Verb
play hard to get (third-person singular simple present plays hard to get, present participle playing hard to get, simple past and past participle played hard to get)
(courtship) To be coy; to feign lack of romantic interest in a certain person, so as to force that person to be more overt in expressing interest.
Meddling, smug, stupid little..." "She likes me! They always play hard to get when they like me!" "No. You do not understand. I could not have done it because I can not read or write. Darren Shan
I almost never give interviews. It's not because I want to play hard to get. It's just that I never seem to have anything interesting to say. Laurie Metcalf