Play Possum for Dummies

"Play Possum" is a phrase with a fun and interesting meaning that you might not have come across before, but don't worry, I'm here to explain it to you in a way that will make it crystal clear!

Imagine, for a moment, that you are a cute little possum wandering through a forest. Suddenly, a big, scary predator comes along and tries to attack you. Now, as a defense mechanism, possums have this fascinating ability to pretend to be dead when they're in danger. Yes, that's right, they play dead! They curl up, keep completely still, and even emit a foul odor to make themselves appear unappetizing to the predator. It's like they're saying, "Hey predator, I'm not worth eating, I promise!"

Now, when we use the phrase "play possum" to describe human behavior, we're not talking about actually pretending to be dead (thankfully!), but rather, we're using it as a metaphor. It means that someone is pretending to be unaware, uninvolved, or even unconscious when they're actually perfectly aware of what's going on.

Let me give you an example to make it even clearer. Imagine you're playing a board game with a friend, and it's your turn to make a move. But instead of taking your turn, you keep sitting there, looking like you're not paying attention or are unaware of what's happening. In reality, you're fully aware, but you're pretending not to be just to see how your friend will react. That's what it means to "play possum" in a game.

So, overall, "playing possum" is a phrase that describes when someone pretends to be unaware or uninvolved when they're actually fully aware and involved. It's like they're putting on a little show, just like those clever possums in the forest. And just like those possums, they're doing it to protect themselves in some way or to gain an advantage in a certain situation.