Show me your playbook
/ʃoʊ mi jʊər ˈpleɪˌbʊk/
B2
Definition
This phrase is used when you want someone to reveal how they do something or what their plan is. In sports, a playbook is a book with instructions for players about different plays or moves. Outside sports, it means a person's method or strategy for handling a situation.
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See It in Action
Literal meaning in sports: asking to see the book with planned plays
- •The coach said, "Show me your playbook," before the big game.
- •Players studied the playbook carefully to know their moves.
- •The quarterback asked his teammate to show him the playbook.
Figurative meaning: asking someone to share their strategy or method
- •In business, she said, "Show me your playbook," to understand how they manage projects.
- •When negotiating, he asked, "Show me your playbook," to learn the other side's tactics.
- •The teacher told the student, "Show me your playbook," meaning explain your way of studying.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "show me your playbook" like "tell me your plan," but with a stronger sense of strategy or secrets
- ✓Picture a coach opening a book full of drawings and instructions to help players win a game
- ✓It feels like asking a friend to share their secret way to solve a problem or win a game
- ✓Sounds like "show me your play-book" → imagine someone holding a book and showing it to you so you can learn their moves
- ✓Think of movies where a team gathers around a coach who opens a big book to explain the next move
- ✓NOT like just "tell me" (simple information), but "show me your playbook" means sharing a full, organized plan or method
- ✓NOT like "guess" or "try" — this phrase asks for clear, known steps or strategy, not random ideas
Try Other Words
- •Strategy: a detailed plan to achieve a goal (Use when focusing on the idea or method behind actions)
- •Approach: the way someone handles a task or problem (Use when talking about style or method, less formal)
- •Method: a way of doing something (Use when emphasizing steps or process)
Unboxing
- •Phrase parts: "show" (to make visible) + "me" (to the speaker) + "your" (belonging to you) + "playbook" (a book of plays or plans)
- •Etymology: "playbook" comes from sports—book with plays (plans) for a team
- •Historical development: Used first in sports like football for game plans, later used figuratively in business and everyday talk
- •Modern usage: Common in sports, business, and casual speech to ask for someone's plan or way of doing things
- •Interesting fact: "Playbook" can also mean a set of rules or instructions in politics or negotiations
Reflect & Connect
•How might "show me your playbook" be used outside sports in everyday life?
•What are some situations where sharing your "playbook" could help or hurt you?
Fill in the blanks
1.Before starting the project, the manager said, "Show me your playbook," because he wanted to understand your ___.
2.When the team was losing, the coach asked the captain to show him the ___ to find a better plan.
3.In negotiations, asking someone to "show me your playbook" means you want to know their ___.
4.You should not share your playbook if it contains ___ strategies that give you an advantage.
5.The phrase "show me your playbook" is different from "tell me your idea" because it asks for a ___ plan.
6.When someone says "show me your playbook," they expect you to explain your ___ step by step.
7.If you want to win the game, you need to know the other team's ___ well.