(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
When children, animals, or perhaps adults ~, they spend time doing enjoyable things, such as using toys and taking part in games.
They ~ed in the little garden...
Polly was ~ing with her teddy bear.
VERB: V, V with n
•
Play is also a noun.
...a few hours of ~ until the baby-sitter takes them off to bed.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
When you ~ a sport, game, or match, you take part in it.
While the twins ~ed cards, Francis sat reading...
Alain was ~ing cards with his friends...
I used to ~ basketball...
I want to ~ for my country...
He captained the team but he didn’t actually ~.
V-RECIP: pl-n V n, V n with n, V n (non-recip), V for n (non-recip), V (non-recip)
•
Play is also a noun.
Both sides adopted the Continental style of ~.
N-UNCOUNT
3.
When one person or team ~s another or ~s against them, they compete against them in a sport or game.
Northern Ireland will ~ Latvia...
I’ve ~ed against him a few times.
VERB: V n, V against n
•
Play is also a noun.
Fischer won after 5 hours and 41 minutes of ~.
N-UNCOUNT
4.
When you ~ the ball or ~ a shot in a game or sport, you kick or hit the ball.
Think first before ~ing the ball...
I ~ed the ball back slightly.
VERB: V n, V n adv
5.
If you ~ a joke or a trick on someone, you deceive them or give them a surprise in a way that you think is funny, but that often causes problems for them or annoys them.
Someone had ~ed a trick on her, stretched a piece of string at the top of those steps...
I thought: ‘This cannot be happening, somebody must be ~ing a joke’.
VERB: V n on n, V n
6.
If you ~ with an object or with your hair, you keep moving it or touching it with your fingers, perhaps because you are bored or nervous.
She stared at the floor, idly ~ing with the strap of her handbag.
VERB: V with n
7.
A ~ is a piece of writing which is performed in a theatre, on the radio, or on television.
The company put on a ~ about the homeless...
It’s my favourite Shakespeare ~.
N-COUNT
8.
If an actor ~s a role or character in a ~ or film, he or she performs the part of that character.
...Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, in which he ~ed Hyde...
His ambition is to ~ the part of Dracula.
VERB: V n, V n
9.
You can use ~ to describe how someone behaves, when they are deliberately behaving in a certain way or like a certain type of person. For example, to ~ the innocent, means to pretend to be innocent, and to ~ deaf means to pretend not to hear something.
Hill tried to ~ the peacemaker...
So you want to ~ nervous today?
= act
V-LINK: V n, V adj
10.
You can describe how someone deals with a situation by saying that they ~ it in a certain way. For example, if someone ~s it cool, they keep calm and do not show much emotion, and if someone ~s it straight, they behave in an honest and direct way.
Investors are ~ing it cautious, and they’re ~ing it smart.
VERB: V it adj/adv
11.
If you ~ a musical instrument or ~ a tune on a musical instrument, or if a musical instrument ~s, music is produced from it.
Nina had been ~ing the piano...
He ~ed for me...
Place your baby in her seat and ~ her a lullaby...
The guitars ~ed.
VERB: V n, V for n, V n n, V
12.
If you ~ a record, a CD, or a tape, you put it into a machine and sound is produced. If a record, CD, or tape is ~ing, sound is being produced from it.
She ~ed her records too loudly...
There is classical music ~ing in the background.
VERB: V n, V, also V n n
13.
If a musician or group of musicians ~s or ~s a concert, they perform music for people to listen or dance to.
A band was ~ing...
He will ~ concerts in Amsterdam and Paris.
VERB: V, V n
14.
If you ask what someone is ~ing at, you are angry because you think they are doing something stupid or wrong. (INFORMAL)
What the hell are you ~ing at?.
PHRASE: V inflects feelings
15.
When something comes into ~ or is brought into ~, it begins to be used or to have an effect.
The real existence of a military option will come into ~...
PHRASE: V inflects
16.
If something or someone ~s a part or ~s a role in a situation, they are involved in it and have an effect on it.
The UN would ~ a major role in monitoring a ceasefire.
...the role ~ed by diet in disease.
PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR in n
17.
to ~ ball: see ball
to ~ your cards right: see card
to ~ it by ear: see ear
to ~ fair: see fair
to ~ second fiddle: see fiddle
to ~ the field: see field
to ~ with fire: see fire
to ~ the fool: see fool
to ~ to the gallery: see gallery
to ~ into someone’s hands: see hand
to ~ hard to get: see hard
to ~ havoc: see havoc
to ~ host: see host
to ~ safe: see safe
to ~ for time: see time
to ~ truant: see truant