play over

play (something) over

1. To play or perform music so loudly that it drowns out someone or something else. The band always plays over the award recipients when their speeches get too long. Protestors played death metal over the presentation so that the audience couldn't hear anything of what was being said.

2. To play something again from the beginning. They played the security tape over to try and figure out the exact moment the killer had escaped. Officials have rejected requests for the game to be played over, saying that there was no evidence of cheating by any of the players.

3. To recall or remember some event very vividly. My embarrassing mistake during my speech kept playing over in my mind. I've been playing the moment over in my mind, trying to figure out if it was a sign that she felt the same way about me.

See also: over, play

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

play something over

to replay something, such as a game, a videotape, an audio recording, etc. There was an objection to the way the referee handled the game, so they played it over. Let's play that song over again.

See also: over, play

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

play over

v.

1. To consider something; give thought to something: It's a very tough question, and I've been playing it over for a long time. I continue playing over the accident, wondering if I could have prevented it.

2. To be repeatedly recalled or relived in the mind; occupy the mind repeatedly: Our kiss last night keeps playing over in my head.

See also: over, play

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.