play
- noun
- /pleɪ/
- Specialized
- come into play
- factors at play
- dynamics in play
It's doing some active work, the play of forces here.
- It's doing some active work, the play of forces here.
Examples
-
There looks to be a lot of play, you know, down the side.
-
You get a little play in the rope.
-
The third option is adaptation, whose effects come into play after the climate has changed.
Academic text (1992) -
Which positions, voices, and interests are at play? Which are silent and absent?
Academic text (2013) -
Turns it over in her hand, fascinated by the play of light off the blade...
Fiction book (1996) -
Curriculum and methodology matter nothing if not put into play by a competent, caring teacher.
Academic text (2008) -
Fundamental factors of biomechanics come into play that help characterize an individual's gait pattern.
Academic text (1990) -
The engineer noted that there should be some play in the gears to allow for smooth movement.
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In the new design, a lot of play is crucial for the efficiency of the machine.
-
The play of light on the water created a beautiful and mesmerizing effect.
Synonyms
A soft, faint light that seems to move slightly
Freedom to act and make choices without someone controlling you
A small gap or movement between parts that should be tight
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
Act in a careless way by ignoring rules and other people's feelings
Not part of the game, for example when the ball or a player leaves the playing area
- Offensive
To pretend to be treated unfairly to get sympathy or avoid blame
- Literature
To mention someone's gender to gain an advantage in a discussion
- Informal
To put a lot of effort into work and enjoy free time actively
- Slang
Tell someone angrily to do something dangerous to stop them complaining
Compounds
Honest behavior that treats everyone the same and follows the rules in sport or competition
- Literature
A play where characters are good or bad qualities to teach right and wrong
- Specialized
Works as soon as you connect or install it without needing any setup
A golf contest where each hole is a separate game and the player who wins more holes wins the contest
- Specialized
A play in American football where a player throws the ball forward to a teammate
- Jargon
A baseball or softball play when the defending team gets three players out in one action
- Jargon
A football play where the quarterback fakes a pass then hands the ball to a running back
- Jargon
The normal action during a game not counting set pieces like free kicks or penalties
A planned move in American football by the team with the ball to move it or score
- Literature
A play from the Middle Ages that tells Bible stories, often about Jesus, performed for people
A group performance where actors read a play aloud without full sets or learning lines
- Jargon
A baseball play where a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts
- Specialized
A play where a runner must advance and a fielder with the ball touches the base first
- Jargon
A baseball play where a runner on third base waits for a bunt then runs home to avoid being out
- Literature
A short ancient Greek play mixing serious drama with rude comedy and actors dressed as half-man, half-goat creatures
- Jargon
A risky baseball play where the runner on third base runs home while the batter bunts
- Jargon
A play that lets a defender pass the start line then blocks them to open a gap for the runner
Surface Forms
Etymology
Play comes from the old English plega, which carried a sense of free movement, and that is why we say the 'play' of light or imagination to mean a lively or changing movement or scope.