversation using “play sb up”:
Anna: How are you feeling today?
Ben: Not great. My knee is playing me up again.
Anna: Oh no! Have you seen a doctor?
Ben: Not yet. I hope it gets better soon.
Practice
Try to complete the sentence with the correct form of “play sb up”:
- My ___________ has been ___________ me up since yesterday.
- Don’t let your ___________ play you up before the exam.
(Options: leg, back, nerves, eyes; playing, played)
FAQs
- What does “play sb up” mean? It means to cause someone pain, trouble, or discomfort.
- Is “play sb up” formal or informal? It is mostly informal and used in everyday speech.
- Can “play sb up” refer to emotions? Yes, it can describe emotional or mental troubles.
- Is “play sb up” separable? No, the object must come between “play” and “up.”
- What are common collocations with “play sb up”? Body parts like leg, back, eyes, and emotions like nerves often collocate with it.
