play up vs set off

play up and set off both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
play up	No	No	Yes	No
set off	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, set off is a hypernym of play up; that is, set off is a word with a broader meaning than play up:

Other hypernyms of play up include bring out.

play up (verb)	set off (verb)
move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent	cause to burst with a violent release of energy
ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior	set in motion or cause to begin
	direct attention to, as if by means of contrast
	provoke or stir up
	put in motion or move to act
	depart for someplace
	make up for