What Does "Play Possum" Mean?
"Play possum" is an English idiom. It means "to pretend to be unconscious, dead, or inactive, especially as a defensive strategy to deceive or evade a threat or danger."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "play possum" used in a sentence:- When confronted by the aggressive dog, the rabbit played possum in hopes that the dog would lose interest.
- The burglar played possum on the floor after tripping over a piece of furniture, hoping the homeowner wouldn't notice.
- The injured athlete decided to play possum for a moment to catch his breath before resuming the game.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Play Possum" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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