Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » play

play

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

Play is activity for fun or a dramatic performance. (noun)

An example of play is building a house with blocks.
An example of play is a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Play means to engage in activity for fun. (verb)

An example of play is to run around and play tag with friends.

See play in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb

to move lightly, rapidly, or erratically; flutter: sunlight playing on the waves
to amuse oneself, as by taking part in a game or sport; engage in recreation
to take active part in a game or sport: not playing because of an injury
to engage in a game for stakes; gamble
1. to act, deal, or touch carelessly or lightly; trifle: with a thing or person
2. Obsolete to engage in sexual activity; dally
to perform on a musical instrument
to give out sounds, esp. musical sounds: said of an instrument, phonograph or tape recorder, etc.
to lend itself to performance: a drama that does not play well
to act in a specified way; esp., to pretend to be: to play dumb
to act in or as in a drama; perform on the stage
to be performed or presented in a theater, on radio or TV, etc.: what movie is playing?
to move freely within limits, as parts of a machine
to be ejected, discharged, or directed repeatedly or continuously, as a fountain, a spotlight, etc.: with on, over, or along
to impose unscrupulously (on another's feelings or susceptibilities)
Informal to achieve acceptance, success, etc.

transitive verb

1. to take part in (a game or sport)
2. to be stationed at (a specified position) in a sport
to oppose (a person, team, etc.) in a game or contest
to enter or use (a player, etc.) in a game or contest
to do (something), as in fun or to deceive: play tricks
1. to bet
2. ☆ to bet on: play the horses
3. ☆ to act on the basis of: play a hunch
☆ to speculate in (the stock market)
to cause to move, act, operate, etc.; wield; ply
to put (a specified card) into play: to play an ace
to cause or effect: to play havoc
to perform (music)
1. to perform on (a musical instrument)
2. to cause (a phonograph, phonograph record, tape recorder, tape, etc.) to give out sounds, images, etc.
to accompany or lead (someone) with music: with in, off, etc.
to perform (a drama or dramatic passage)
to act the part of: to play Iago, to play the fool
to imitate the activities of, as children do for amusement: to play teacher, to play house
☆ to give performances in: to play Boston for a week
to eject or direct (water, light, etc.) repeatedly or continuously (on, over, or along)
to let (a hooked fish) tire itself by tugging at the line
☆ to use or exploit (a person): played him for a fool

noun

action, motion, or activity, esp. when free, rapid, or light: the play of muscles
freedom or scope for motion or action, esp. of a mechanism
activity engaged in for amusement or recreation; sport, games, etc.; often, specif., the natural activities of children
fun; joking: to do a thing in play
1. the playing of a game
2. the way or technique of playing a game
1. a maneuver, move, or act in a game; specif., a planned, coordinated action executed by members of a team during a game
2. a turn at playing
the act of gambling
a dramatic composition or performance; drama
Obsolete sexual activity; dalliance

Related Forms:

playable adjective

See play in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(plā)

verb played, play·ing, plays

verb, intransitive

To occupy oneself in amusement, sport, or other recreation: children playing with toys.
a. To take part in a game: No minors are eligible to play.
b. To participate in betting; gamble.
To act in jest or sport: They're not arguing in earnest, they're just playing.
To deal or behave carelessly or indifferently; toy. See Synonyms at flirt.
To behave or converse sportively or playfully.
To act or conduct oneself in a specified way: play fair; an investor who plays cautiously.
To act, especially in a dramatic production.
Music
a. To perform on an instrument: play on an accordion.
b. To emit sound or be sounded in performance: The band is playing.
To be performed, as in a theater or on television: A good movie is playing tonight.
To be received or accepted: a speech that played poorly with the voters.
To move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly: The breeze played on the water.
To function or discharge uninterruptedly: The fountains played in the courtyard.
To move or operate freely within a bounded space, as machine parts do.

verb, transitive

a. To perform or act (a role or part) in a dramatic performance.
b. To assume the role of; act as: played the peacemaker at the meeting.
To perform (a theatrical work) on or as if on the stage.
To present a theatrical performance in (a given place): The company played Detroit last week.
To pretend to be; mimic the activities of: played cowboy; played the star.
a. To engage in (a game or sport): play hockey; play chess.
b. To compete against in a game or sport.
c. To occupy or work at (a position) in a game: Lou Gehrig played first base.
d. To employ (a player) in a game or position: Let's play her at first base.
e. To use or move (a card or piece) in a game: play the ace of clubs
f. To hit (a ball, shot, or stroke), as in tennis: played a strong backhand.
g. To attempt to keep or gain possession or control of: No foul was called because he was playing the ball.
a. To bet; wager: played ten dollars on the horse.
b. To make bets on: play the races.
To perform or put into effect, especially as a jest or deception: play a joke on a friend.
To handle; manage: played the matter quietly.
To use or manipulate, especially for one's own interests: played his opponents against each other.
Music
a. To perform on (an instrument): play the guitar.
b. To perform (a piece) on instruments or an instrument.
To cause (a compact disk or audiocassette, for example) to emit recorded sounds.
To discharge or direct in or as if in a continuous stream: play a hose on a fire.
To cause to move rapidly, lightly, or irregularly: play lights over the dance floor.
To exhaust (a hooked fish) by allowing it to pull on the line.

noun

a. A literary work written for performance on the stage; a drama.
b. The performance of such a work.
Activity engaged in for enjoyment or recreation.
Fun or jesting: It was all done in play.
a. The act or manner of engaging in a game or sport: After a time-out, play resumed. The golf tournament featured expert play.
b. The act or manner of using a card, piece, or ball in a game or sport: my partner's play of the last trump; his clumsy play of the rebound.
c. A move or an action in a game: It's your play. The runner was thrown out in a close play.
Participation in betting; gambling.
Manner of dealing with others; conduct: fair play.
An attempt to obtain something; a bid: a play for sympathy.
a. Action, motion, or use: the play of the imagination.
b. Freedom or occasion for action; scope: give full play to an artist's talents. See Synonyms at room.
Movement or space for movement, as of mechanical parts.
Quick, often irregular movement or action, especially of light or color: the play of color on iridescent feathers.

Phrasal Verbs: play along Informal To cooperate or pretend to cooperate: decided to play along with the robbers for a while. play around To philander. play at To participate in; engage in. To do or take part in halfheartedly. play back To replay (a recently recorded tape, for example). play down To minimize the importance of; make little of: played down the defect to protect the troops' morale. play off Sports

a. To establish the winner of (a tie) by playing in an additional game or series of games.

b. To participate in a playoff.

To set (one individual or party) in opposition to another so as to advance one's own interests: a parent who played off one child against another.play on/upon To take advantage of (another's attitudes or feelings) for one's own interests: demagogues who play on popular fears. play out To use up; exhaust: Our strength was played out early in the contest. play up To emphasize or publicize: She played up her experience during the job interview.

Related Forms:

playˌa·bilˈi·ty noun

playˈa·ble adjective

Learn more about play

» play synonyms

» PLAY abbreviations & acronyms

» play business definition

» play investment & finance

» play phrase meanings

» play sentence examples

» play quote examples

Related Articles

» How Many Plays Did Shakespeare Write?

link/cite print suggestion box

More from YD

Feedback