good cop–bad cop

Definitions

Noun. [C1]

Examples

“Even above the racket of the wheels, he could hear⟳ them sniggering at his fantasies of stardom, playing good cop–bad cop with his head.”

““My parents played ‘good cop–bad cop’ for three months when we were planning our wedding. One week my father would be upset⟳ that I was marrying a Jew and the next week it would be my mother,” said a Methodist woman whose mother had been trying to orchestrate her wedding from a distance of two thousand miles.”

“The PCF and CGT seemed to play⟳ good cop–bad cop with with^([sic]) the government—if the PCF’s coalition partners balked at the Communists’ policies, mass action by the CGT remained a trump card.”

“They played good cop–bad cop on him and it worked like⟳ a charm, Acuna threatened to throw⟳ the book at Archie. Rothmiller said maybe they could go easy if he would help⟳ them.”

“If Bill Clinton uses Jimmy Carter to play⟳ good cop–bad cop with assorted dictators and manages to minimize bloodshed by doing so, what’s the problem with that?”

“In regard to the nuclear proliferation problem, South Korea and the United States should work⟳ together, playing ‘good cop–bad cop’ roles.”

“Lester found the entire process⟳ hysterical, although he was less amused by the antics of the Danzigers, who played good cop–bad cop with him whenever money was mentioned.”

““I was saving you two in case we had to play⟳ good cop–bad cop. But I guess⟳ that wouldn’t work⟳ with this young woman. To her mind⟳, it seems all cops are bad.””

“The two would play⟳ good cop–bad cop, with Mulvoy doling out annual raises to writers, and Carry⟳ giving them the often critical annual reviews.”

““[…] We can play⟳ good cop–bad cop, is that the idea?” Hart grinned and said “You don’t qualify⟳, Kid. You’re too nice a guy to play⟳ the bad cop.””

“On nearly every episode, the detectives win⟳ confidence, play⟳ good cop–bad cop, tell⟳ lies, and use⟳ a high-risk technique called “maximization-minimization.””

“One of the detectives thought the woman looked like⟳ Janice Wylie and he and his colleagues, who played good cop–bad cop, hammered away at the bewildered Whitmore, who had an IQ of somewhere between 60 and 90.”

“Then, over a good lunch and some good wine, the two of them do something — maybe play⟳ good cop–bad cop, who knows ? — and get⟳ their way with the visiting economic minister, or whoever the visiting dignitary is.”

“The important thing is to not let⟳ them know⟳ that you are too interested. In fact, it works better if there are two of you to play⟳ good cop–bad cop—or, in this case, good shop⟳–bad shop⟳. For instance, you examine⟳ the item and get⟳ an initial price from the vendor. The bad cop friend says, “No way, man. You don’t really want⟳ that, and it’s waaaay too expensive.” The vendor jumps in and lowers the price. It’s very important at this point⟳ that you express⟳ genuine interest⟳, that the vendor knows you will buy⟳ when you can agree⟳ on a price.”

“Interrogations would last⟳ four or five hours a day, and sometimes two Vietnamese would play⟳ good cop–bad cop. The bad cop was Lump, who would threaten⟳ and berate the prisoner. The good cop was nicknamed “Stag,” an acronym for Sharper than the Average Gook.”

“See⟳, it was that old game, the good cop–bad cop game, with both roles being played by the same person. First the questions would be gentle, to get⟳ you softened up to be dumb enough to tell⟳ on yourself. Then the questions would change⟳.”

“With the Russians in particular, the president and vice president played good cop–bad cop. Obama publicly declared that he wanted to establish⟳ a new era of good feeling with the Kremlin while Biden reminded the Russians that Washington was watching their territorial ambitions and human-rights record⟳.”

“When it was necessary, Michael and I played good cop–bad cop, keeping our interlocutors off balance by alternating roles, rather than the attentive daughter–neglectful son scenario, which is surely what they were used to, so they never knew which of us was going to charm and which of us snarl.”

““You must think⟳ I’m a moron,” David said, remembering Detective McNally’s gray crew cut⟳ and the way he switched moods, playing good cop–bad cop all by himself.”

“Second, the representative can play⟳ good cop–bad cop in order⟳ to manipulate concessions from other negotiators.”

“Negotiators may play⟳ “good cop–bad cop”; that is, one negotiator may quietly tell⟳ his or her opponent that his or her partner is intransigent and needs to be appeased by one more concession.”

“He plays good cop–bad cop as bad-cop with the lower-ranking samurai who does most of the talking.”

“The two played good cop–bad cop, with the Putin-type playing the latter role.”

“If their team are all for the deal⟳ except for one person, who needs more convincing – are they playing good cop–bad cop or is it genuine?”

“Bush and Sununu played good cop–bad cop, with Sununu clearly enjoying his role as the bad cop.”

“Now, with Parolin calling the Irish vote⟳ a “disaster for humanity,” the U.S. National Catholic Reporter asked, “Are Francis and Parolin playing good cop–bad cop on same-sex marriage?””

“When it’s time to play⟳ good cop–bad cop, guess⟳ who plays bad cop?”

““As it is,” Andre said, “we’re pushing it. We need⟳ to come⟳ up with something else—and quickly. Tomorrow, we’ll take⟳ a crack at Nelson. It’s an easy way to play⟳ good cop–bad cop.” “Who is good—and who is bad?” Cheyenne asked, carefully setting her gun and holster on the bedside table and stripping off her cotton shirt.”

“As we covered in the last⟳ chapter, breaches of confidentiality can stop⟳ a sale dead in its tracks. To avoid⟳ this, our firm plays good cop–bad cop with buyers about confidentiality. The good cop nicely explains that breaching confidentiality is bad, because it will ruin the business they're buying before they’ve even bought it. The bad cop puts the fear of God into them, telling them that if they breach confidentiality, the seller could file⟳ a lawsuit against them, […]”

CEFR level