| Idiom | Play Both Ends against the Middle |
|---|---|
| Example | Zack got the other two candidates to call each other names, and he got elected. How's that for playing both ends against the middle. |
| Meaning | to pit two opponents against each other in such a way as to benefit yourself; to use each of two sides for your own purpose |
| Origin | In the 1800s there was a popular card game in America called faro, in which the dealer allowed a double bet by a player. The phrase was later applied to dishonestly using two opposing sides for one's selfish purposes. |
Learn with these flashcards. Click next, previous, or up to navigate to more flashcards for this subject.
Next card: Cat mouse fool tease pretending play sherlock holmes
Previous card: Piece cake dance expression worry skateboarding hill easy
Up to card list: Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms