overplay

verb (used with object)

to exaggerate or overemphasize (one's role in a play, an emotion, an effect, etc.): The young actor overplayed Hamlet shamelessly. The director of the movie had overplayed the pathos.

to put too much stress on the value or importance of: A charitable biographer had overplayed the man's piety and benevolence.

Cards. to overestimate the strength of (the cards in one's hand) with consequent loss.

Golf. to hit (the ball) past the putting green.

Archaic. outplay.

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verb (used without object)

to exaggerate one's part, an effect, etc.; overact: Without a firm director she invariably overplays.

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Overplay is one of our favorite verbs.

So is lollygag. Does it mean:

to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable.

to spend time idly; loaf.

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Origin:
1640–50; over- + play

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To overplay

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World English Dictionary

overplay (ˌəʊvəˈpleɪ)

—vb
1.	(tr) to exaggerate the importance of
2.	another word for overact
3.	overplay one's hand to overestimate the worth or strength of one's position

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

overplay

"to emphasize (something) too much," 1930, a metaphor from card games, in to overplay (one's) hand, "to spoil one's hand by bidding in excess of its value," from over + play (v.).

Example sentences

They each attempt to overplay the deficiencies of the other.

Artificial culture, however, proved to be a powerful piece on the board and one easy to overplay.

Some other courses overplay the value of released questions.

Overplay, inadequate funding and insufficient repair resulted in the gradual deterioration of the course.

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Matching Quote

"Has anyone ever told you that you overplay your various roles rather severely, Mr. Kaplan? First you're the outraged Madison Avenue man who claims he's been mistaken for someone else. Then you play the fugitive from justice, supposedly trying to clear his name of a crime he knows he didn't commit. And now you play the peevish lover stung by jealously and betrayal. It seems to me you fellows could stand a little less training from the FBI and a little more from the Actors Studio."

-Ernest Lehman

overplay

o·ver·play