play into hands

play into someone's hands

Fig. [for a person one is scheming against] to assist one in one's scheming without realizing it. John is doing exactly what I hoped he would. He's playing into my hands. John played into my hands by taking the cash he found in my desk. I caught him and had him arrested.

See also: hand, play

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play into somebody's hands

to do something that gives someone else an advantage over you, although this was not your intention If we allow terrorists to disrupt our lives to that extent we're just playing into their hands.

See also: hand, play