play someone false Definition

false
adj

1. Said of a statement, etc: untrue.
2. Said of an idea, etc: mistaken.

Thesaurus: wrong, mistaken, incorrect, erroneous, faulty, invalid, fallacious.
3. Artificial; not genuine.

Thesaurus: artificial, simulated, mock, synthetic, imitation, ersatz, forged, fraudulent, counterfeit, bogus; Antonym: genuine, real.
4. Said of words, promises, etc: insincere.
5. Treacherous; disloyal.

Thesaurus: unfaithful, two-faced, untrustworthy, treacherous, disloyal, double-dealing; lying, deceptive, dishonest, deceitful, mendacious; Antonym: honest, reliable.
6. bot.
Said of a plant: resembling, but wrongly so called.
Example: false acacia

adverb

1. In a false manner; incorrectly; dishonestly.

Derivative: falsely
adj

Derivative: falseness
noun

Idiom: play someone false

To cheat or deceive them.

Idiom: under false pretences

By giving a deliberately misleading impression.

Etymology: 12c: from Latin falsus, from fallere to deceive.