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play

play

888 1.4
A story written to be performed by actors on a stage
  • noun
  • /pleɪ/
: obra de teatro
  • Yet the characters in O'Neill's play look back more in hope than in sorrow.
  • Shakespeare's plays
  • play script
  • perform plays

I think a good musical play is fucking epic.

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Examples

  • And now let me tell you that this play will have three acts.

  • The main act was a play about a woman whose husband has died of AIDS.

    Academic text (2011)
  • So I I wrote a play kind of by accident.

  • And and then I had a play that was put on.

  • And the first comes from a play by David Mamet.

  • It's one of the many plays we've worked out.

  • The first thing I auditioned for was a play called Ghost Town.

  • Have you seen Arthur Miller's play The Death of the Salesman?

  • Satchmo at the Waldorf, his first play, opened last month in Orlando, Florida.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I recently saw a brilliant play about the struggles of a family during World War II.

Synonyms

performance
vsplay
838 2.7

A live show of a play, concert, or dance for an audience

also means the written dramatic work, not only the presenting act
drama
vsplay
302 1.8

A story performed by actors on stage

is the specific work or its staging rather than the whole genre
production
vsplay
241 3.7

A performance of a play, film, or show for an audience

is limited to dramatic works meant for actors on a stage
one-act play
vsplay
3 3.9

A short play with only one act

is the broader category that includes pieces of many act lengths
3 3.7

Putting on a play in a theatre with actors, sets, and lights

refers mainly to the dramatic text or its acted performance
2 3.7

A staged play that actors perform live for an audience

is broader, also referring to the dramatic work itself
1 3.5

An event where actors act a play for an audience

includes that event but additionally names the written dramatic piece
dramatic work
vsplay
1 4.1

A written story to be performed, like a play or screenplay

is focused on stage performance specifically rather than all media
1 3.8

An event where people put on a play with actors, a director, and stage sets

is the dramatic piece itself or its acted presentation, not only the process
dramatic play
vsplay
1 4.6

A story that actors perform on stage

is the same meaning expressed in the general term for such works
playlet
vsplay
1 8.0

A short acted scene often performed during a larger show

is the general term for dramatic works of any typical length
representation
vsplay
  • UK
1 4.5

A public performance of a play

is the work or its performance, not only the public staging
1 6.5

A written work like a play created to be performed by actors on stage, television, or film

restricts this to stage plays or their performances rather than all media
playscript
vsplay
  • Literature
1 5.0

Written words of a play that show the lines and stage directions for performance

covers both the written text and the actual staged event
closet drama
vsplay
  • Literature
1 9.9

A play written to be read rather than acted on stage

expects the work to be acted on stage rather than only read silently

Idioms

To take part in a contest or activity by following the rules

38 4.7

Being a factor that affects a situation

to play God
  • Informal
33 8.5

To act as if you have the right to decide other people's lives

26 5.8

To take a big risk that can cause harm

17 7.8

To bring up race or accuse someone of racism to get support

to play chicken
  • Informal
14 8.8

Act dangerously to see who gives up first

Decide what to do as things happen rather than plan ahead

9 8.0

Act in a careless way by ignoring rules and other people's feelings

9 3.3

Not part of the game, for example when the ball or a player leaves the playing area

to play the fool
  • Informal
9 4.6

Act in a silly way to make others laugh or avoid being serious

Treat someone as stupid to trick or cheat them

to play possum
  • Informal
6 8.4

Pretend to be dead or asleep to avoid danger

6 3.2

To work well with other people in a team

To have an important effect on how something happens

3 8.5

To pretend to be treated unfairly to get sympathy or avoid blame

2 8.1

To think clearly and act normally

Use clever or dishonest moves to get an advantage

2 9.0

To trick someone easily so you can get what you want

1 8.0

To mention someone's gender to gain an advantage in a discussion

1 9.9

Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious

Use a chance as much as possible to get the most from it

To put a lot of effort into work and enjoy free time actively

1 7.3

To lead a group or activity as the most important person

1 9.1

To reach and please ordinary people in small American towns

1 9.9

To claim someone was raped to get sympathy or advantage

A score by a team while the other team controls the game

Act in a clever, tricky way to fool others

To accept what you cannot change and make the best of it

To show all your plans and what you can do

To get involved in other people's arguments or problems

Tell someone angrily to do something dangerous to stop them complaining

Taking silly risks leads to bad results

To focus on the issue, not on the person

Act in a silly way like a clown to make people laugh

to play the whiner
  • Offensive
8.7

Act like a person who complains a lot to get sympathy

Pretend to be ill to avoid going to work or school

A lifestyle of very hard work followed by active free time

Compounds

57 5.3

An illegal, violent, or dishonest action that suggests a crime

46 3.3

An activity where people pretend to be someone else to practice real situations

22 3.0

Honest behavior that treats everyone the same and follows the rules in sport or competition

double play
  • Jargon
16 3.0

A baseball play that gets two players out in one move

power play
  • Literature
16 6.3

A forceful action to gain control over other people

child's play
  • Informal
13 1.0

An activity that is very easy to do

power play
  • Jargon
11 4.3

A time in hockey when one team has more players because of penalties

passing play
  • Specialized
7 4.4

A play in American football where a player throws the ball forward to a teammate

6 3.0

Things children do for fun without strict rules

morality play
  • Literature
5 9.9

A play where characters are good or bad qualities to teach right and wrong

5 2.7

A soft colorful material children shape with their hands to make objects

5 4.4

A play in American football where a player runs forward with the ball

4 2.9

A planned move in American football by the team with the ball to move it or score

word play
  • Informal
4 4.1

A clever or funny use of words to make jokes

3 3.9

A short play with only one act

plug and play
  • Specialized
3 4.2

Works as soon as you connect or install it without needing any setup

3 2.0

A small informal group where young children meet to play and learn

3 8.4

A play that shows the last days of Jesus, especially his suffering and death

3 5.6

A golf contest where each hole is a separate game and the player who wins more holes wins the contest

2 7.4

A way of putting pressure on someone to make them agree

1 7.4

A show that uses hand or puppet shadows on a screen to tell a story

long-play
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A record that plays at a slower speed and lasts longer than older records

play therapy
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A way for children to show feelings and solve problems using play

triple play
  • Jargon
1 6.1

A baseball or softball play when the defending team gets three players out in one action

An action by players during a baseball game to help the team win

draw play
  • Jargon
1 6.2

A football play where the quarterback fakes a pass then hands the ball to a running back

1 3.4

A show using puppets to tell a story

squeeze play
  • Jargon
1 7.5

A baseball play where a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts

run of play
  • Jargon
1 6.1

The normal action during a game not counting set pieces like free kicks or penalties

A planned action a basketball team uses during a game to score or defend

power play
  • Jargon
1 4.6

A team plan that puts several players in one area to try to score

1 4.5

A group performance where actors read a play aloud without full sets or learning lines

A story that actors perform on stage

mystery play
  • Literature
1 9.9

A play from the Middle Ages that tells Bible stories, often about Jesus, performed for people

stroke play
  • Specialized
1 5.9

A way to score golf where the lowest total shots wins

miracle play
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A play from the Middle Ages showing events from a saint's life

force play
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A play where a runner must advance and a fielder with the ball touches the base first

1 4.3

A pause in a game because of bad weather or other events

A set time in a game or match when the action continues

four-act play
  • Archaic
1 6.3

A play divided into four parts that each show part of the story

play-box
  • Archaic
1 8.4

A box a child uses to keep toys and personal things

hold-up play
  • Jargon
1 5.9

A way a player keeps the ball to let teammates move forward

play-actor
  • Archaic
1 7.2

An actor who travels to different towns to act in plays

medal play
  • Jargon
1 6.2

A way to score golf where the player with the fewest total shots wins

trap play
  • Jargon
1 7.3

A play that lets a defender pass the start line then blocks them to open a gap for the runner

satyr play
  • Literature
1 9.9

A short ancient Greek play mixing serious drama with rude comedy and actors dressed as half-man, half-goat creatures

long-play
  • Jargon
6.8

A full recording of someone playing a video game from start to finish

8.4

A baseball play where a runner on third base waits for a bunt then runs home to avoid being out

A risky baseball play where the runner on third base runs home while the batter bunts

9.9

A stage play that shows rich people's dramatic, emotional lives

How Long

play
888 1.4
one-act play
3 3.9

Surface Forms

play singular
plays plural

Etymology

Play comes from the old English word plega, which meant 'action' or 'fun'; a stage play is called that because it is an action performed for an audience, so the name links the idea of 'acting' to the dramatic work.