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   play

   /pleɪ/

   verb

   • 1. engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose: "the children were playing by a pool" Similar amuse oneselfentertain oneselfenjoy oneselfhave funhave a good timerelaxrestbe at leisureoccupy oneselfdivert oneselfplay gamesfrolicfriskgambolrompcavortcaperinformal:mess aboutmess aroundlark (about)lark (around)dated:sportarchaic, humorous:disport oneself
   • ▪ engage in (a game or activity) for enjoyment: "I want to play Snakes and Ladders" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretence: "the boys were playing cops and robbers"
   • 2. take part in (a sport): "I play squash and badminton" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ participate in (a sporting match or contest): "the squad will have played 14 games in six weeks" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ compete against (another player or team) in a sporting match: "the team will play France on Wednesday" Similar compete againstcontend againstopposetake onchallengevie withrival
   • ▪ be part of a team, especially in a specified position, in a sporting contest: "he played in goal"
   • ▪ strike (a ball) or execute (a stroke) in a game: "was he in an offside position when his teammate played the ball?"
   • ▪ (of a cricket ground) be in such condition as to have a specified effect on play.
   • ▪ assign to take part in a match, especially in a specified position: "the manager played his strongest side of the season"
   • ▪ move (a piece) or display (a playing card) in one's turn in a game: "he played his queen"
   • ▪ bet or gamble at or on: "he didn't gamble or play the ponies"
   • 3. be cooperative: "he needs financial backing, but the building societies won't play"
   • 4. represent (a character) in a theatrical performance or a film: "early in her career she played Ophelia" Similar act the part ofplay the part ofacttake the role ofenactrepresentperformappear asportraydepictimpersonatepretend to beexecuterenderinterpretrare:personate
   • ▪ perform in a film or theatrical production: "he was proud to be playing opposite a famous actor"
   • ▪ put on or take part in (a theatrical performance, film, or concert): "the show was one of the best we ever played"
   • ▪ give a dramatic performance at (a particular theatre or place): "the company are playing 11 cities around the country"
   • ▪ behave as though one were (a specified type of person): "the skipper played the innocent, but smuggled goods were found on his vessel"
   • 5. perform on (a musical instrument): "a man was playing a guitar"
   • ▪ possess the skill of performing on (a musical instrument): "he taught himself to play the violin" Similar perform onmake music onblowsoundstrum
   • ▪ produce (notes) from a musical instrument; perform (a piece of music): "they played a violin sonata"
   • ▪ make (a disc, music player, or other device) produce sounds or recorded images: "someone is playing a record—I can hear the drum"
   • ▪ (of a musical instrument, music player, or other device) produce sounds or recorded images: "somewhere within, a harp was playing"
   • ▪ accompany (someone) with music as they are moving in a specified direction: "the bagpipes played them out of the dining room"
   • 6. move lightly and quickly, so as to appear and disappear; flicker: "little beams of light played over the sea" Similar move lightlydanceflitdartripplelicktouch
   • ▪ (of a fountain or similar source of water) emit a stream of gently moving water: "a fountain played in the courtyard"
   • 7. allow (a fish) to exhaust itself pulling against a line before reeling it in: "no fisherman ever played a bonita more carefully or with greater wile"

   noun

   • 1. activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children: "a child at play may use a stick as an aeroplane" Similar amusemententertainmentrelaxationrecreationenjoymentpleasurediversiondistractionleisurefungamesfun and gamesplayfulnesshorseplayskylarkinglarksa good timejollificationjunketingmerrymakingrevelryinformal:living it updated:sportOpposite work
   • ▪ behaviour or speech that is not intended seriously: "I flinched, but only in play"
   • ▪ designed to be used in games of pretence; not real: "play families are arranged in play houses"
   • 2. the conducting of a sporting match: "rain wrecked the second day's play"
   • ▪ the action or manner of engaging in a sport or game: "he maintained the same rhythm of play throughout the game"
   • ▪ the status of the ball in a game as being available to be played according to the rules: "the ball was put in play"
   • ▪ the state of being active, operative, or effective: "someone has a bright idea and decides to put it into play" Similar actionactivityoperationmovementmotionagencyemploymentworkingfunctionfunctioningexerciseinteractioninterplay
   • ▪ a move or manoeuvre in a sport or game: "the best play is to lead the 3 of clubs"
   • ▪ the activity of gambling: archaic "a young nobleman, ruined by play"
   • 3. a dramatic work for the stage or to be broadcast: "the actors put on a new play" Similar dramastage playstage showtheatrical worktheatrical pieceradio playtelevision playteleplayscreenplaycomedytragedyfarcesketchproductionperformancespectacleshow
   • 4. the space in or through which a mechanism can or does move: "the steering rack was loose, and there was a little play" Similar movementfreedom of movementfree motionslackgiveroom to manoeuvreroom to operatescopelatitudeelbow roomspacemargin
   • ▪ scope or freedom to act or operate: "our policy allows the market to have freer play" Similar scoperangelatitudelibertylicencefreedomindulgencefree reinrelease
   • 5. light and constantly changing movement: "the artist exploits the play of light across the surface"

   Word Origin Old Englishpleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • P

     3

   • L

     1

   • A

     1

   • Y

     4

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2. People also ask

   What does play mean?

   • Play is most often used to mean someone is having fun or is using a media device to entertain themselves. I am 30 years old. I am graduating from grad school next month (knock on wood).

   PLAY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   How do you describe a play?

   • A play is a piece of writing performed in a theatre, on the radio, or on television. My uncle wrote a play about his father. children When children play, they spend time using toys and taking part in games. She was playing with her dolls. musical instrument If you play an instrument, you make music with it.

   PLAY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

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   What is the difference between play and game?

   • SYNONYMS 2. show. 3. diversion, pastime. play, game, sport refer to forms of diverting activity. play is the general word for any such form of activity, often undirected, spontaneous, or random: Childhood should be a time for play. game refers to a recreational contest, mental or physical, usually governed by set rules: a game of chess.

   PLAY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/play

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   What is play verb?

   • Definition of play verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary [intransitive, transitive] to do things for pleasure, as children do; to enjoy yourself, rather than work You'll have to play inside today. There's a time to work and a time to play. play with somebody/something A group of kids were playing with a ball in the street.

   play verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/play_1

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3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishPLAY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   Learn the meaning of play as a verb and a noun in English, with different senses and usage. Find out how to use play in phrases, idioms, and phrasal verbs, and see examples and synonyms.

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › playPlay Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › play

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word play as a noun and a verb, with synonyms, examples, and related phrases. Explore the different contexts of play in sports, games, music, drama, and more.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › playPLAY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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   What is a basic definition of play? A play is a performance that is done on a stage or in a theater. Play also means to engage in a fun activity or to emit sound or video from a media device.

6. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definitionplay verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

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   Learn the meaning, pronunciation and examples of the verb play in different contexts, such as games, sports, music, acting and more. Find out how to use play with different objects, prepositions and idioms.

7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishPLAY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word play in English, from verbs to nouns, with examples and synonyms. Find out how to play sports, games, music, jokes, and more.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › playPlay - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

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   A play is a dramatic work that's written to be staged in a theater and in front of an audience. Your city might offer a free Shakespeare play in the park every year. If you take part in a game or a sport, you play it. You might love to play charades, but no one is going to want to play with you if you keep forgetting the rules.

9. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › playPLAY | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › play

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   to take part in a sport or game: You play tennis, don't you Sam? We often used to play cards. I used to play netball for my school. I'm playing Tony (= playing against Tony) at squash tonight. Two of the team weren't playing because they were injured. Barcelona are playing against Real Madrid tonight. Fewer examples.