play one false

Fals′ism, a self-evident falsity; Fals′ity, quality of being false: a false assertion.—Play one false, to act falsely or treacherously to a person; Put in a false position, to bring any one into a position in which he must be misunderstood.

The reports of German and English correspondents on feeling in America, which, as so often happens, are based purely on the New York Press, frequently play one false, if one relies on them for an estimate of the public opinion of the whole nation.