What does play possum mean?

Definitions for play possum
play pos·sum

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word play possum.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. play possumverb

    to pretend to be dead

Wiktionary

  1. play possumverb

    to feign death; to remain quiet and still to escape attention or remain undetected; to lay low.

  2. play possumverb

    to feign sleep, illness, etc.

  3. play possumverb

    to dissemble or to feign ignorance; to disguise or conceal something in order to deceive.

  4. Etymology: English play + possum (from opossum), from the behaviour of the Virginia opossum, feigning death when threatened. First documented 1822.

ChatGPT

  1. play possum

    To "play possum" is an idiomatic phrase derived from the behavior of the North American opossum that pretends to be dead as a defensive mechanism when threatened. When a person is said to "play possum," it generally means they're pretending to be asleep, ignorant, or unnoticeable with the aim of avoiding trouble, confrontation, responsibility, or work. It can also refer to feigning weakness or ignorance to gain advantage in some situations.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of play possum in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of play possum in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4


Translations for play possum

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"play possum." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Nov. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/play+possum>.

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