play the ball and not the man (English, verb)
expansion: play the ball and not the man (third-person singular simple present plays the ball and not the man, present participle playing the ball and not the man, simple past and past participle played the ball and not the man)
Senses:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: To attack the ball instead of an opponent who is usually controlling the ball. Often considered a positive action, and sometimes a requirement not to concede a penalty.
glosses: To object to someone's argument by attacking the argument itself instead of them or a facet of their personality; to avoid or make the opposite of an ad hominem attack. Usually considered a positive action, and an avoidance of a fallacious argumentative technique. Often used in comparison to play the man and not the ball.
tags: broadly
colloquial
idiomatic
Forms:
form: plays the ball and not the man
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: playing the ball and not the man
tags: participle
present
form: played the ball and not the man
tags: participle
past
form: played the ball and not the man
tags: past
form: play the ball
tags: alternative
form: play the ball, not the man
tags: alternative
form: play the ball not the man
tags: alternative