play dead

If anyone tried to play dead, a commonly recommended strategy, it didn't work.

"I was told to play dead, and I'm goin' to," and he stuck to the instructions he had received.

Once he had to play dead, because a drunken sergeant rolled into the cell to give him a drink of meseal.

"If you mean sit up and roll over and play dead, no," said Sam.

After breakfast I made him do his lessons; play dead dog, shake hands, stand up like a soldier.

He was so timid—this Mr. Cricket Frog—that when he saw a stranger he would sometimes play dead.