PLAY

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English plega; akin to Old English plegan to ~, Middle Dutch pleyen Date: before 12th century 1. sword~ , game , sport , the conduct, course, or action of a game, a particular act or maneuver in a game: as, the action during an attempt to advance the ball in football, the action in which a ~er is put out in baseball, the action in which cards are ~ed after bidding in a card game, the moving of a piece in a board game (as chess), one's turn in a game , 2. sexual intercourse , amorous flirtation ; dalliance , 3. recreational activity, absence of serious or harmful intent ; jest , the act or an instance of ~ing on words or speech sounds, gaming , gambling, 4. a. an act, way, or manner of proceeding ; maneuver , deal , venture , b. the state of being active, operative, or relevant , brisk, fitful, or light movement , free or unimpeded motion (as of a part of a machine), scope or opportunity for action, a function of an electronic device that causes a recording to ~, emphasis or publicity especially in the news media , a move or series of moves calculated to arouse friendly feelings, 7. the stage representation of an action or story, a dramatic composition ; drama , see: fun II. intransitive verb Date: before 12th century 1. to engage in sport or recreation ; frolic , to have sexual relations, c. to move aimlessly about ; trifle , to toy or fiddle around with something , to deal or behave frivolously or mockingly ; jest , to deal in a light, speculative, or sportive manner, to make use of double meaning or of the similarity of sound of two words for stylistic or humorous effect, 2. to take advantage , b. flutter , frisk , to move or operate in a lively, irregular, or intermittent manner, to move or function freely within prescribed limits, to produce a stream , 3. a. to perform music , to sound in performance , to emit sounds , to reproduce recorded sounds , b. to act in a dramatic production, show , run , to be suitable for dramatic performance, to act with special consideration so as to gain favor, approval, or sympathy , to produce a specified impression in performance , 4. to engage or take part in a game, to perform in a position in a specified manner , to perform an action during one's turn in a game, gamble , e. to behave or conduct oneself in a specified way , to feign a specified state or quality , to take part in or assent to some activity ; cooperate , to act so as to prove advantageous to another, to gain approval ; go over , transitive verb 1. a. to engage in or occupy oneself with , to engage in (an activity) as a game, to deal with, handle, or manage, exploit , manipulate , to pretend to engage in the activities of , c. to amount to by one's efforts , to perform or execute for amusement or to deceive or mock , wreak , to use or introduce as a political or rhetorical strategy , 2. a. to put on a performance of (a ~), to act in the character or part of, to act or perform in , to perform or act the part of , 3. a. to contend against in or as if in a game, to use as a contestant in a game , to perform the duties associated with (a certain position) , to guard or move into position to defend against (an opponent) in a specified manner, b. to wager in a game ; stake , to make wagers on , to speculate on or in , to operate on the basis of , to put into action in a game, to catch or pick up (a batted ball) ; field , to direct the course of (as a ball) ; hit , 4. to perform (music) on an instrument , to perform music on , to perform music of (a certain composer), d. to cause (as a radio or phonograph) to emit sounds, to cause the recorded sound or image of (as a record or a magnetic tape) to be reproduced, 5. wield , ply , to discharge, fire, or set off with continuous effect , to cause to move or operate lightly and irregularly or intermittently, to keep (a hooked fish) in action, ~ability noun ~able adjective