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1. Dictionary

   Play

   /plā/

   

   verb

   • 1. engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose: "the children were playing outside" Similar amuse oneselfentertain oneselfenjoy oneselfhave funhave a good timerelaxrestbe at leisureoccupy oneselfdivert oneselfplay gamesfrolicfriskgambolrompcavortcaperinformal:mess aroundlark (about)lark (around)dated:sportarchaic, humorous:disport oneself
   • ▪ engage in (a game or activity) for enjoyment: "I want to play Monopoly" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ amuse oneself by engaging in imaginative pretense: "the boys were playing cops and robbers"
   • 2. take part in (a sport): "I play softball and tennis" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ participate in (an athletic match or contest): "the Red Sox will play two games on Wednesday" Similar take part inparticipate inengage inbe involved injoin incompete indo
   • ▪ compete against (another player or team) in an athletic match or contest: "the team will play France on Wednesday" Similar compete againstcontend againstopposetake onchallengevie withrival
   • ▪ be cooperative: informal "he needs financial backing, but the bank won't play"
   • ▪ be part of a team, especially in a specified position, in a game: "he played shortstop"
   • ▪ strike (a ball) or execute (a stroke) in a game: "was he in an offside position when his teammate played the ball?"
   • ▪ assign to take part in an athletic contest, especially in a specified position: "the manager will want to play the right-handed Curtis"
   • ▪ 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 play the ponies"
   • 3. represent (a character) in a theatrical performance or a film: "she played Ophelia" Similar act the part ofplay the part ofacttake the role ofenactrepresentperformappear asportraydepictimpersonatepretend to beexecuterenderinterpretrare:personate
   • ▪ perform in a theatrical production or on film: "he was proud to be playing opposite a famous actor"
   • ▪ put on or take part in (a theatrical performance or concert): "the show was one of the best we ever played"
   • ▪ give a dramatic performance at (a particular theater or place).
   • ▪ behave as though one were (a specified type of person): "the skipper played the innocent, but smuggled goods were found on his vessel"
   • 4. perform on (a musical instrument): "we heard someone playing a harmonica"
   • ▪ 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 music player, disc, radio, etc.) produce sounds: "someone is playing a record—I can hear the drum"
   • ▪ (of a musical instrument, music player, radio, etc.) produce sounds: "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"
   • 5. move lightly and quickly, so as to appear and disappear; flicker: "a smile played about her lips" Similar move lightlydanceflitdartripplelicktouch
   • ▪ (of a fountain or similar source of water) emit a stream of gently moving water: "a fountain played in the courtyard"
   • 6. 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 airplane" Similar amusemententertainmentrelaxationrecreationenjoymentpleasurediversiondistractionleisurefungamesfun and gamesplayfulnesshorseplayskylarkinglarksa good timejollificationjunketingmerrymakingrevelryinformal:living it updated:sportOpposite work
   • ▪ behavior or speech that is not intended seriously: "I flinched, but only in play"
   • ▪ designed to be used in games of pretense; not real: "play families are arranged in play houses"
   • 2. the conducting of an athletic match or contest: "rain interrupted 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: "luck comes into play" Similar actionactivityoperationmovementmotionagencyemploymentworkingfunctionfunctioningexerciseinteractioninterplay
   • ▪ a move or maneuver in a sport or game: "the best play is to lead the 3 of clubs"
   • ▪ 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 maneuverroom to operatescopelatitudeelbow roomspacemargin
   • ▪ scope or freedom to act or operate: "our policy allows the market to have freer play" Similar scoperangelatitudelibertylicensefreedomindulgencefree 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. www.scholarpedia.org › article › Definitions_of_PlayDefinitions of Play - Scholarpedia

   www.scholarpedia.org › article › Definitions_of_Play

   • Cached

   Play is intrinsically motivated—means are more valued than ends. Play is activity that, from the conscious perspective of the player, is done for its own sake more than for some reward outside of the activity itself. In other words, it is behavior in which means are more valued than ends.

3. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › playplay - Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › play

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   play meaning, definition, what is play: when children play, they do things that ...: Learn more.

4. www.wordreference.com › definition › playplay - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

   www.wordreference.com › definition › play

   • Cached

   to portray; enact; act the part of: [ ~ + object] to play Lady Macbeth. [ no object] played in several off-Broadway shows. to (cause to) be performed or shown, as a drama, etc.: [ ~ + object] They're playing that dumb old movie at the cinema again. [ no object] What's playing at the cinema tonight?

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › play_2play noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › play_2

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   Definition of play noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

6. www.nifplay.org › what-is-playThe Basics - National Institute for Play

   www.nifplay.org › what-is-play

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   Here we explain how scientists define what play is, the characteristics of the activities that offer those benefits to children, adolescents, young and old adults. Free Play Play (Free Play) is an activity someone chooses for themselves simply because they want to do it—that is, the activity is intrinsically motivated.

7. simple.m.wikipedia.org › wiki › Play_(activity)Play (activity) - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

   simple.m.wikipedia.org › wiki › Play_(activity)

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   Play is a word used in psychology and ethology to describe voluntary activities associated with recreational pleasure and enjoyment, [1] and with early learning in mammals. Although everyone understands what the word means, it is extremely difficult to define. [2] .

8. play-and-learning.press.plymouth.edu › chapter › what-is-playWhat is Play? – Play and Learning in Early Childhood Education

   play-and-learning.press.plymouth.edu › chapter › what-is-play

   • Cached

   In this article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Nell & Drew describe elements of play that make it joyful and a rememberable experience for children and families.