From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplay a joke/trick/prank on somebodyplay a joke/trick/prank on somebodyJOKEto do something to someone as a joke or trick → play
Examples from the Corpus
play a joke/trick/prank on somebody• He had always played tricks on her.• Her brain had to be playing tricks on her.• Jack felt edgy but convinced himself that his nerves were playing tricks on him.• Somewhat perturbed, Ted flung the door open still believing that the platelayers were playing tricks on him.• In one of them, a man named Wakefield decides to play a joke on his wife.• Yes, fate was playing tricks on me.• They delight in playing tricks on mortals, though they will cease to give trouble if politely requested to do so.• It allowed me to detect instances when time played tricks on the memory of some of the respondents. 