power play: Meaning and Definition of

pow'er play"

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. an aggressive running play in which numerous offensive players converge and forge ahead to block and clear a path for the ball carrier.
    1. 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.
    2. the offensive strategy or effectiveness of the team having such an advantage.
  2. 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.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.