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play
Verb
play (third-person singular simple present plays, present participle playing, simple past and past participle played)
- (intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation.
- They played long and hard.
- 2001, Annabelle Sabloff, Reordering the Natural World, Univ. of Toronto Press, page 83:
- A youngster...listed some of the things his pet did not do: ...go on vacation, play in the same way that he did with his friends, and so on.
- 2003, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.), Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth, Cambridge Univ. Press, page 52:
- We had to play for an hour, so that meant that we didnt have time to play and joke around.
- (intransitive) To take part in amorous activity; to make love, fornicate; to have sex.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iv:
- Her proper face / I not descerned in that darkesome shade, / But weend it was my loue, with whom he playd.
- (intransitive) To perform in a sport.
- He plays on three teams.
- Whos playing now?
- (transitive) To participate in the game indicated.
- play football
- play sports
- play games
- (transitive) To compete against, in a game
- 2011 November 12, âInternational friendly: England 1-0 Spainâ, BBC Sport:
- England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.
- (transitive) To act as the indicated role, especially in a performance.
- He plays the King, and shes the Queen.
- No part of the brain plays the role of permanent memory.
- (intransitive) To produce music using a musical instrument.
- Ive practiced the piano off and on, and I still cant play very well.
- (transitive, ergative) To produce music on the indicated musical instrument.
- Ill play the piano and you sing.
- Can you play an instrument?
- (transitive, ergative) To produce music, the indicated song or style, with a musical instrument.
- We especially like to play jazz together.
- Play a song for me.
- Do you know how to play Für Elise?
- My son thinks he can play music.
- (transitive, ergative) To use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording.
- You can play the DVD now.
- (copulative) Contrary to fact, to give an appearance of being.
- 1985, Sharon S Brehm, Intimate Relationships
- Playing hard to get is not the same as slamming the door in someones face.
- 1996, Michael P Mal one, James J Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest
- Now, surveying his final link, he had the nice advantage of being able to play coy with established port cities that desperately wanted his proven railroad.
- 2003, John U. Ogbu, Black American Students in an Affluent Suburb: A Study of Academic Disengagement, page 194
- Instead, they played dumb, remained silent, and did their classwork.
Noun
play (countable and uncountable; plural plays)
- (uncountable) Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
- The conduct, or course of a game.
- (countable) An individuals performance in a sport or game.
- (countable) (turn-based games) An action carried out when it is ones turn to play.
- (countable) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
- (countable) A theatrical performance featuring actors.
- We saw a two-act play in the theatre.
- (countable) A major move by a business.
- (countable) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
- (uncountable) The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely.
- No wonder the fanbelt is slipping: thereâs too much play in it.
- Too much play in a steering wheel may be dangerous.
- (uncountable, informal) Sexual role-playing.
- 1996, Sabrina P Ramet, Gender reversals and gender cultures
- The rarity of male domination in fantasy play is readily explained.
- 1996, ""toptigger"", (on Internet newsgroup alt.personals.spanking.punishment)
- Palm Springs M seeks sane F 4 safe bdsm play
- (Should we delete() this sense?) (countable) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
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