Definition of "play at"

play at

verb
third-person singular simple present plays at, present participle playing at, simple past and past participle played at
1. To pretend to be a different person while playing a game.
2. To do something in a manner that lacks seriousness, commitment, or professionalism.
  Quotations
  'You don't like him, Capatin, do you?' 'No, I don't. He plays at being loyal'
  2015, Andrew O'Hagan, The Illuminations, page 94
3. (archaic) To play (a game).