play possum

Anglais

Étymologie

→ voir play et possum. Référence au comportement de l'opossum lorsqu'il est menacé.

Locution verbale

play possum /Prononciation ?/

1. (Amérique du Nord) Faire le mort.
   • The opossum, colloquially known as a possum, is about the size of a domestic cat.
     Such animals are known to feign death when threatened, giving rise to the phrase "playing possum". — (BBC News, US man 'tried to revive dead opossum' in Pennsylvania, 27 mars 2010)

Synonymes

• → voir play dead

Hyperonymes

• deceive