power play

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pow′er play′, 

1. Sport [Football.] an aggressive running play in which numerous offensive players converge and forge ahead to block and clear a path for the ball carrier.
2. Sport [Ice Hockey.]
   • a situation in which one team has a temporary numerical advantage because an opposing player or players are in the penalty box, and hence has an opportunity for a concerted, swarming attack on the opponent's goal.
   • the offensive strategy or effectiveness of the team having such an advantage.
3. an action, stratagem, or maneuver, as in politics or business, by which power is concentrated or manipulated in order to subdue a rival or gain control of a situation.
• 1960–65

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

power play, powerplay / ˈpaʊəˌpleɪ/ noun

1. behaviour or tactics intended to magnify a person's influence or power
2. the use of brute strength or force of numbers in order to achieve an objective
3. a period when one team has more players taking part than their opponents, usually as a result of a penalty for foul play