# play up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/play-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To misbehave.

## Examples

- The children always play up when they are tired.
- My computer started to play up during the presentation, so I had to restart it quickly.
- Although the engine had been playing up for several miles, the driver hoped to reach the service station before it failed completely.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.