Definition of
Play
- (noun, communication) a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
- (noun, communication) a theatrical performance of a drama
- (noun, act) a preset plan of action in team sports
- (noun, act) a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
the runner was out on a play by the shortstop - (noun, state) a state in which action is feasible
insiders said the company's stock was in play - (noun, act) utilization or exercise
- (noun, act) an attempt to get something
he made a bid to gain attention - (noun, act) activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
- (noun, time) (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
- (noun, state) the removal of constraints
they gave full play to the artist's talent - (noun, event) a weak and tremulous light
the play of light on the water - (noun, communication) verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
he said it in sport - (noun, attribute) movement or space for movement
- (noun, act) gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly - (noun, act) (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
it is still my play - (noun, act) the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)
there was heavy play at the blackjack table - (noun, act) the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
- (verb, competition) participate in games or sport
play cards
Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches - (verb, social) act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome
This development played into her hands
I played no role in your dismissal - (verb, creation) play on an instrument
- (verb, creation) play a role or part
She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role
She played the servant to her husband's master - (verb, social) be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children
I used to play with trucks as a little girl - (verb, creation) replay (as a melody)
She played the third movement very beautifully - (verb, creation) perform music on (a musical instrument)
Can you play on this old recorder? - (verb, body) pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
She plays deaf when the news are bad - (verb, motion) move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
- (verb, competition) bet or wager (money)
She plays the races - (verb, social) engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
The students all recreate alike - (verb, creation) pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
Play cowboy and Indians - (verb, creation) emit recorded sound
the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered - (verb, creation) perform on a certain location
She has been playing on Broadway for years - (verb, competition) put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game
The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory - (verb, body) engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously
play the stock market
play with her feelings
toy with an idea - (verb, social) behave in a certain way
play it safe
play fair - (verb, creation) cause to emit recorded audio or video
I'll play you my favorite record
He never tires of playing that video - (verb, contact) manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
Don't fiddle with the screws
He played with the idea of running for the Senate - (verb, consumption) use to one's advantage
- (verb, cognition) consider not very seriously
She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania - (verb, stative) be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way
His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee - (verb, social) behave carelessly or indifferently
- (verb, motion) cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space
- (verb, creation) perform on a stage or theater
He acted in `Julius Caesar'
I played in `A Christmas Carol' - (verb, creation) be performed or presented for public viewing
`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years - (verb, creation) cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
wreak havoc
bring comments
play a joke
The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area - (verb, contact) discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream
The fountains played all day - (verb, competition) make bets
play the casinos in Trouville - (verb, competition) stake on the outcome of an issue
She played all her money on the dark horse - (verb, competition) shoot or hit in a particular manner
- (verb, competition) use or move
- (verb, competition) employ in a game or in a specific position
- (verb, competition) contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
Charlie likes to play Mary - (verb, body) exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
via WordNet, Princeton University
Synonyms of Play
act, act as, bet, bid, bring, caper, child's play, dally, diddle, drama, dramatic play, encounter, fiddle, flirt, free rein, frolic, fun, gambling, gambol, gaming, looseness, make for, maneuver, manoeuvre, meet, period of play, playact, playing period, recreate, represent, roleplay, romp, run, shimmer, spiel, sport, swordplay, take on, toy, trifle, turn, wager, work, wreak
Alternate forms of Play
Derivations: play, player, playing, playlet
Hyponyms: accompany, ace, act out, arse around, assist, at-bat, attack, back, backstop, ball hawking, bandy, bang out, baseball play, basketball play, bat, beat, bet, bet on, bid, blitz, bow, bowl, bugle, bully off, busk, call, catch, cavort, chord, clarion, clowning, comedy, complete, completion, confront, coquetry, cover, cradle, craziness, cricket, croquet, curl, curtain raiser, dabble, dalliance, debut, declare, develop, die, disport, doctor, down, drollery, drum, emote, enact, exit, face, face off, fencing, fiddle, field, figure, fireman, flirt, flirtation, flirting, follow, folly, fool, fool around, foolery, football play, footwork, foul, frisk, frolic, fullback, fumble, funniness, gage, gamble, gambling game, gambol, game, game of chance, golf, golf hole, grand guignol, ham, ham it up, harp, hole, hook, horse around, horseplay, house, icing, icing the puck, impersonate, indulgence, innings, jazz, jocosity, jocularity, jugglery, knock on, lark, lark about, lead, line up, linebacker blitzing, lunacy, make, make believe, mime, miracle play, misplay, modulate, morality play, mousetrap, move, musical, musical comedy, musical theater, mystery play, nail, obstruction, overact, overplay, paddle, pantomime, parody, paronomasia, pass completion, passion play, pipe, pitch, play, play along, play out, playlet, portray, power play, prelude, pretend, promote, pun, punning, punt, put out, putt, quarterback, rag, raise, razmataz, razzle, razzle-dazzle, razzmatazz, recapitulate, reenact, register, repeat, replay, reprise, reprize, retire, revoke, riff, rollick, romp, roughhouse, ruff, run around, safety blitz, satyr play, see, seesaw, set, shot, skirl, skylark, slack, slackness, slur, snooker, sound off, splash around, sport, sporting life, stake, start, starting, stooge, strike up, stroke, support, swing, symphonise, symphonize, takeaway, teasing, tee off, teeter-totter, teetertotter, theater of the absurd, throw, tomfoolery, tongue, toying, trap play, trick, trumpet, trumping, tweedle, unblock, underact, underplay, volley, wager, waggery, waggishness, walk, wiggliness, word play, wordplay
Hypernyms: act, action, activeness, activity, alteration, amount, apply, assume, attempt, beat, behave, bet, change, compete, consider, contend, create, deal, deploy, discharge, displace, diversion, do, dramatic composition, dramatic work, effort, employ, employment, endeavor, endeavour, exercise, exhaust, exploit, feign, freedom, gamble, go, hit, humor, humour, locomote, look at, make, manipulate, measure, modification, motion, movability, movableness, move, movement, perform, plan of action, play, quantity, re-create, recreation, sham, show, simulate, sound, take, travel, try, tucker, tucker out, usage, use, utilisation, utilise, utilization, utilize, vice, vie, wager, wash up, wit, witticism, wittiness, work
Origin of the word Play
- O.E. plegian "to exercise, frolic, perform music," from W.Gmc. *plegan (cf. M.Du. pleyen "to rejoice, be glad"), of uncertain origin. Opposed to work (v.) since late 14c. Playground is attested from 1780. Playmate is from 1640s in the innocent sense, from 1954 in the sexual sense; playboy "wealthy bon vivant" is from 1829; fem. e… more
- O.E. plega (W.Saxon), pl?ga (Anglian) "recreation, exercise, any brisk activity" (the latter sense preserved in swordplay, etc.), from play (v.). Meaning "dramatic performance" is attested from early 14c. Meaning "free or unimpeded movement" is from 1650s. Sporting sense first attested 1868. Playwright first recorded 1680s; play-bill is from 1… more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper
Words that sound like Play
paella, pail, pal, palau, pale, pale ale, pale yellow, palely, pali, palilalia, pall, pally, papal, papilla, papule, paul, paul iii, pauli, pawl, payable, payola, pea weevil, peafowl, peal, pebble, pebbly, peel, peephole, peepul, pel, pelew, pellaea, people, pep pill, peul, phial, philia, philohela, phyle, phyllo, piffle, pilau, pilaw, pile, pilea, pill, pillow, pipal
via soundex() Hash Matches