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playing

playing

154 1.0
Making music on a musical instrument
  • noun
  • /ˈpleɪɪŋ/
translation icon : interpretación
  • You can't learn about me without learning about my guitar playing and singing.
  • playing instruments
  • playing the piano
  • playing music

And that's the actual art of playing jazz and of soloing.

Examples

  • The piece began with two members playing ostinato patterns: one playing pizzicato while the other played the bolero rhythm.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The Army Bands prefer ten plus years of playing experience, college degrees, and professional performance experience.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Research has found that a teacher's ability to identify student playing errors improves with experience.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I knew there were issues with the oboe's playing, but I wasn't sure how to address it.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Experienced musicians assess their own playing constantly, determining what needs more practice or which rudiments are weak.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I complimented bassist Al MacDowell on his playing, and he told me how much he loves working with Cortez.

    Academic text (2013)
  • I was captivated by her playing during the concert; the melodies flowed beautifully.

  • The teacher praised his playing and suggested he try out for the school band.

  • Her playing on the violin brought tears to the audience's eyes.

Synonyms

performance
vsplaying
539 2.7

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

is about performing on an instrument rather than staging entertainment
4 3.2

A live show where musicians play music for an audience

is the action of performing on an instrument not necessarily before an audience

Antonyms

660 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

39 4.9

Not doing anything when something should be done

Idioms

Make the situation different so some people have a better chance to win

Compounds

75 3.8

The conditions that let people or companies compete fairly

35 1.0

A small flat piece of thick paper with numbers or pictures used in games

A situation where everyone has the same fair chance to succeed

An area of land prepared and marked for playing sports

1 1.8

An area marked and prepared for sports, like a field or court

1 3.0

A person who often plays card games for fun or money

A situation where everyone has an equal chance and no one has unfair advantages

Playing music on a set of large bells in a tower

A part of a game when play happens for a set time

How Well

mastery
37 4.2
recital
69 3.6
performance
539 2.7
playing
154 1.0
practice
585 1.6

Surface Forms

playing singular
playings plural

Morphology

playing = play (transparent) = play + ing

The word 'playing' is formed by adding the suffix '-ing' to the verb 'play', indicating the act or process of performing an action.

Etymology

Playing comes from the old English root play, which meant 'to move' or 'to enjoy yourself', and this idea was also used for making music. So playing means performing on an instrument, as when a player plays a song.