have a role in (something)

1. To have a specific involvement or participation in something. There's no use lying to the committee, Mr. Marshall, as we know for a fact that you had a role in hiding your company's losses from its investors. Listen up, Joe. You're going to have a role in this operation, too. I had no role in this, Officer, I swear! I had no idea they were stealing money!

2. Literally, to have a job portraying a certain character in a performance. I hear that Samantha has a role in some new film. She's really making her way into the big leagues! I bombed my audition and didn't end up getting a role in the play. Plenty of people go to Hollywood and never end up getting a role in anything.

play a big role (in something)

To have an extremely important or fundamental role (in some resultant situation, action, event, outcome, etc.). There were a lot of reason why I quit, but having to work 10 hours a day played a big role. Punk rock played a big role in forming my aesthetic sensibilities. The rookie quarterback ended up playing a big role in the team's amazing comeback victory yesterday.

play a bit role (in something)

1. Literally, to act out a very small, inconsequential role (in some piece of drama, film, or television). I originally started off playing a bit role in the sitcom, but over the years the character became wildly popular and really launched my career. A: "I heard you're in the latest Schwarzenegger movie, right?" B: "Yeah, I'm just playing a bit role, though."

2. By extension, to have a very small, inconsequential role (in some resultant situation, action, event, outcome, etc.). I know you feel like you only played a bit role in our victory today, but you were just as important out there as everyone else on the team. A: "I suppose those long, 12-hour days were why you quit, huh?" B: "Actually, those only played a bit role—it was mostly just because I hated my boss."

play a large role (in something)

To have an extremely important or fundamental role (in some resultant situation, action, event, outcome, etc.). There were a lot of reason why I quit, but having to work 10 hours a day played a large role. Punk rock played a large role in forming my aesthetic sensibilities. The rookie quarterback ended up playing a large role in the team's amazing comeback victory yesterday.

play a role in (something)

1. To have a specific involvement or participation in something. There's no use lying to the committee, Mr. Marshall, as we know for a fact that you played a role in hiding your company's losses from its investors.

2. Literally, to have a job portraying a certain character in a performance. I hear that Samantha is playing a role in some new film. She's really making her way into the big leagues!

play a small role (in something)

1. Literally, to act out a very small, inconsequential role (in some piece of drama, film, or television). I originally started off playing a small role in the sitcom, but over the years the character became wildly popular and really launched my career. A: "I heard you're in the latest Schwarzenegger movie, right?" B: "Yeah, I'm just playing a small role, though."

2. By extension, to have a very small, inconsequential role (in some resultant situation, action, event, outcome, etc.). I know you feel like you only played a small role in our victory today, but you were just as important out there as everyone else on the team. A: "I suppose those long, 12-hour days were why you quit, huh?" B: "Actually, those only played a small role—it was mostly just because I hated my boss."

plum role

1. A post or position that is especially enviable or desirable. Since Sinead got that plum role at the bank, she has been earning more money than she knows what to do with! The disgraced senator seems to have landed on his feet, securing a plum role at one of the multinational corporations he helped protect during his time in office.

2. A very prominent, desirable, or high-profile acting role. The famous actor started off in a number of commercials before finally landing a plum role as the lead in a crime drama that went on to become a huge hit. That such a plum role would go to a relatively unknown actor actually caused quite a stir at the time.

role model

1. noun A person whose behavior, critical thinking, decisions, etc., is held up as an ideal example for one to emulate. The athlete has striven to serve as a role model to the young people in his community who look up to him.

2. verb To demonstrate the correct behavior, critical thinking, decisions, etc., for someone else to emulate. As a parent, it's extremely important to role model the ways we want our children to handle negative emotions. You're the leader of this company. If you're not role modeling the right kind of behavior in the office, then who will?

play a part in something

and play a role in something

1. to participate in something in a specific way. I hope to play a part in the development of the new product. I want to play a role in this procedure.

2. to portray a character in a performance. He played a part in The Mikado, but it was not a major role. Larry wanted to play a role in the next play.

role model

An individual whose behavior serves as an exemplar to others. This expression, dating from the second half of the 1900s, alludes to acting out parts in a theatrical production. It appeared in the New York Times Magazine (June 26, 1977): “If the teacher was a ‘role model’ parents were obviously unaware of it.”