play

/plˈeɪ/ · 1 syllable

Meaning

verb

participate in games or sport
“We played hockey all afternoon”
act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome
“This factor played only a minor part in his decision”
play on an instrument
“The band played all night long”
play a role or part
“Gielgud played Hamlet”
be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children
“The kids were playing outside all day”
replay (as a melody)
“Play it again, Sam”
perform music on (a musical instrument)
“He plays the flute”
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
“He acted the idiot”
move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
“The spotlights played on the politicians”
bet or wager (money)
“He played $20 on the new horse”
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
“On weekends I play”
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
“Let's play like I am mommy”

noun

a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
“he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway”
a theatrical performance of a drama
“the play lasted two hours”
a preset plan of action in team sports
“the coach drew up the plays for her team”
a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
“he made a great maneuver”
a state in which action is feasible
“the ball was still in play”
utilization or exercise
“the play of the imagination”
an attempt to get something
“they made a futile play for power”
activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
“Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child”
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
“rain stopped play in the 4th inning”
the removal of constraints
“he gave free rein to his impulses”
a weak and tremulous light
“the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers”
verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
“he became a figure of fun”

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