IdiomDaily Life
Polish
Polishgrać na zwłokę
Meaning: To stall or delay deliberately in order to buy time until one is ready.
Literally: To play for delay
Example: “Adwokat grał na zwłokę, czekając na nowego świadka.” — The lawyer played for time, waiting for a new witness.
English equivalent: To play for time
Equivalents in other languages
English: play for time
Origin: Zwłoka is delay. Grać na zwłokę (to play for delay) comes from games and sport, where a side that is ahead runs down the clock, and is used of anyone stalling to buy time. No first use is documented.
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