to play
- verb
- /pleɪ/
- So he still has two games to play, but they know they've won it.
Examples
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Users can either play against the clock or not play to find the answer.
Academic text (2011) -
In chess, you must carefully play each piece to outsmart your opponent.
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See, I had to play a little defense there.
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Oh, you want to play that game?
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If we're going to play cards, let's play cards.
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Players will go over and over drills and plays until each player gets it right.
Academic text (1999) -
The school district, administrators, and teachers all play a significant role in aiding this process.
Academic text (2011) -
Kosmogonik, Simon, and Mitchell learned to play from their peers or by teaching themselves.
Academic text (2015) -
Standing by the dinosaur, Gennaro continued to play catch as he talked to Malcolm.
Fiction book (1990) -
Teachers are typically in control, and learners play their role in maintaining the monologue (Mehan, 1984).
Academic text (2015)
Synonyms
To have a turn in a game or activity
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 Decisive
Surface Forms
Etymology
Play comes from the old English plega, meaning 'an action', and to 'play' a card or piece is simply to make that action as your turn in the game.