1
general::
1. Take part for a particular reason, as in We're not playing for money, just for fun. A special usage of this idiom is play for laughs, that is, with the aim of arousing laughter. 2. play someone for. Manage someone for one's own ends, make a fool of, dupe or cheat. For example, I resent your playing me for a fool, or He suddenly found out she'd been playing him for a sucker. This usage employs play in the sense of "exhaust a hooked fish," that is, manage it on the line so that it exhausts itself. [Mid-1600s]
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): play for something
1. to gamble for something; to use something as the medium of exchange for gaming or gambling. • Let’s just play for nickels, okay? • We will play for dollar bills. 2. to play for a particular reason, other than winning. • We are just playing for fun. • They are not competing. They are playing for practice.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs