to pretend to be against an idea or plan which a lot of people support in order to make people discuss it in more detail and think about it more carefully.

I don't think he was really in favour of getting rid of the scheme, he was just playing devil's advocate.

I know that most people here support the project, but let me play devil's advocate for a moment and ask if anyone has considered the cost?

• be a recipe for disaster
• be a recipe for [disaster/happiness/success etc.]
• be a recipe for happiness
• be a recipe for success
• bear fruit
• bear hug
• bear in mind
• be armed to the teeth
• bear out
• bear out something
• bear something in mind
• bear testimony to
• bear testimony to something
• bear the brunt of
• bear the brunt of something
• bear up
• bear with
• bear with someone
• bear with something
• bear witness to
• bear witness to something
• be as American as apple pie
• be as bald as a coot
• be as black as are is painted
• be as black as it is painted