play into hands
Related to play into hands: play into someone's hands
play (right) into (one's) hands
To unwittingly do exactly what one wants or needs in order for one's plans or schemes to succeed. Don't waste your time investigating her husband! You're playing into the real killer's hands! These media reports play right into the senator's hands—he just wants something else to distract from the important issues.
See also: hand, play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
play into someone's hands
Fig. [for a person one is scheming against] to assist one in one's scheming without realizing it. John is doing exactly what I hoped he would. He's playing into my hands. John played into my hands by taking the cash he found in my desk. I caught him and had him arrested.
See also: hand, play
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
play into the hands of
Act so as to give an advantage to an opponent, as in The senator played right into the hands of her opponents when she backed that unpopular amendment to the tax bill . [c. 1700]
See also: hand, of, play
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
play into (someone's) hands
To act or behave so as to give an advantage to an opponent.
See also: hand, play
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
- play (right) into (one's) hands
- play (right) into the hands of (one)
- play into somebody's hands
- play into someone's hands
- play into the hands of
- (one's) old man
- at (one's) doorstep
- at doorstep
- (from) top to toe
- at somebody's expense