to play
- verb
- /pleɪ/
- Do not open or play with the blades.
Examples
-
They'll play on this wet field.
-
The presence of other souls is as palpable as light playing in the edges of her robe.
Fiction book (1992) -
Climate change may have a part to play in this changing epidemiology.
Academic text (2011) -
It is not possible to play without a monitor then.
-
The orange light from Huron torches, now closer, plays on the wall behind her.
Fiction book (1992) -
At the very least, superpower rivalries allowed an Arab leader to play one off against the other.
Academic text (1994) -
Flames darted up to pierce the clouds and play among them like spirits gone mad.
Fiction book (1992) -
Correspondingly, the local court began to play a more interventionist role in working-class family and domestic life.
Academic text (1996) -
Over in the park, the fountain played; a day-care center's worth of tiny kids ran and screamed.
Fiction book (1997) -
The cylinder in the machine has enough room to play freely without any obstruction.
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
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
Date several different people without wanting a serious relationship
To trick someone who trusts you by hiding your real plans to get something for yourself
To act as if you are attracted to the opposite sex to hide your true sexual feelings
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 Loose
Surface Forms
Etymology
Play comes from the old English plegian, meaning 'to manage movement', and in fishing to 'play' a fish means to let it move and to control it carefully until you bring it in.