I. toy 1 S3 /tɔɪ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: toy 'amusing story or action' (15-18 centuries) ]
1 . an object for children to play with:
some toys for the baby
toy car/soldier/gun etc
soft/cuddly toy British English (=a toy that looks like an animal and is covered in fur)
Annie was playing happily with her toys.
2 . an object that you buy because it gives you pleasure and enjoyment, especially one that you don’t really need:
The food mixer is her latest toy.
3 . sex toy an object that adults use to obtain sexual pleasure
II. toy 2 BrE AmE verb
toy with somebody/something phrasal verb
1 . to think about an idea or possibility, usually for a short time and not very seriously
toy with the idea of doing something
I’ve been toying with the idea of going to Japan to visit them.
2 . to keep moving and touching an object or food:
He spoke casually and toyed with his pen.
Laura was toying with her food and looking increasingly bored.
3 . to lie to someone or trick them, for example saying that you love them when you do not
III. toy 3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
a toy animal or dog is a type of dog that is specially bred to be very small:
a toy poodle