play ball

play ball
informal to agree to do what someone asks you to do, or to agree to work with someone in order to achieve something together.

Fourteen out of the fifteen nations have agreed to the new restrictions but one country still refuses to play ball.

(usually negative)

New idioms dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • play ball — (with (someone)) to agree to do something the way someone else wants you to. Critics say the agency has been pressured to play ball with drug companies. Related vocabulary: play along with someone/something, go along with someone/something… …   New idioms dictionary

  • play ball — If you play ball, you agree to do what someone asks you to do, or to agree to work with someone in order to achieve something together (often negative) …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • play ball — ► play ball informal cooperate. Main Entry: ↑ball …   English terms dictionary

  • play ball — [v] cooperate agree, be in cahoots, collaborate, comply with, conspire, go along with, join forces, join in, participate, play the game*, pull together, stick together, work together; concepts 110,112 …   New thesaurus

  • play ball — (informal) COOPERATE, collaborate, play the game, show willing, help, lend a hand, assist, contribute; informal pitch in. → play * * * I play a ball game such as baseball we noticed some youngsters playing ball in a vacant lot ■ informal …   Useful english dictionary

  • Play Ball — Infobox animanga/Header name = Play Ball caption = Cover of volume 6 DVD (first season) ja name = プレイボール ja name trans = Purei Bōru genre = Sports (baseball), SchoolInfobox animanga/Manga title = author = Akio Chiba publisher = flagicon|Japan… …   Wikipedia

  • play ball — {v. phr.} 1. To begin play in a ball game. * /When the umpire calls Play ball, the game begins./ 2. {informal} To join in an effort with others; cooperate. * /To get along during Prohibition, many men felt that they had to play ball with… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • play ball — {v. phr.} 1. To begin play in a ball game. * /When the umpire calls Play ball, the game begins./ 2. {informal} To join in an effort with others; cooperate. * /To get along during Prohibition, many men felt that they had to play ball with… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • play\ ball — v. phr. 1. To begin play in a ball game. When the umpire calls Play ball, the game begins. 2. informal To join in an effort with others; cooperate. To get along during Prohibition, many men felt that they had to play ball with gangsters. A is… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • play ball — informal if you play ball, I can help you Syn: co operate, collaborate, play the game, help, lend a hand, assist, contribute; informal pitch in …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • play ball — verb a) To start anything tumultuous. The politicians refused to play ball with the journalists b) To work together; to cooperate …   Wiktionary

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