I. ˈplā noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English play, pley, from Old English plega; akin to Old English plegan to play, Middle Dutch pleyen, playen to frolic, play
1.
a. : an act of briskly handling, using, or plying a sword or other weapon or instrument
a duelist famous for his brilliant play
indiscriminate gun play in the streets — Green Peyton
b.
(1) archaic : a particular amusement : game , sport
(2) : the conduct or carrying on of a game : the course of a game
rain interfered with play
talking during play may be distracting
(3) : a particular act, maneuver, or point in a game
relied mostly on running plays — G.S.Halas
: manner or trick of playing
his play is excellent
: turn to play
it's your play
(4) : the action between two downs in football
(5) : the action in which cards are played after bidding in a card game
c.
(1) obsolete : sexual intercourse
(2) : exchange of caresses in or as if in preparation for sexual intercourse : dalliance
sexual play
d.
(1) : recreational activity : frolic , sport ; especially : the spontaneous or organized recreational activity of children
in cooperative play children learn adjustments in a social group — Gertrude H. Hildreth
(2) : jest , fun — usually used in the phrase in play
said it in play , not in earnest
(3) : the act or an instance of playing upon words or speech sounds especially to achieve a humorous or rhetorical effect (as in punning)
the title of this address is an obvious play upon the original meaning … of the term philosophy — C.W.Berenda
take a familiar line of verse and turn it into a poem with an ironic play upon the original — Oscar Cargill
— usually used in the phrases play of words or play on words
e. : gambling , gaming
lose a fortune in play
f. chiefly dialect
(1) : holiday
(2) : fair , wake
2.
a.
(1) : an act, way, method, or manner of proceeding : maneuver , move
the play was … to maintain the balance — S.H.Adams
that was a play to get your fingerprints — Erle Stanley Gardner
the play fell flat — Atlantic
a very bad place for that kind of play — Raymond Chandler
(2) : deal , venture
land available for any company … looking for a land play — Edmonton (Alberta) Journal
in this big oil play , there are more than eighty drilling rigs — Time
b.
(1) : operation , employment
discouraged from the normal play of their talents — Gilbert Seldes
his sense of humor was in play — R.M.Lovett
other motives surely come into play — M.R.Cohen
a program of reaction was put into full play — C.L.Jones
he is above the play of party — Ernest Barker
(2) : brisk, lively, or light activity involving change, variation, transition, or alternation : dynamic activity
the play of a supremely fine and penetrating intelligence — F.R.Leavis
accustomed to make their phrases a play of wit — George Meredith
(3) : brisk, fitful, or light movement of something physical : movement marked by alternation or sudden transition
the play of light and shadow on the dancing waves
the gem presented a dazzling play of colors
the play of a gusty wind — Amy Lowell
play of surf is most spectacular on stormy days — American Guide Series: Maine
(4) : free or unimpeded motion (as of a part of a machine)
this type of universal joint permits shaft end play — Joseph Heitner
also : the length or measure of such motion
the cylinder has about an inch of play
(5) : scope or opportunity for action
found ample play for this avocation in surrounding marshes — American Guide Series: Louisiana
the position gave much play to his notable talents
c.
(1) : temporary attention, interest, or patronage
took the play away from puppets on television — Thomas Whiteside
time was heavy on their hands and they were giving the … casino a great play — C.B.Davis
(2) : emphasis or publicity especially in public media of communication
got very little play here the next day — E.J.Kahn
official propaganda gives a heavy play to impressive statistics — New Republic
wish the country received a better play in the American press — Hugh MacLennan
(3) : a move or series of moves calculated to arouse affection, sympathy, or friendly feelings — usually used with make
quit making a play for him — James Jones
made a big play for the girl — Will Herman
since the … audience has the votes, it is best to make your play for them — B.N.Cardozo
3.
a. : the representation or exhibition of some action or story on the stage or in some other medium (as radio, television, or motion pictures) : the performance of a comedy, tragedy, or other dramatic piece
going to the play
b. : a dramatic composition : drama
c. : pantomime
4. : an act of playing a phonograph record through
this needle should be good for hundreds of plays
Synonyms: see fun , play II, room
•
- in play
- out of play
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English playen, pleyen, from Old English plegan
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to engage in recreational activity : amuse or divert oneself : frolic , sport
children playing in the park
b. : to have sexual relations
if he plays with his wife in the evening there's another baby — Pramoedya Toer
especially : to have promiscuous or illicit sexual relations — usually used in the phrases play around or play around with
you've got the wrong impression … she doesn't play around — Calder Willingham
girls who play around with men in uniform — Frederic Wakeman
c.
(1) : to toy or move aimlessly to-and-fro
hand was playing on the edge of the bed — Arnold Bennett
— usually used with with
played disconsolately with her food — Louis Auchincloss
played with his walking stick
(2) : to deal or behave frivolously, mockingly, or playfully : mock , kid , jest
the sallies of those who played at him in print — Times Literary Supplement
— usually used with with
don't play with me — Hartley Howard
(3) : to deal in a light, speculative, or sportive manner : toy mentally
they did not believe in ghosts, but … they let their fancies play on the border line — Van Wyck Brooks
— usually used with with
her mind played with absurd fancies — Ellen Glasgow
liked to play with ideas — Peggy Durdin
rather plays with the allegorical form — H.O.Taylor
(4) : to make use of the double meaning of a word or of the similarity of sound of two words for stylistic or humorous effect — usually used in the phrase play on words
sometimes poets play on words in this fashion — E.S.McCartney
d. Britain : to be out of work or idle : take a holiday
2.
a.
(1) : to have an effect : operate — used with on or upon
the jungle scents played upon my emotions — William Beebe
see that direct heat does not play on dry enamel — Gadgets Annual
(2) : to take advantage : make use — used with on or upon
playing ignobly upon selfish fears — V.L.Parrington
playing upon the divisive forces in the Western world — New York Times
(3) : to exert or seek to exert wiles or influence : practice — used with on or upon
the enchantress playing upon him — George Meredith
b.
(1) : to dart, spring, or fly to and fro : flutter , frisk
watched the birds playing overhead
dolphins playing about the ship
(2) : to move, operate, or have effect in a lively or brisk and irregular, intermittent, or alternating manner
had seen northern lights play across the autumnal skies — B.A.Williams
a faint smile played about her lips — Victoria Sackville-West
muscles could be seen playing beneath his thin cotton shirt — Sherwood Anderson
(3) of a cockbird : to exhibit itself (as in courtship display)
c.
(1) : to move or function freely within prescribed limits : have free or full play
a piston rod plays within a cylinder
(2) : to discharge, eject, or fire something or to become discharged, ejected, or fired repeatedly or so as to make a stream
a stream of water plays to keep the molten mass from congealing — Monsanto Magazine
his cannon played upon the besiegers from two sides
3.
a.
(1) : to perform on a musical instrument
play on a violin
(2) : to sound in performance
the organ is playing
a chorale was playing on the phonograph — Glenn Scott
(3) : to reproduce sound of recorded material
records playing at rotational speeds of 33 1/3 revolutions per minute
b.
(1) : to act on a stage or in some other dramatic medium (as radio, motion pictures, or television)
(2) : to be staged or presented : run
what's playing at the picture shows — Shelby Foote
(3) : to act so as to support or back up — used in the phrase play up to
amusing to find how well they played up to the theory of what an Oxford man ought to be — H.J.Laski
amused him to play up to the popular idea of him — Gerald Bullett
(4) : to make a strong effort or calculated move to gain favor, approval, or sympathy from or as if from a theater audience : make a play
might play to popular prejudices to serve his political ends — V.L.Parrington
sometimes inclined to play to their roadside audience — Norma Spring
whenever he had an audience, he whined and played for sympathy — D.H.Lawrence
— often used in the phrase play up to
when … they weren't playing up to their public — Bennett Cerf
now they would have to play up to this odd-looking, homely woman — Ida A. R. Wylie
(5) : to lend itself to performance especially theatrical
the script reads well but plays badly
4.
a. : to engage or take part in a game
play at chess
played in every major game this year
b. archaic : to exercise or fight with weapons especially for amusement ; specifically : fence
c. : gamble , game
played for heavy stakes
d.
(1) : to behave or conduct oneself in a specified way
don't think I've played quite fair — E.A.McCourt
some cars play dirty — H.W.Young
best to play safe
(2) : to engage in a game of make-believe : assume a role in or as if in sport — used with at
the commuter playing at country squire — Bergen Evans
would play at being well-to-do local housewives — Grace Metalious
(3) : to feign to be in a specified state or condition
the … fawn that she found in the woods, which played dead — Atlantic
don't play innocent
(4) : to take part, engage, or collaborate in or assent to some activity
took it for granted that he would play with the big industrialists — Alvin Johnson
: cooperate
no other nation can be sure … whether we will simply refuse to play — Robert Lekachman
— often used with along
played along until he had enough evidence to hold all three — Morris Ploscowe
willing to play along with him — Harvey Breit
(5) : to function or operate so as to prove advantageous to or enhance the effectiveness of another — used with into
the horizontal lines of the … figure play into the central idea with splendid effect — Roger Fry
easy thus to make one subject play into another — A.C.Benson
especially in the phrase play into the hands of
decided on an unfortunate procedure that played directly into the hands of the opposing party
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to engage in or occupy oneself with (a game or other amusement)
play baseball
(2) : to engage in (some activity) as if in a game
play secret diplomacy and power politics — A.L.Guérard
play hooky
(3) : to pursue a certain line of conduct toward : deal with, handle, or manage : treat
deliberately playing the conversation as though this meal were like any other — Wirt Williams
played him exactly the way I figured — J.M.Cain
the law plays the privilege differently — B.N.Meltzer
— often used with impersonal it as object
symptomatic … of the desire to play it safe — Norman Cousins
willing to play it on the level — Bill Hatch
(4) : to set in opposition : pit
became adept at playing Japanese civilians against the military — E.T.Hall
— usually used with off
able to play off one tribe against another — C.L.Jones
(5) : to treat, use, or work upon (a person) for a certain end or as a member of a designated class : exploit , manipulate — usually used with for
think you are only playing me for what you can get out of me — James Jones
the king … played him for a sucker — DeLancey Ferguson
b. : to treat, practice, or deal with in a spirit of play : pretend to engage in : imitate in play
children, who play life, discern its true law and relations more clearly than men — H.D.Thoreau
the children were playing house
playing that they were cowboys and Indians
let's play soldiers
c.
(1) : to carry into execution
played an important part in the affair
played a strange and turbulent role — Carol L. Thompson
(2) : to perform or execute for amusement or with a view to deceive or mock
playing their mischievous pranks at the maddest — J.G.Frazer
played a trick on me
(3) : to bring about (some devastating action or condition) : wreak
play havoc
d.
(1) : to assign an indicated degree of value, importance, or emphasis to — usually used with up or down
playing down academic scholarship — H.W.Dodds
the store also plays up … other makes — Retailing Daily
trying to play herself down to me — Williams Forrest
(2) : to give a certain emphasis to (a news story, feature, or other item) especially by displaying more or less prominently
the popular press … played this for all it was worth — C.H.Driver
— usually used with up or down
interesting to see what items were played up — Jacques Kayser
urged to play down stories of crimes
2.
a.
(1) : to put on a performance of (a play) : perform as a spectacle
play an Elizabethan comedy
(2) : to act in the character or part of : represent by acting
a war story in which she played a beautiful spy — Current Biography
(3) : to perform or be shown in
has played more than forty communities — R.W.Sarnoff
: perform or be shown during or for the duration of
played a tour in New England
played a week in Boston
b.
(1) : to perform or act the part of in real life : act or behave like or in the character of
play the fool
play truant
do not expect boys of 15 to be playing the lover — H.E.Scudder
(2) : to perform the part of (some disorganizing, disrupting, or ruinous agency)
this … routine of yours plays hell with manifests and accounting — LaSelle Gilman
brawled and generally played the devil — Kenneth Roberts
3.
a.
(1) : to contend against in a game
refused to play the challenger
(2) : to use as a contestant in a game
played his second team in the last quarter
(3) : to fill (a certain position) on a team
regularly plays third base
played quarterback
b.
(1) : to risk at play : wager in a game : stake
played his last few dollars
(2) : to lose or squander in gambling — usually used with away
played away his inheritance
(3) : to wager on
play the races
play the ponies
(4) : to base a decision or action on : operate on the basis of
play a hunch
playing their luck instead of their skill — Nicholas Monsarrat
c. : to dispose (an implement of a game) purposefully and usually irrevocably according to the conditions of the game: as
(1) : to place (a card from one's hand) on the table usually faceup and in one's turn especially when another player has previously made a lead
(2) : to move (a piece) in chess, checkers, backgammon, or a similar game
(3) : to bet (a chip or a sum of money) in roulette or a similar game
(4) : to strike (a bowled cricket ball) with the bat ; often : to strike (a bowled cricket ball) defensively with no attempt to score
4.
a. : to perform (music or a piece of music) on an instrument
play a waltz
b. : to perform music upon : cause to sound or give forth music
play the violin
c. : to attend with accompanying music in the performance of some action or movement
would play them down the mountain, play them home — Stuart Cloete
d.
(1) : to cause (as a radio or phonograph) to emit sounds
(2) : to cause the recorded sounds of (as a record or a magnetic tape) to be reproduced
5. : to put in action or motion: as
a. : to wield or ply briskly, vigorously, or freely
playing knife and fork with gusto
b. : to discharge, fire, or set off with more or less repeated or continuous effect
play a rifle upon a fort
play a hose
or to eject, throw, or force out in such a way
play a stream of water
c. : to cause to move, act, or operate briskly, lightly, and irregularly or intermittently
played his flashlight along the line of feet — Frank Cameron
d.
(1) : to allow (a hooked fish) to become exhausted by pulling against the line
played the poor fish until it rolled, belly up, from exhaustion — Jim Rearden
(2) : to deliberately keep in a state of suspense or uncertainty : play as though a fish on a line
she played him — sometimes delicately, sometimes with a less felicitous touch — Philip Guedalla
Synonyms:
play , sport , disport , frolic , rollick , romp , and gambol can mean, in common, to engage in an activity as a pleasure or amusement. play , the most general, suggests an opposition to work; it implies activity, often strenuous, but emphasizes the absence of any aim other than amusement, diversion, or enjoyment
children playing in the yard
the hard-working business man often plays as hard as he works
sport and disport both imply a complete release from all seriousness, suggesting engagement in a pastime
shall not sport with your impatience by reading what he says on that point — Jane Austen
porters, messengers, and elevator boys, sporting wherever they are, with their sharp winks and sly smiles — Lin Yutang
children sporting on the lawn
good housewives disporting at a church picnic
the sight of a tiny fish disporting himself with me in the tub — William Beebe
frolic suggests generally more gaiety, levity, and spontaneousness than play , applying often to the lighthearted activity of children at active play
porpoises frolicking in the sea
frolicking students
rollick adds the idea of exuberance or reveling, applying chiefly to youths or young adults
a rollicking ship's crew
a tavern full of rollicking revelers
romp suggests a carefree boisterousness as of rough but happy children, usually connoting running or racing in play
a father romping in the living room with his small children
young lions romping in the spring sunshine in their cages
a buxom, attractive comedienne — romps rowdily through the sketches — Newsweek
gambol suggests the leaping and skipping of young lambs, connoting possibly more joy than frolic
when whales gambolled in the bays — W.J.Dakin
in the ecstasy of that thought they gambolled round and round, they hurled themselves into the air in great leaps of excitement — George Orwell
The nouns play , sport , disport , frolic , romp and gambol each signify the activity generally, or an instance of it, implicitly distinguished in the corresponding verb forms above
•
- play ball
- play both ends against the middle
- play horse
- play old gooseberry
- play politics
- play possum
- play the field
- play the game
- play the market
- play to the score
- play with oneself
III.
intransitive verb
: to gain approval : go over
those issues play well in Western Europe — Russell Watson et al
transitive verb
1. : to catch or pick up (a batted ball) : field
played the ball bare-handed
2. : to direct the course of (as a ball) : hit
played a wedge shot to the green
also : to cause (a ball or puck) to rebound
played the ball off the backboard
•
- play by ear
- play games
- play one's cards