play it cheap

present singular third person plays it cheap · participle present playing it cheap · participle past played it cheap · past played it cheap

1. idiomaticinformaluncommonTo be frugal or stingy.

   I played it cheap with my In Rainbows purchase, but many committed Radiohead fans were more generous.

   2007, Dan Costa, “The Music Wants To Be Free”, in PC Mag, page 81

   5 more examples

   With blind eagerness, judged by subsequent action and indifference, our Government seems to have essayed to play the part of philanthropist, guide, and friend, but to "play it cheap", as if phrases could alter facts, or high-sounds declarations could complete, in a moment, what centuries elsewhere have been none too long ago.

   1885, John F. Slater Fund for the Education of Freedmen, Proceedings of the Trustees of the John F. Slater Fund for the Education of Freedmen, page 11

   It was no less grateful to the British people in their honest desire to play the part of guide, philosopher, and friend to the people of Egypt, but to play it cheap.

   1892, Alfred Milner Milner (Viscount), England in Egypt, page 80

   It may cost politicians their necks for giving them those reasons, but some politicians have moved in and out of office-and some have stayed there-by playing it cheap.

   1978, United States Air Force Academy (contributor), Proceedings, page 42

   it plays it cheap, it plays it safe. The disc is a Columbia TriStar Home Video Deluxe Widescreen Presentation (89546, $40).

   1997, Laser Disc Newsletter, The Laser Disc Newsletter, Issues 149-160, page 8

   Then, mistakenly, we played it cheap by having some of our Chinese employees in New York translate it.

   2006, Ron Shelp, Fallen Giant, The Amazing Story of Hank Greenberg and the History of AIG, page 108