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- Dictionaryplay/pleɪ/
verb
- 1. engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose: "the children were playing by a pool" Similar amuse oneselfentertain oneselfenjoy oneselfhave funhave a good timerelaxrestbe at leisureoccupy oneselfdivert oneselfplay gamesfrolicfriskgambolrompcavortcaperinformal:mess aboutmess aroundlark (about)lark (around)dated:sportarchaic, humorous:disport oneself
- ▪ engage in (a game or activity) for enjoyment: "I want to play Snakes and Ladders" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
- ▪ amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretence: "the boys were playing cops and robbers"
- 2. take part in (a sport): "I play squash and badminton" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
- ▪ participate in (a sporting match or contest): "the squad will have played 14 games in six weeks" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
- ▪ compete against (another player or team) in a sporting match: "the team will play France on Wednesday" Similar compete againstcontend againstopposetake onchallengevie withrival
- ▪ be part of a team, especially in a specified position, in a sporting contest: "he played in goal"
- ▪ strike (a ball) or execute (a stroke) in a game: "was he in an offside position when his teammate played the ball?"
- ▪ (of a cricket ground) be in such condition as to have a specified effect on play.
- ▪ assign to take part in a match, especially in a specified position: "the manager played his strongest side of the season"
- ▪ move (a piece) or display (a playing card) in one's turn in a game: "he played his queen"
- ▪ bet or gamble at or on: "he didn't gamble or play the ponies"
- 3. be cooperative: "he needs financial backing, but the building societies won't play"
- 4. represent (a character) in a theatrical performance or a film: "early in her career she played Ophelia" Similar act the part ofplay the part ofacttake the role ofenactrepresentperformappear asportraydepictimpersonatepretend to beexecuterenderinterpretrare:personate
- ▪ perform in a film or theatrical production: "he was proud to be playing opposite a famous actor"
- ▪ put on or take part in (a theatrical performance, film, or concert): "the show was one of the best we ever played"
- ▪ give a dramatic performance at (a particular theatre or place): "the company are playing 11 cities around the country"
- ▪ behave as though one were (a specified type of person): "the skipper played the innocent, but smuggled goods were found on his vessel"
- 5. perform on (a musical instrument): "a man was playing a guitar"
- ▪ possess the skill of performing on (a musical instrument): "he taught himself to play the violin" Similar perform onmake music onblowsoundstrum
- ▪ produce (notes) from a musical instrument; perform (a piece of music): "they played a violin sonata"
- ▪ make (a disc, music player, or other device) produce sounds or recorded images: "someone is playing a record—I can hear the drum"
- ▪ (of a musical instrument, music player, or other device) produce sounds or recorded images: "somewhere within, a harp was playing"
- ▪ accompany (someone) with music as they are moving in a specified direction: "the bagpipes played them out of the dining room"
- 6. move lightly and quickly, so as to appear and disappear; flicker: "little beams of light played over the sea" Similar move lightlydanceflitdartripplelicktouch
- ▪ (of a fountain or similar source of water) emit a stream of gently moving water: "a fountain played in the courtyard"
- 7. allow (a fish) to exhaust itself pulling against a line before reeling it in: "no fisherman ever played a bonita more carefully or with greater wile"
noun
- 1. activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children: "a child at play may use a stick as an aeroplane" Similar amusemententertainmentrelaxationrecreationenjoymentpleasurediversiondistractionleisurefungamesfun and gamesplayfulnesshorseplayskylarkinglarksa good timejollificationjunketingmerrymakingrevelryinformal:living it updated:sportOpposite work
- ▪ behaviour or speech that is not intended seriously: "I flinched, but only in play"
- ▪ designed to be used in games of pretence; not real: "play families are arranged in play houses"
- 2. the conducting of a sporting match: "rain wrecked the second day's play"
- ▪ the action or manner of engaging in a sport or game: "he maintained the same rhythm of play throughout the game"
- ▪ the status of the ball in a game as being available to be played according to the rules: "the ball was put in play"
- ▪ the state of being active, operative, or effective: "someone has a bright idea and decides to put it into play" Similar actionactivityoperationmovementmotionagencyemploymentworkingfunctionfunctioningexerciseinteractioninterplay
- ▪ a move or manoeuvre in a sport or game: "the best play is to lead the 3 of clubs"
- ▪ the activity of gambling: archaic "a young nobleman, ruined by play"
- 3. a dramatic work for the stage or to be broadcast: "the actors put on a new play" Similar dramastage playstage showtheatrical worktheatrical pieceradio playtelevision playteleplayscreenplaycomedytragedyfarcesketchproductionperformancespectacleshow
- 4. the space in or through which a mechanism can or does move: "the steering rack was loose, and there was a little play" Similar movementfreedom of movementfree motionslackgiveroom to manoeuvreroom to operatescopelatitudeelbow roomspacemargin
- ▪ scope or freedom to act or operate: "our policy allows the market to have freer play" Similar scoperangelatitudelibertylicencefreedomindulgencefree reinrelease
- 5. light and constantly changing movement: "the artist exploits the play of light across the surface"
Word Origin Old Englishpleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Scrabble Points: 9
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3L
1A
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