'Play' definitions:

Definition of 'play'

(from WordNet)
noun
A dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway" [syn: play, drama, dramatic play]
noun
A theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours"
noun
A preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up the plays for her team"
noun
A deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; "he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop" [syn: maneuver, manoeuvre, play]
noun
A state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
noun
Utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"
noun
An attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention" [syn: bid, play]
noun
Activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child" [syn: play, child's play]
noun
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning" [syn: playing period, period of play, play]
noun
The removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent" [syn: free rein, play]
noun
A weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water" [syn: shimmer, play]
noun
Verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"; "he said it in sport" [syn: fun, play, sport]
noun
Movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel" [syn: looseness, play] [ant: tautness, tightness]
noun
Gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly" [syn: play, frolic, romp, gambol, caper]
noun
(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play" [syn: turn, play]
noun
The act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table" [syn: gambling, gaming, play]
noun
The act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully [syn: play, swordplay]
verb
Participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
verb
Act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"
verb
Play on an instrument; "The band played all night long"
verb
Play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" [syn: act, play, represent]
verb
Be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
verb
Replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully" [syn: play, spiel]
verb
Perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
verb
Pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" [syn: act, play, act as]
verb
Move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians"
verb
Bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races"
verb
Engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike" [syn: play, recreate]
verb
Pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
verb
Emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
verb
Perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
verb
Put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"
verb
Engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea" [syn: play, toy]
verb
Behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair"
verb
Cause to emit recorded audio or video; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "I'll play you my favorite record"; "He never tires of playing that video" [syn: play, run]
verb
Manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate" [syn: toy, fiddle, diddle, play]
verb
Use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions"
verb
Consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" [syn: dally, trifle, play]
verb
Be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"
verb
Behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection" [syn: dally, toy, play, flirt]
verb
Cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
verb
Perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'" [syn: act, play, roleplay, playact]
verb
Be performed or presented for public viewing; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
verb
Cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area" [syn: bring, work, play, wreak, make for]
verb
Discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"
verb
Make bets; "Play the races"; "play the casinos in Trouville"
verb
Stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse" [syn: bet, wager, play]
verb
Shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night"
verb
Use or move; "I had to play my queen"
verb
Employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base"
verb
Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary" [syn: meet, encounter, play, take on]
verb
Exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish"

Definition of 'Play'

From: GCIDE
  • Play \Play\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Played; p. pr. & vb. n. Playing.] [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown origin. [root]28. Cf. Plight, n.]
  • 1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. [1913 Webster]
  • As Cannace was playing in her walk. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. --Keble. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. [1913 Webster]
  • "Nay," quod this monk, "I have no lust to pleye." --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • Men are apt to play with their healths. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. [1913 Webster]
  • One that . . . can play well on an instrument. --Ezek. xxxiii. 32. [1913 Webster]
  • Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. --Granville. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. [1913 Webster]
  • His mother played false with a smith. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. [1913 Webster]
  • The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. --Cheyne. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. [1913 Webster]
  • Even as the waving sedges play with wind. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
  • All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. [1913 Webster]
  • A lord will hear your play to-night. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne. [1913 Webster]
  • To play into a person's hands, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit.
  • To play off, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice.
  • To play upon. (a) To make sport of; to deceive. [1913 Webster]
  • Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Play'

From: GCIDE
  • Play \Play\, v. t.
  • 1. To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. [1913 Webster]
  • First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. --Herbert. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks. [1913 Webster]
  • Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action; as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the woman. [1913 Webster]
  • Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. [1913 Webster]
  • To play hob, to play the part of a mischievous spirit; to work mischief.
  • To play off, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks.
  • To play one's cards, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive.
  • Played out, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Play'

From: GCIDE
  • Play \Play\, n.
  • 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. [1913 Webster]
  • John naturally loved rough play. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. "The next who comes in play." --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action. [1913 Webster]
  • A play ought to be a just image of human nature. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. Performance on an instrument of music. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. "To give them play, front and rear." --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them. --Moxon. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. [1913 Webster]
  • Play actor, an actor of dramas. --Prynne.
  • Play debt, a gambling debt. --Arbuthnot.
  • Play pleasure, idle amusement. [Obs.] --Bacon.
  • A play upon words, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning.
  • Play of colors, prismatic variation of colors.
  • To bring into play, To come into play, to bring or come into use or exercise.
  • To hold in play, to keep occupied or employed. [1913 Webster]
  • I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'play'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Play'