Play | Mean of play in English Dictionary

/ˈpleɪ/

• Verb
• to do activities for fun or enjoyment
1. The children were playing in the yard.
2. Can Sara come out and play?
3. He played by himself in his room.
4. She's outside playing with her friends.
5. You already have lots of toys to play with.
6. a baby playing with his toes
7. She likes to play teacher/doctor with her sisters.
• to participate in (a game or sport)
1. Did you play any sports in high school?
2. She plays soccer.
3. Do you want to play (a game of) cards/poker?
4. No one dares to play chess with/against him.
5. It's not whether you win or lose (that's important), it's how you play the game.
6. The children were playing hide-and-seek.
7. I have a chess set. Do you want to play?
8. It's your turn to play.
9. She hurt her wrist but decided to continue playing.
10. He played in every major tournament this year.
11. He's always dreamed of playing on a professional hockey team.
12. We never play for money.
13. I'm on a basketball team at school, but I also play for fun with my friends.
14. Babe Ruth played for the Yankees.
15. He used to play for Boston but got traded to New York.
• to compete against (someone) in a game
1. The Yankees are playing the Red Sox tonight at Yankee Stadium.
2. No one dares to play him at chess.
3. When Tom and I are finished with this game, you can play the winner.
4. The Yankees and the Red Sox are playing at Yankee Stadium.
5. She has played against some of the best tennis players in the world.
6. “Is that the last can of soda?” “Yeah, I'll play you for it.”

• to have (a particular position on a sports team)
1. He dreamed about playing quarterback in the National Football League.
2. She played center field in their last game.
3. He plays third base.
4. What position does he play?
• to allow (someone) to play during a game especially in a particular position
1. Her coach didn't play her in yesterday's game.
2. They decided to play him at first base.
• to place (a playing card) on the table during your turn in a card game
1. I played the ace of hearts.
2. lawyers who play the race card to defend their clients [=who say that their clients were treated unfairly because of their race]
• to move (a piece) during your turn in a chess game
1. He played his rook/bishop/queen for the win.
• to hit, kick, throw, or catch (a ball, puck, etc.)
1. You have to play the ball where it lies.
2. He played a wedge shot to the green.
3. He played a great shot to his opponent's forehand.
4. The shortstop played the ball perfectly.
• to bet money on (something)
1. I used to gamble a lot. Mostly, I played the races/horses/slots.
2. She only plays the lottery when there's a large jackpot.
• to invest money in (the stock market) in order to try to earn money
1. You can lose a lot of money playing the (stock) market.
• to perform music on (an instrument)
1. She's been playing the violin since she was 10 years old.
2. Where did you learn to play the piano?
3. He can play guitar and drums.
4. He played while she sang.
5. Would you play for us?
6. He plays in a band.
• to produce music
1. I could hear a guitar playing in the distance.
• to perform (a song, a piece of music, etc.) on an instrument
1. Would you play something for us?
2. The band played their new hit song.
3. The conductor had us play the piece again from the beginning.
4. The band played a waltz.
5. She started her career playing country music.
• to perform music written by (a particular composer)
1. The orchestra will be playing Mozart tonight.
• to perform music in (a particular place)
1. It was her dream to play Carnegie Hall.
2. She prefers playing small concert halls rather than big stadiums.
3. The band has been playing bars and nightclubs.
4. We mostly play in bars and nightclubs.
• to cause (a song, a piece of music, a movie, etc.) to be heard or seen
1. You kids are playing your music too loud.
2. The radio station plays mostly hip-hop and R&B.
3. Who decides which songs get played on the radio?
4. We're waiting for you to play the movie.
5. I asked him to play the album/CD/DVD for me.
6. Our favorite song was playing on the radio.
7. Classical music played softly in the background.
8. The movie/DVD is already playing.
• to be shown or performed usually more than one time
1. The film is now playing [=is now being shown] in theaters across the country.
2. What's playing at the theater/movies?
3. The show has been playing to full/packed houses.
• to act the part of (a particular character) in a film, play, etc.
1. He played the lead role in Hamlet.
2. Her character is being played by a relatively unknown actress.
3. She's not a doctor, but she plays one on TV.
4. My wife never disciplines the children. She gets to play the good guy while I have to play the bad guy. [=I have to discipline the children]
5. I survived a terrible tragedy, but I don't want to play the victim. [=I don't want to act like a victim]
6. Luck played an important part in their success. [=a lot of their success was because of luck]
7. The essay discusses the role that television plays in modern society. [=the effect that television has on modern society]
8. He's been playing the part/role of the jealous husband. [=he has been acting like a jealous husband]
9. We all have a part/role to play in the future of this company. [=we all will be involved in an important way in the future of this company]
• to pretend that you have a particular quality or are in a particular condition
1. Don't play [=act] all innocent with me!
2. She tried to teach her dog to play dead. [=to lie on its back and pretend to be dead]
3. If anyone asks you about it, play dumb. [=act like you do not know anything about it]
• to act or behave in a particular way
1. It's a very competitive business, and not everyone plays fair. = Not everyone plays by the rules.
2. If you play smart [=if you make good decisions], you should be able to graduate in four years.
3. She didn't want to seem too eager, so she decided to play it cool. [=to act calm]
4. If you play it smart, you should be able to graduate in four years.
5. I decided to play it safe [=to be careful and avoid risk or danger] and leave early so that I would be sure to arrive on time.
• to do or say things in a joking way
1. Don't take it so seriously. He was just playing. [=kidding, joking]
2. I was just playing around. I didn't really mean it.
3. Stop playing around and talk to me seriously for a moment.
• to do (something) to someone in order to amuse yourself or others
1. He's known for playing pranks, so I wouldn't trust him if I were you.
2. Let's play a joke on her.
3. The students got in trouble for playing a trick on their teacher.
4. I can't believe what I'm seeing. My eyes must be playing tricks on me.
• to use or control (someone or something) in a clever and unfair way
1. I'm never going to let anyone play me again.
2. She played you like a fool.
3. She realized too late that she had been played for a fool.
4. They had been playing the guy for a sucker all along.
• to base a decision or action on (something)
1. Sometimes you just have to play your luck [=to take a chance] and hope that everything turns out okay.
2. The coach was playing the odds that his pitcher would get through the inning without giving up a run.
3. Criminal investigators need to play [=to act on] their hunches.
• to be accepted or received in a particular way
1. The script looked good on paper but didn't play well on Broadway.
2. His idea did not play well with the committee. [=the committee did not like his idea]
• to move in a lively and irregular way
1. A knowing smile played on/about her lips.
2. We watched the moonlight playing on the water.
• to agree to do or accept what other people want
1. They wanted me to cooperate with them, but I refused to play along. [=go along]
2. If I pretend to be sick, will you play along and tell everyone that I had to go to the doctor?
3. I refused to play along with them.
4. Will you play along with my plan?
• to have sex with someone who is not your husband, wife, or regular partner
1. He's not the kind of guy who plays around. [=fools around, messes around]
2. She's been playing around on her husband.
3. She's been playing around with one of her coworkers.
• to deal with or treat something in a careless way
1. When it comes to protecting his family, he doesn't play around. [=fool around, mess around]
2. You can't play around with diabetes; it's a very serious disease.
• to use or do something in a way that is not very serious
1. It's time to stop playing around [=fooling around] and get busy.
2. I spent the evening playing around on the piano/computer/Internet.
3. I'm not really a painter; I just like to play around with paints.
• to move or change (something) or to think about (something) in different ways often in order to find out what would work best
1. I see you've been playing around with the living room furniture again.
2. The supervisor played around with our work schedules this week.
3. We played around with the idea for a while but eventually realized that it just wouldn't work.
• to do (something) in a way that is not serious
1. They were only playing at trying to fix the problem.
• to play by pretending to be (someone or something)
1. (Brit) She liked to play at doctors and nurses as a child.
2. boys playing at being soldiers
• to cause (recorded sounds or pictures) to be heard or seen
1. The machine allows you to record and play back sounds.
2. We finished recording our first take and played it back to hear how it sounded.
3. He played the tape back to/for us.
• to make (something) seem smaller or less important
1. She played down [=downplayed] her role in the research.
2. It was a significant mistake though our CEO tried to play it down.
• to behave in a clever and dishonest way
1. He was accused of playing fast and loose with the truth. [=of being dishonest]
2. reporters playing fast and loose with the facts
• to act in a funny way that makes people laugh
1. She's fantastic in serious roles, but she also knows how to play for laughs.
2. Most performers would have taken a serious tone during the scene, but he decided to play it for laughs.
• to try to make something happen later instead of sooner
1. They're just playing for time, hoping that the situation will resolve itself.
• to make decisions that have a very powerful and important effect on other people's lives
1. lawyers who play God with people's lives
• to pretend that you are not interested in having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone in order to make that person more attracted to you
1. She's been playing hard to get, but I can tell that she likes me.
• to help support (something, such as an idea)
1. This new evidence plays into their theory quite nicely.
2. Her methods play into the stereotype that lawyers are dishonest.
• to do something that you do not realize will hurt you and help someone else
1. You're only playing into their hands by making such ridiculous accusations.
• to participate in a game that decides a winner from people or teams that had the same results in an earlier game
1. The two teams played off for third place.
• to react to (someone or something) in a pleasing way
1. In this scene, the two actors play off each other extremely well.
2. The sweetness of the wine plays off the sharp flavor of the cheese.
• to cause two people or groups to fight or compete with each other in a way that helps you
1. They have been playing him off against his old enemies. [=causing him to fight with his old enemies]
2. He played one side off against the other.
• to make people do what you want by using (their emotions, fears, concerns, etc.) in an unfair way
1. The company plays on [=takes advantage of] the concerns of parents in order to sell their products.
2. Politicians often win votes by playing on [=exploiting] people's emotions.
• to happen or occur in usually a gradual way
1. Let's wait and see how things play out. [=take place, develop]
2. The consequences of the error will play out for several years to come.
3. Their personal tragedy was being played out in public.
• to make (something) happen
1. She got to play out [=realize] her fantasy of being on TV.
2. We watch professional athletes play out [=act out, live out] our dreams on the field.
3. This scene plays itself out [=happens] daily in every large city in this country.
• to finish (something)
1. Her coach let her play out the rest of the season but said she wouldn't be allowed on the team next year.
2. We'll stop the game after we play out this hand.
3. playing out dangerous experiments
4. That style of music had played itself out [=stopped being current or popular] and the record companies wanted something new.
• to have romantic or sexual relationships with more than one person at a time
1. He wanted to play the field a bit before he got married and settled down.
• to behave or perform in a particular way for (someone or something) in order to get approval or attention
1. He didn't mean what he was saying. He was just playing to the crowd.
2. He loves publicity and plays to the cameras every chance he gets.
• to make use of (something)
1. a film that plays to stereotypes of housewives
2. In his latest album, he once again plays to his strengths as a classical musician.
• to talk about or treat (something) in a way that gives it special importance
1. During the interview, try to play down your weaknesses and play up your strengths.
• to make (something) seem bigger or more important
1. It was only a small achievement though our CEO tried to play it up.
• to cause problems or pain
1. The children have been playing up [=misbehaving, acting up] again.
2. The camera started playing up [=acting up] after I dropped it.
3. Whenever it rains, my arthritis starts playing up. [=acting up]
4. My back has been playing me up again.
• to move or handle (something) with your hands or fingers often without thinking
1. She played with her hair while she talked on the phone.
2. Stop playing with your food and eat.
• to handle, change, or deal with (something) in a careless way
1. I played [=fiddled, messed] with the radio for a while but couldn't get it to work.
2. It's important to teach your children not to play with guns/fire/matches.
3. Don't play with [=play around with] my heart/emotions.
4. You have to take this seriously. You're playing with people's lives!
5. They're playing with other people's money.
• to think about (something) briefly and not very seriously
1. Management has been playing with [=toying with] the idea of moving to a different building.
2. I played with the idea of moving to Chicago but ended up staying in New York.
• to do something that is risky or dangerous
1. People who use drugs are playing with fire.
• to use words that sound similar or that have several different meanings especially in a clever or funny way
1. a writer who enjoys playing with words
• to touch your own sex organs for sexual pleasure
• Noun
• a piece of writing that tells a story through the actions and words of characters and that is performed on a stage
1. The play is based on a real-life event.
2. He wrote, directed, and starred in the play.
3. plays by Shakespeare
4. His fifth grade class is putting on a play about the first Thanksgiving.
5. I've gone to all of my daughter's school plays.
6. She's currently adapting a stage play [=a play that is written to be performed on a stage] for the big screen.
• activities that are done especially by children for fun or enjoyment
1. The book discusses the role of play in a child's development.
2. imaginative play
3. As the saying goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
4. a safe play area
5. the sounds of children at play [=the sounds of children playing]
• the action that happens during a game
1. Please, no talking during play.
2. Rain held up play for an hour.
3. The chess match finally ended after three hours of play.
4. The two golfers were tied at the start of play yesterday.
5. We were surprised with/by the other team's level/quality of play.
• the time when a person playing a game is supposed to do something
1. It's your play. [=(more commonly) turn]
2. Roll the dice to determine the order of play. [=to decide who plays first, second, etc.]
• a particular action or set of actions that happens during a game: such as
• a planned attempt to move the ball forward or to stop an opponent from moving the ball forward
1. The quarterback called out the play to his teammates.
2. He ran 50 yards on that last play.
3. running/passing plays
4. a defensive/offensive play
• an action that is done to try to get a player out
1. He was called safe on a close play at first base.
2. The shortstop made a great play to end the inning.
3. She had a chance to catch the ball, but she failed to make the play.
• the act of moving a piece in a game like chess or checkers
1. the first/opening play [=move] of the game
• the state of being active or having an effect
1. the play of market forces
2. She promotes the free play of ideas in her classroom.
3. Several issues are at play [=are involved] in determining the price of gasoline.
4. The students' creativity was brought/called/put into play on this last assignment. [=the students had to use their creativity]
5. Two important factors come into play. [=are involved]
• time when a musical recording is played by a radio station
1. The song has been getting heavy radio play. [=radio stations have been playing the song frequently]
• attention in newspapers, on television, etc.
1. The story has so far received little play in the press. [=has not gotten much attention in the press]
• a humorous or clever way of using a word or phrase so that more than one meaning is suggested
1. The title of the article makes a play on the prime minister's last name.
2. a play on the word's original meaning
3. a clever play on words [=pun]
• a function of a machine that causes recorded sounds or pictures to be heard or seen
1. Press “Play” to start the movie.
• time when a machine is being used to hear or see recorded sounds or pictures
1. The CD player's batteries only provided three to four hours of play.
• the irregular or lively movement of something
1. Look at the dazzling play of colors in this diamond.
2. a play of shadow and light
• loose and free movement of something (such as part of a machine)
1. There's too much play in the car's steering wheel.
• in or into the area where players must stay in sports
1. She tried to keep the ball in play, but it bounced out of bounds.
2. He put the ball back into play.
• to try to get (someone or something)
1. He made a play for her. [=he tried to start a romantic or sexual relationship with her]
2. She made a play for the job, but she didn't get it.
• outside the area where players must stay in sports
1. The ball is out of play [=dead] if it crosses these lines.