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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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