play
- noun
- /pleɪ/
- What part does social media play in shaping public opinion?
- power play
Examples
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What role do you think they will play, if any, in this situation?
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In your view, what role does Canada play on the global stage?
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Be careful: This is usually a play to avoid paying you.
Academic text (2011) -
What part did alcohol play in this?
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My question is what role has kindness played in building your success?
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In fact, these factors always come into play in the creation and reform of international regimes.
Academic text (1990) -
Ophelia had made a determined play for him at that disastrous Christmas party at Molly's.
Fiction book (1995) -
The investigation revealed the crucial role that foreign policy plays in diplomatic relations.
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In this negotiation, trust played a significant role in reaching an agreement.
Synonyms
An attempt to get something such as a job or office
A clever trick used to gain an advantage in talk or negotiation
A forceful action to gain control over other people
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
Use a chance as much as possible to get the most from it
- 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
- Specialized
A play in American football where a player throws the ball forward to a teammate
- Literature
A play where characters are good or bad qualities to teach right and wrong
A planned move in American football by the team with the ball to move it or score
- 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 record that plays at a slower speed and lasts longer than older records
- 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
A baseball play where a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts
- Jargon
The normal action during a game not counting set pieces like free kicks or penalties
A group performance where actors read a play aloud without full sets or learning lines
- Literature
A play from the Middle Ages that tells Bible stories, often about Jesus, performed for people
- Specialized
A play where a runner must advance and a fielder with the ball touches the base first
- Jargon
A play that lets a defender pass the start line then blocks them to open a gap for the runner
- Literature
A short ancient Greek play mixing serious drama with rude comedy and actors dressed as half-man, half-goat creatures
- Jargon
A baseball play where a runner on third base waits for a bunt then runs home to avoid being out
- Jargon
A risky baseball play where the runner on third base runs home while the batter bunts
How Aggressive
Surface Forms
Etymology
Play comes from the old English plega, meaning an 'action' or 'move', so a clever 'play' for power or advantage is like a planned move in a game.