play God

play God

To have a huge affect on or great power over someone's life, livelihood, health, or happiness. Many of these investment bankers like the idea of playing God, having the power to make or break the lives of those whose finances they control. As a doctor, you have to detach yourself emotionally from your patients, or else you risk feeling like you're playing God with them.
See also: god, play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

play God

COMMON If someone plays God, they behave as if they have the right to make the most important decisions, especially relating to the creation or ending of life. They accused the doctors of playing God, Note: This expression is used in a disapproving way.
See also: god, play
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

play God

behave as if all-powerful or supremely important.
See also: god, play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

play ˈGod

behave as if you control events or other people’s lives: It is unfair to ask doctors to play God and end someone’s life.
See also: god, play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • grab (someone or something) by the throat
  • grab someone by the throat
  • grab someone/something by the throat
  • take (one's or someone's) life in(to) (one's) (own) hands
  • take life in hands
  • take your life in your hands
  • help (someone) along
  • help along
  • cover
  • get someone's dander up, to
References in periodicals archive
The 24-year-old has been making a splash on both sides of the Atlantic with tracks like Play God and Hypersonic Missiles.
August date for Sam's first album
The North Shields singer-songwriter signed copies of his 7", Play God, which were sold at Vinyl Guru in Westgate Road.
For the record
I feel sad there's someone getting to play God over my son."
Mum in cannabis plea for boy, six
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle reminded government employees and officials that they could not play God in interpreting and enforcing the law.
Tagle to law enforcers, gov't officials: We can't play God
Mr Hadaway, who died in 2005, was well known nationally for the television play God Bless Thee Jackie Maddison in 1974 and he also wrote for the first series of When the Boat Comes In in 1976.
Tim Healy to unveil plaque in honour of North Shields-born playwright Tom Hadaway; Mr Hadaway was famed for the TV play God Bless Thee Jackie Maddison and also wrote for the first series of When the Boat Comes In
I have dedicated my life and career (which included six years of education) to agriculture and I don't for a minute pretend to play God and shouldn't be accused of that because I support the genetic improvement of plants.
In response to "GMO God Move Over"
4 Did BBC Radio 4 play God Save The Queen every hour on Monday morning to mark Prince Charles's 68th birthday, or merely to taunt him?
And so to the 5 BIG QUESTIONS of the week
Yes when in the last years of your life and you have a terminal illness and you include in your will that you do not want to be resuscitated that is completely different you then wish the course of nature to take its course naturally but not to play God. People who have been given a short time to live have live on for many years.
Concerns over assisted dying
TERRY Jones directs and co-writes this otherworldly comedy, which suggests that if man was granted the ability to play God, he would make an almighty mess of it.
best of the rest
ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING (12A) TERRY Jones directs and co-writes this otherworldly comedy, which suggests that if man was granted the ability to play God, he would make an almighty mess of it.
best of the rest
Octavia Spencer will play God in Lionsgate's adaptation of William P.
Players
OCTAVIA Spencer has been tipped to play God in the adaptation of the bestselling novel The Shack.
Spencer's next role is heaven sent
FANS of the Monty Python musical Spamalot can now decide who gets to play God.
You can decide who plays God
Secondly, among those who do invoke religion to oppose liberalizing laws, they almost always declare that humans "shouldn't play God" in these matters.
Playing God: it's what we are called to do
To pray for those who get to power through violence to retain their place in governance means to play God; assuming God supports violence and rigging of election.
Playing God in Nigerian political experience: towards a Christian responsibility/Dievo vaidmuo Nigerijos politiniuose potyriuose: link Krikscioniskosios atsakomybes