play silly buggers

English

Alternative forms

• play silly beggars

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

play silly buggers (third-person singular simple present plays silly buggers, present participle playing silly buggers, simple past and past participle played silly buggers)

1. (British, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, idiomatic) To act in a stupid or reckless manner.
   • 1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 95:

     "Look," he said, "it's just fate playing silly buggers with you. With me. With us. It's a complete coincidence."