play up something // play something up

Hello.

"play up something // play something up"
- Ralph plays up his devotion to his parents, though he seldom even calls them.
- She's always playing up her friendships with famous people, most of whom she barely knows.

Is this usage of the phrasal verb rarely used in the US?

Mister Micawber,
Thank you for the reply.

The All-Purpose Dictionary of English Phrasal Verbs, published by Asahi Press, says that the usage is common in British English. However, the Longman Dictionary doesn't say so. Neither does the Oxford Dictionary.

Marius Hancu,
Thank you for telling me a useful way of using Google.