INDEX:
1. to play a game or do a sport
2. to play against someone else
3. someone who plays a game or does a sport
4. a group of people who play together against another group
5. a person or group of people you play against
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ TAKE PART/BE INVOLVED
↑ COMPETITION
↑ SCORE
↑ GAME
↑ SPORT/GAME
↑ WIN
↑ LOSE
↑ BEAT/DEFEAT
↑ RESULT
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1. to play a game or do a sport
▷ play /pleɪ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to take part in a game or sport - use this especially about games in which you try to win against another person or team :
▪ Karl loves basketball and plays almost every weekend.
▪ Every Sunday we play Monopoly or some other board game.
play in
▪ I’m playing in a tennis match this Sunday.
play football/tennis/golf/baseball etc
▪ It’s been a long time since I played hockey.
▷ do /duː/ [transitive verb] especially spoken
use this especially when talking about sports that are not team sports :
▪ I do aerobics twice a week.
▪ He used to do karate when he was in college.
▷ go /gəʊ/ [transitive verb]
use this about sports whose names end in ‘-ing’ :
go climbing/swimming/running/riding etc
▪ John goes running every morning.
▪ Make sure whoever you go climbing with is a safe and trustworthy partner.
2. to play against someone else
▷ play (against) /ˈpleɪ (əgenst)/ [transitive verb not in passive]
▪ Barcelona will play Milan in the final.
▪ This was McDaniel’s first game playing against his former teammates.
play tennis/golf/chess etc with somebody
▪ Dad’s out playing golf with Barry this morning.
play somebody at tennis/golf etc
British
▪ I’m playing Andy at tennis this afternoon.
▷ face also take on /feɪs, ˌteɪk ˈɒn/ [transitive verb/transitive phrasal verb]
to play against a person or team, especially one that will be difficult to beat - used in newspapers and broadcasts :
▪ Tomorrow, Jane Wilkes, a first-round qualifier, takes on the world number one, Monica Seles.
▪ UCLA will face North Carolina tonight at Pauley Pavilion.
▷ give somebody a game /ˌgɪv somebody ə ˈgeɪm/ [verb phrase] British informal
to play a game against another person, especially when it is not a serious or important game :
▪ If you want to play chess ask Maria -- she’ll give you a game.
▷ versus /ˈvɜːʳsəs/ [preposition]
against another person or team :
▪ Yesterday in the semi-final we saw Sampras versus Henman.
▪ It’s a friendly game - the women versus the men.
▷ vs. also v British /ˈvɜːʳsəs, viː/ [preposition]
written abbreviation of versus :
▪ Today’s games include the Chicago Bulls vs. the Boston Celtics.
▪ Gascoigne was back in the UK, to play in the England v France match.
3. someone who plays a game or does a sport
▷ player /ˈpleɪəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who takes part in a game or competition :
▪ One of the players has been sent off the field.
baseball/tennis/chess etc player
▪ He is recognized as the world’s greatest chess player.
▪ The school has a reputation for producing top-class football players.
▷ competitor /kəmˈpetɪtəʳ, kəmˈpetətəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who is competing, especially against a lot of people, in a particular game or competition :
▪ The competitors tonight come from all over the world.
▪ The competitors in the 100m sprint are being asked to take their places at the start.
▷ contestant /kənˈtest ə nt/ [countable noun]
someone who takes part in a competition or game :
▪ Contestants for the game show go through a tough selection process.
▪ a beauty pageant contestant
▷ sportsman/sportswoman /ˈspɔːʳtsmən, ˈspɔːʳtsˌwʊməm/ [countable noun]
someone who takes part in and is usually good at a sport, especially as a profession :
▪ Tonight we remember one of the greatest sportsmen of our time.
▪ The prizes are being presented by sportswoman Tessa Sanderson.
▪ He won the magazine’s ‘Sportsman of the Year’ award in 1999.
4. a group of people who play together against another group
▷ team /tiːm/ []
a group of people who play together against another group :
▪ Both teams are looking tired now.
▪ Walsh coached the team to two Super Bowl championships.
play for a team
▪ Tim played for the national youth team but never became a professional.
in a team British /on a team American
▪ Peterson earned a place on the U.S. Olympic speedskating team.
▪ They wouldn’t let me play in the village under-12 team because I’m a girl.
▷ side /saɪd/ [countable noun] especially British
a sports team :
▪ They are playing today against one of the best sides in the country.
▪ I don’t know which side I want to win.
▷ squad /skwɒdǁskwɑːd/ [countable noun with singular or plural verb in British English]
a group of players from which a team will be chosen :
▪ Vivian McGrath was the star of the 1938 Davis Cup squad.
▪ Only two starting players are returning from last year’s women’s basketball squad.
5. a person or group of people you play against
▷ opponent /əˈpəʊnənt/ [countable noun]
someone you play against in a game or competition :
▪ My opponent was the same age and height as myself.
▪ Karpov defeated his 24-year-old opponent in 57 moves.
▪ Manchester United will prove a formidable opponent this season.
▷ opposition /ˌɒpəˈzɪʃ ə nǁˌɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
the person or team that you are playing against :
▪ The team won all their games against local opposition, but lost in the international competition.
▪ The opposition fought hard, but had no chance of winning.
▪ Seles had reached the semi-finals without really facing any serious opposition.