play
- noun
- /pleɪ/
- Informal
- Well, I mean, it's a play on words.
- a play on words
Like, it's not even a play on words, man.
- Like, it's not even a play on words, man.
- It's a matter of it actually a little play on words there, right?
Examples
-
Yes, it's a play on words.
-
And he, he uses a lot of plays on words.
-
Like, it's not even a play on words, man.
-
Just a play on words.
-
A play on words is funny 'cause of how it sounds, not 'cause of what it means.
-
To the author: By the way, nice play on words with pathetic/apathetic.
Blog text (17) -
Consequently, Saarikoski emphasizes a "layered" view of reality with his plays on words.
Academic text (1999) -
His clever use of puns made the conversation a delightful play of words.
-
She enjoyed the comedian's play on words during the evening show.
-
Their friendly play was filled with witty remarks and amusing banter.
Synonyms
The ability to make people laugh
Teasing in a playful way that is not serious
Playful teasing that is not meant to hurt feelings
An event where people make jokes that insult one person for fun
Making fun of someone, often playfully but sometimes hurtfully
An act of making fun of someone in a playful way
A short teasing remark that makes someone laugh without hurting them
Playful friendly talk that makes people laugh without hurting anyone
In a joking way that is not serious
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
How Playful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Play comes from the old English plega, meaning 'fun action', and from that came the idea of joking or teasing speech, so 'play' can mean light, humorous talk meant for fun.