What does play mean

Crossword clues for play

play

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

play

I.verb

COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES

a band performs/plays

▪ The band is performing live on Saturday night.

a play area (=a place for children to play)

▪ There’s a nice play area for the kiddies.

appear in a film/play

▪ She has already appeared in a number of films.

appear/play/speak at a festival (=perform at a festival)

▪ Sting is scheduled to appear at a festival in Amsterdam next month.

do/play/have a gig

▪ The band are doing a gig in Sheffield on Nov 12.

double play

ensure fair play

▪ rules designed to ensure fair play

fair play

▪ rules designed to ensure fair play

foul play

▪ The police said they had no reason to suspect foul play.

learn to play an instrument (also learn an instrument)

▪ All students at the school have the opportunity to learn an instrument.

mystery play

Nativity play

▪ the school’s Nativity play

passion play

perform/play to an audience

▪ The band played to huge audiences in Mexico City and Buenos Aires.

play a CD

▪ Shall I play my new CD?

play a character

▪ I wanted to play the character of Danny.

play a crucial role/part in sth

▪ Parents play a crucial role in preparing their children for adult life.

play a game

▪ They explained how to play the game.

play a joke on sb (=trick someone to make people laugh)

▪ John’s always playing jokes on his brothers.

play a match

▪ We played the match in heavy rain.

play a melody

▪ At this point, the flute begins to play the melody.

play a part

▪ She plays the part of an ageing beauty queen.

play a prominent part/role (in sth)

▪ Mandela played a prominent role in the early years of the ANC.

play a role

▪ She was the first actress to play the role of Peter Pan.

play a song (=with singing and musical instruments)

▪ The band played a lot of their old songs.

play (a) sport

▪ My ambition was to play sport at the highest level.

play a tune

▪ He played a tune on the piano.

play an active role in sth

▪ Do you play an active role in your community?

play an instrument

▪ Can you play a musical instrument?

play as a team

▪ One reason for the 49ers’ success is that they play as a team.

play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed)

▪ The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.

play chess

▪ Do you want to play chess?

play cricket

▪ Do you play cricket?

play date

play devil’s advocate

▪ He would play devil’s advocate with anyone.

play dough

play favoritesAmerican English (= treat one person better than others)

▪ The manager insisted he doesn’t play favorites.

play football

▪ The boys are playing football in the garden.

play for a team

▪ He wants to play for a better team.

play golf

▪ I play golf at the weekends.

play havoc with

▪ Rain has continued to play havoc with sporting events.

play host (to sth) (=provide the place, food etc for a special meeting or event)

▪ The gallery is playing host to an exhibition of sculpture.

play in/perform in a concert

▪ I'm playing in a jazz concert on Saturday night.

play music

▪ A small band was playing jazz music.

play on sb’s sympathy (=make someone feel sorry for you in order to get an advantage for yourself)

▪ If that doesn’t work, she knows how to play on his sympathy.

play poker

▪ Can you play poker?

play snooker

▪ They meet up every Friday to play snooker.

play sth on the piano

▪ We all sang while Mum played something on the piano.

play the market (=risk money on the stock market)

▪ As soon as she graduated from college, she started to play the market.

play the piano

▪ Can you play the piano?

play to your strengths (=use people's qualities and abilities in the best way in order to achieve something)

▪ Both parties are playing to their strengths.

played a leading role

▪ The army played a leading role in organizing the attempted coup.

played the drums

▪ Jones played the drums in an all-girl band.

play/have a role

▪ He played a prominent role in the company’s success.

playing card

playing dumb (=pretending to be stupid)

▪ ‘What is it?’ I asked, playing dumb.

playing field

playing for high stakes

▪ We’re playing for high stakes here.

playing head games

▪ He’s obviously playing head games with you.

playing it straight (=being honest)

▪ I hope, for your sake, you’re playing it straight.

playing live

▪ The band is playing live in Birmingham tonight.

playing on the swings

▪ kids playing on the swings

playing singles

▪ I prefer playing singles.

playing to a full house

▪ Billy Graham is a speaker who can be sure of playing to a full house.

playing tricks on

▪ After walking for hours in the hot sun, his mind began playing tricks on him.

playing tricks

▪ The girls were playing tricks on their teacher.

playing...with...toys

▪ Annie was playing happily with her toys.

play/perform an essential role in sth

▪ Antibiotics play an essential role in controlling infection.

play/sing in a band (=be a musician or singer in a band)

▪ Budd played in a rock band.

play...trump card (=use his advantage)

▪ But then he decided to play his trump card.

play...venues (=perform at)

▪ The band will play as many venues as possible.

plug and play

puppet show/theatre/play

▪ a 20-minute puppet show

ruled out foul play

▪ Detectives have not ruled out foul play.

sense of fair play

▪ This kind of behavior violates many people’s sense of fair play.

shoot/play pool

▪ We went to the pub and played pool.

suspect foul play

▪ The police said they had no reason to suspect foul play.

suspect murder/foul play

▪ The position of the body led the police to suspect murder.

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADVERB

around

▪ Not that she minded Jack playing around because she knew that one day he would be hers.

▪ He played around with both boys and girls and he was capable of uncontrolled violence.

▪ My little girl loves playing around to music.

▪ Why were men able to play around with any sort of drab?

▪ It is generally true that PageMaker users find out about some 80-90% of the program's capabilities just by playing around.

▪ Because of the way my grandfather lived, getting drunk and playing around, his son suffered.

▪ She encourages customers to play around with samples so they feel they are helping to design their own rooms.

▪ No one wants to walk around playing the way I did last year.

well

▪ I agree he plays well enough for Eire tho.

▪ The Raiders had enough incentive to play well Sunday.

▪ As for the two principals, they play well if not brilliantly together as the star-crossed lovers.

▪ The promise of massive tax cuts is a political staple that has always played well in the past.

▪ From what I saw of the match he played well.

▪ We played well against them in New York.

▪ When he was playing well and winning, he still hit diabolical shots that you couldn't believe.

▪ I expect us to go out and play well.

■ NOUN

ball

▪ The first option is to play the ball as it lies.

▪ If she scored high enough, she would come to the university and play ball.

▪ These are the two accepted ways of playing the rising ball.

▪ This year, the labor situation is still unsettled, but Dewey is ready to go to Arizona and play ball.

▪ You may return to where the original stroke was played and, under a one-stroke penalty, play another ball.

▪ I played rookie ball and Class-A.

▪ Children were playing and throwing a ball for each other to catch.

▪ In other words, let somebody else play with the ball occasionally.

band

▪ In high season the village brass band plays regular concerts and there are waterski displays most weeks.

▪ Lightning struck twice when the band played the wedding of friend Brian Setzer, the rockabilly guitarist and ex-Stray Cat.

▪ The soldiers were lined up in the square again, flags waved, the band played the welcoming march.

▪ The band still plays 100 concerts a year.

▪ When the band started to play again after their break he danced only once with Lily, but twice with Madge.

▪ Sensing the audience craving for that golden era, the band played it up.

card

▪ Oh, no - she knew how to play her cards right.

▪ As a result, they must learn to play their cards differently.

▪ Berger moved past the men who were playing cards.

▪ Previously, the company had a reputation of playing its cards close to its chest.

▪ Mugabe now plays the race card.

▪ Hardaway has played his final card.

▪ It is a team game played by picking cards and describing as many entries before the timer runs out.

▪ He played cards with Mrs Bedwin and listened to stories about her family.

character

▪ Because she played a character we liked.

▪ Redford played a character where everything came easy.

▪ Rex may be the ideal idol to many men but you will have to settle with playing his character in the game.

▪ What Ullman wants is to play every character in her imagination, at great personal sacrifice.

▪ According to Robin Williams, who plays Peter, the character has the business world at his mercy.

▪ Woodard plays this conflicted character at an Emmy / CableACE level.

▪ He narrates most of the film and his real-life son Guillaume plays his character as a young man.

▪ Sister Aimee herself-in fetching costume-always played the lead character.

child

▪ You get the child who plays for safety and draws what he has drawn before.

▪ If your child enjoys playing with trains, this is a marvelous opportunity to take advantage of that interest.

▪ The child wants to play with other children.

▪ If children play on or next to the track, this video warns, they're putting their own lives at risk.

▪ Some self-absorbed children play elaborate fantasy games by themselves, and one can admire their creativity and imagination.

▪ When you have some one in pain and a child who wants to play, you have to deal with the pain first.

▪ Younger children can play the software, but it was not designed for them.

football

▪ I wondered if any of them had ever played football with Romario.

▪ He had played football in college and claimed he had an instinct for battle.

▪ He insisted on returning to his old school, where he passed his exams and regularly plays football.

▪ Benny, you ever play football?

▪ Leeds do play a lot of football, but they hit a long ball as well.

▪ We want him to play football.

▪ He played league football at 50.

▪ They still play attractive football, but there is no end product.

game

▪ It was a game they played.

▪ How can we recognize when a game is being played?

▪ But of the five games played since her injury, the Ducks have won four.

▪ It was the first time Yusupov has ever beaten Karpov, and leaves the scores level with three games left to play.

▪ They have 17 games left to play.

▪ It was like a trick, a game she had played.

▪ Book No. 9 came from a game we used to play together when we were kids called Mary Weatherworth.

games

▪ The Dauphin was showing Henry that he was just a stupid kid who should still be playing games.

▪ Also, Arias played in 84 games with the Angels last year.

▪ About twenty or twenty-five guests would assemble at six o'clock, and we would play party games until supper.

▪ About 2. 7 million households have people who play computer games.

▪ Had to play games too, and felt dead.

▪ He treated the piglet tenderly, played games with it, and spoke to it as if to a child.

▪ I don't care to play out my silly games before the assembled company.

golf

▪ We used to play golf, but went by the board when he moved.

▪ But he played splendid golf, which at least kept his fans in good spirits.

▪ Steve's been playing golf for 18 months now.

▪ But you just watch Nick Faldo play a round of golf in a Major, no-one does it better.

▪ By six I was playing golf.

▪ But for those who take the plunge there is plenty to keep them amused, particularly if they play bowls or golf.

▪ In those days, hardly anybody around here played golf.

match

▪ Traditionally traders play farmers in the match, which has no referee and no rules.

▪ Braking, he thought of matches a child had been playing with, matches spilled from a box.

▪ Female speaker Don't play with matches and don't play near fires.

▪ The tragedy was that Rochford played no more than 80 matches for his county.

▪ Extra Time - Can be played if a cup match is drawn.

▪ We played the match and won, and just before saying goodbye I said I'd see him at Birkdale.

▪ You played in that match when I crocked my knee.

▪ But if Liverpool are playing in a big match, we let them stay up until the end.

music

▪ It will help if you lie down and have some very soft music playing.

▪ Fraser and I both studied classical music and revived it playing traditional stuff.

▪ Inside the music was still playing.

▪ He has taught himself to paint, to write music, play the flute, to write.

▪ All the players walk around the room while the music is being played.

▪ Fortunately, there's usually groovy soul music playing and eye-catching art adorning the walls.

▪ I threw myself into organising the funeral, picking out the music I wanted played.

▪ As one might suspect for addicted musicians, music plays a very small role in their lives.

part

▪ Particular attention is paid to ageism, and the part counselling can play in combating its effects.

▪ One is the extraordinary part that women have played in the spread of the movement.

▪ Finally he considers the part education should play.

▪ In fact, it often appeared that the part men play in some pentecostal churches is more shadow than substance.

▪ However, computers do have a large part to play in education.

▪ What part precisely did Leonardo play in developing the human imagination?

▪ Perhaps this explains the exceptional range of the parts he played.

piano

▪ He rarely drank, never smoked and played the piano, but not for the purposes of a sing-song.

▪ Terrasson, who was born in Berlin and grew up in Paris, began playing piano at 5.

▪ He cycled to the school, and he played the piano.

▪ She played the piano for an hour every Thursday at a Northeast Austin retirement home.

▪ Anne was playing the piano, and singing quietly to herself.

▪ If Tiffani wants to play the piano, he has decided that she will have the lessons.

▪ Jobim sings or plays piano or guitar on every selection.

role

▪ Activities include group exercises, role playing and much feedback and discussion.

▪ The leading role played by Mary at the Crucifixion and Resurrection needs no re-telling.

▪ It has a positive role to play in an organisation, and that role is particularly emphasised in this chapter.

▪ Congress still has a big role to play in shaping the missile defence budget.

▪ Although Napoleon was not much use on this occasion, the full-size skeleton has an important role to play in the future.

▪ Obviously, sponsors have a very important role to play.

▪ Wages councils, set up in the early 1900s, have no role to play in the 1990s, ministers argue.

▪ The article, instead, juxtaposes the practice with the important role played by women in that patriarchal society.

rule

▪ They were all playing by the same rules.

▪ No significant playing rules changes are in the works.

▪ Anyone can do it so long as they are not criminals or kids, and promise to play by the rules.

▪ They'd played by the rules and made what was often an unpleasant ocean voyage that cost them most of their savings.

▪ This panto is playing strictly by the rules.

▪ Jody is not playing by the rules he values.

▪ All games to be played according to pre-arranged rules.

▪ Whether the department has to play by the same rules is debatable.

team

▪ It is a team game played by picking cards and describing as many entries before the timer runs out.

▪ The eight teams will play a round-robin tournament beginning on July 21, with the top four advancing to single-elimination semifinals.

▪ As head coach Mike White noted this week, that emphasis has paid off with much improved special teams play.

▪ Some of the team also had to play a couple of games up on stage.

▪ He forced team play in his unit.

▪ I realize our team plays that much better when certain guys get into it.

■ VERB

continue

▪ Findings show that A-levels continue to play a dominant role in regulating entry to Higher Education.

▪ I wish they would continue to play at the Forum.

▪ Manchester United continue to play with fire, losing 2-1 against Anderlecht.

▪ In the meantime, the two opposing counsels continue to play a role that is unusually public.

▪ At the Boma Ground stadium children continue to play football.

▪ You have great teams and then it takes a while to continue to play at a pace that your fans like.

▪ The same can not be said for Sharp who has continued to play well below anybody else on the team every game.

▪ Robert Jenkins continues to play left tackle, as Harlow recovers from a nerve problem that affects his hip and back.

start

▪ He started playing instruments at age 5, imitating his father, who was a proficient multi-instrumentalist.

▪ If he starts playing with the keys attached to the back of their belts, they push him away.

▪ One starts playing a harmonica, the others form a circle.

▪ A string orchestra should have started to play an old-fashioned waltz.

▪ The girls just started playing for real two weeks ago.

▪ In one way I regret it, which is a reason why I think I should have started playing professionally later on.

▪ I started playing blackjack, and I was winning all over the place-won eight hundred on one hand.

want

▪ The better you get, the more you want to play.

▪ What Ullman wants is to play every character in her imagination, at great personal sacrifice.

▪ But von Steinholz wanted to play a waiting game and see where the trail led him.

▪ Like I said, I always wanted to play here.

▪ You get the feeling that if he wants to play the hard-assed producer, he can.

▪ By junior high, she knew she wanted to play college ball.

▪ You obviously have an interest in the world about you and want to play a part in preserving it.

▪ The sources have said Johnston definitely needs surgery if he wants to play football again.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

a level playing field

act/play the goat

all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy)

fair play to sb

full-length play/book/film etc

▪ How to turn a tightly compressed event into a full-length book?

have a part to play (in sth)

▪ All of us have a part to play.

▪ But literacy and the written word do have a part to play.

▪ However, the latter have a part to play from the period of nursery rhymes and finger and other basic-activity games.

▪ Look and Say does have a part to play.

▪ Might farm schools have a part to play?

▪ Models can be useful and have a part to play, if built on a sound theoretical basis.

▪ Now I think that the woman lawyer has been foregrounded as if the law actually does have a part to play.

▪ Now, many of the other items are also sound and have a part to play but they could be improved upon.

play (a game of) cat and mouse (with sb)

▪ For the rest of the hunting season, the saboteurs will play a cat and mouse game with the huntsmen.

▪ They played cat and mouse with the Bay, now scrambling for the outside, now sneaking back in.

play (merry) hell with sth

▪ Ace's proximity was playing hell with her hormones.

▪ Strangulation was all very well, but it played merry hell with the eyeballs.

play Cupid (to someone)

play a part

▪ He was to go on to play a major part in the success of the new government.

▪ It is not yet known if weather conditions played a part in the accident.

▪ Many cases of breast cancer have genetic causes, but environmental substances may also play a part.

▪ Of course, the pay played some part in my decision to take the job.

▪ The genius of the two designers has played a big part in the company's recent success.

▪ They've certainly worked very hard, but luck has played a part too.

▪ But big-city gangsters also play a part.

▪ Host factors such as transit time may also play a part.

▪ Organisation during the visit can play a part.

▪ Therefore all immunosuppressive factors can play a part.

▪ This is just an actor playing a part.

▪ We are delighted that the Victoria Art Gallery can play a part in this.

▪ With regard to charging at the door, again fear must play part in her behaviour.

▪ Yet here he was expecting to play a part that would make her hair stand on end.

play cupid

play dirty

▪ I hate playing basketball with Bill - he always plays dirty.

▪ Warren was willing to play dirty in order to get the job.

play fair

▪ A mystery novel should play fair with the reader, providing all the clues necessary to solve the crime.

▪ In international trade, very few countries play fair.

▪ The film company says that it played fair in all its contract dealings with the actors' unions.

▪ Bates, however, decided yesterday to play fair and own up about his mistress.

▪ But ideally they should play fair and put their children's interests first.

▪ But Wilson played fair - she did not encourage him.

▪ I trust they play fair, but who knows?

▪ Most also believe it is up to the government to ensure businesses do play fair.

▪ No one who witnessed these debates has ever suggested that Lewis played fair.

▪ Yet the private interests themselves were hardly playing fair.

play fetch

▪ After that, they played fetch with a stick Master found.

play footsie (with sb)

▪ And, even then, Morris played footsie with prominent Republicans, such as Sen.

▪ But who will otherwise leave her undisturbed to play footsie with sweet Riva under the very nose of the current ben Issachar.

▪ Fed up with playing footsie with your missus?

play games (with sb)

▪ Many taxpayers try to play games on their tax returns.

▪ We want an agreement. We're not interested in playing games.

▪ At this Internet chess site, dozens of people around the world are playing games at the same time.

▪ Do we suspect life is a chessboard even though we know that you don't play games?

▪ He plays no budgetary games nor does he tolerate finance people playing games with him.

▪ If they want to play games with their parachutes, then that is their affair.

▪ Surveys show millions of workers use their office computers to play games, surf the Net or worse.

▪ That's just me playing games.

▪ The people played games to pass the time during the winter too.

play hardball

▪ It is clear that the company is ready to play hardball with the unions.

▪ The Deputy Prime Minister told reporters that Canada was ready to play hardball with the US.

▪ Toymaker Mattel is getting ready to play hardball in an effort to persuade Hasbro to reconsider a merger.

▪ PITTSBURGHThe Steelers and Pirates found out voters can play hardball, too.

▪ This is playing hardball, but it is hardball of a sort familiar in these dealings.

▪ Well, we can play hardball, too.

play hooky

▪ A boy playing hooky in Texas is not a criminal who is put away for study.

▪ Abraham and MacGregor begin tasting that delicious sense of playing hooky from life, just like two big, naughty kids.

▪ Maricela Roman will never forget the day her own 4-year-old ratted on her when she tried to play hooky.

play it cool

▪ Traci insists that she is going to play it cool with Brad.

▪ Plus, playing it cool ... the dark secrets of an orchid grower And, who said Robins could sing?

▪ Rather than rushing into print in Nature, however, Cantor played it cool and cautious.

▪ She was trying to play it cool.

▪ The band had wanted a major deal for at least two years previously, but were determined to play it cool.

▪ Tod's playing it cool, of course, as always.

play possum

▪ Glover eased back in his chair and played possum.

play rough

▪ And the Sabres were determined to play rough.

play sth by ear

▪ As he has no political party that can provide him with practical support, he is forced to play it by ear.

▪ At 2, he played the piano by ear.

▪ But the government is having to play it by ear.

▪ He heard jazz records at home when very young and played piano by ear.

▪ So each played it by ear, with resulting policy shifts that often appeared to be not only sudden but incomprehensible.

▪ Well, she would play it by ear.

play to the gallery

play truant

▪ Billy was caught playing truant and has been given extra homework for a month.#

▪ He'd played hooky again and ridden the train out to Brooklyn.#

play your cards right

▪ If you play your cards right, you might get them to reduce the price.

▪ Oh, no - she knew how to play her cards right.

▪ The domino effect can work for us as well as against us if we play our cards right.

▪ This could all turn out for the best if he played his cards right.

play/act the fool

▪ Don't play the fool with me. You know why I moved away.

▪ But the trouble with the picture is that it does absolutely nothing with its various prognostications except play the fool with them.

▪ Dominic and Lee had been playing the fool as only young men can.

▪ Don't go acting the fool, Carl.

▪ He acted the fool, losing at first to whet their appetites, but in an hour emptied his three victims' purses.

▪ He likes me to play the fool.

▪ In class he never played the fool, never challenged the teacher.

▪ Narouz had been angry, first with the girl for playing the fool and then with the eunuch for not finding her.

▪ Those on the path of mastery are willing to take chances, play the fool....

play/keep your cards close to your chest

play/star/appear etc opposite sb

sb's memory is playing tricks on them

sth is child's play

take/have/play no part in sth

▪ Herrera, personally, took no part in this mild form of political persecution.

▪ Johnny played no part in this world.

▪ Of course, Laura took no part in such a major business decision; the empire builder was Bernard.

▪ Schuster insists his political connections played no part in the choice.

▪ The mostly white jurors who actually sat in the jury room, insisted that race had played no part in their decision.

▪ The very act of imagining Gods exempt from suffering ensures that humans take no part in the deity.

▪ They are evaluated and yet play no part in defining the criteria, determining the methods, or controlling the process.

▪ This is not to say that economic imperatives play no part in penal developments.

the state of play

▪ I can't comment on the state of play in the negotiations.

▪ Depends, of course, on the state of play.

▪ Gerry, what's the state of play?

▪ Let me remind you of the state of play at that time.

▪ That's the state of play in Milton Keynes where Labour lost four seats, and control.

turnabout is fair play

two can play at that game

violent film/play/drama

▪ He thought of hitting Guy, saw himself doing it, like some violent film, slow-motion.

▪ His nose was broken in two places by a player he had sent off for violent play.

▪ They have a violent film then they have a violent advert.

well done!/well played!

when the cat's away (the mice will play)

work/play etc your butt off

▪ He took a beating today but he played his butt off.

▪ I had to give the ball up, and then I had work my butt off to get it back.

▪ I work my butt off for you, while that restaurant is doing worse and worse.

▪ I worked my butt off in basketball and stayed on the varsity-in fact, did well.

▪ In short, I worked my butt off.

▪ Meanwhile, Inspiral Carpets went in at grass roots level and worked their butts off in the clubs.

▪ You could have worked your butt off helping a rep and you finally got the rep doing everything right.

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ "They played well against us," Cooper said, "I have to give them credit."

▪ Ask Alex if he wants to play.

▪ Charles likes to play Celtic music on his flute.

▪ Come on - let's go inside and play house!

▪ Did you ever play doctors and nurses when you were small?

▪ Do you play in an orchestra?

▪ Do you know how to play backgammon?

▪ Every Sunday we play Monopoly or some other board game.

▪ I'm playing in a tennis match this Sunday.

▪ I've only played chess a few times.

▪ I played the ace of clubs and won the game.

▪ I didn't know you could play the violin.

▪ I have a recording of Kreisler playing Bach's E major concerto.

▪ I used to play tennis all the time.

▪ Ian was upstairs playing with his new train set.

▪ It's been a long time since I played hockey.

▪ Jimmy was playing with a little boat in the bathtub.

▪ Karl loves basketball and plays almost every weekend.

▪ Kendra's in her room playing.

▪ Matt plays the drums.

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ Age-sensitive political issues such as Social Security and Medicare will play a major role in the campaign, of course.

▪ Blake's composing and playing are, perhaps ironically, bristling with life.

▪ In the Pittsburgh-Bills game, I have to like the way Buffalo is playing.

▪ Relaxing music is played at the beginning of the float and again at the end to indicate your time is up.

▪ She tried to teach him how to play the piano, but he had no great talent for it.

▪ The neck feels solid and moderately chubby, although not immediately reminiscent of anything I've played before.

▪ Your child can play all three goats and you the troll if there are just the two of you.

II.noun

COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS

■ ADJECTIVE

big

▪ Mills makes big plays and is a very good runner after the catch.

▪ Consequently, our club got a big play from any and all officer personnel on the base camp.

▪ Except for one breakdown, San Diego refused to give up big plays, the Raiders' trademark so far.

▪ He kept telling Johnson he was going to make big plays and score the winning shot.

▪ He has made big plays at very important times.

▪ The strategy stole the big play away from the Raiders, turning them into a ball-control team.

fair

▪ Only in a secure Britain can we break down barriers and give people a real sense of fair play.

▪ There are still people out there who teach and practice fair play, sportsmanship, and competition.

▪ As a nation we pride ourselves on our strong sense of sportsmanship and fair play.

▪ Aladdin was very good-natured and had a sense of fair play.

▪ It was fair play, wasn't it, my lad, absolutely fair play.

▪ In fact, the Globe favored public ownership but believed in fair play for the private interests.

great

▪ The Minister made great play of environmental issues.

▪ He had no idea what he was doing or why, but he made a great play anyway.

▪ Sometimes, you make the great plays.

▪ Spittals made great play of tapping the microphones and checking that they worked before he introduced the superintendent.

new

▪ They had just one minute to pull us into a new reality and a new play.

▪ But he became as well known for his work in new plays as for his Shakespeare.

▪ She has no strategy to share, no new plays to run.

▪ She had little or no reputation for doing the new plays then in vogue.

▪ Well before it closed, Alvin was involved in rehearsals for two new plays.

▪ The King's Men had to have a new play for a special day like that.

▪ But the jitters and anxieties usually associated with a starring role in a new play are nowhere to be seen.

■ NOUN

area

▪ Outside, there is a pool and children's play area.

▪ Nets encase the play area for safety.

▪ There's Sunsplash centre and the separate Oasis pool, both with shallow play areas.

▪ The Devon Coast Holiday Park enjoys sea views and has a small children's play area.

▪ Farm walks, picnic and play area, barn cafe and shop, teaching room.

▪ Beautiful parkland with avenues and lakes; picnic area; gift shop; woodland play area.

nativity

▪ At his first school, Stockwell Junior School, David dressed up for the first time in a school nativity play.

▪ Recently he went to his children's school nativity play.

▪ Already there are plans to put on nativity plays and join local children at a carol service.

▪ This time he was putting his heart into playing an angel in a Nativity play at the local church.

power

▪ It was a power play but it worked.

▪ He has really helped out our power play.

▪ Systems of knowledge, or anything else, are actually a power play, according to deconstructionists.

▪ She didn't need that kind of rich man's power play and didn't appreciate it one bit.

▪ Boston cut the deficit to 3-1 when right wing Sandy Moger scored on the power play for his sixth goal.

▪ A romantic comedy, or power play, is enacted above.

▪ Ray Sheppard scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on the power play at 11: 05 of the third period.

role

▪ Discussion should take place regarding the learning methods, i.e. practical work, discussions, role play, tutorials and individual study.

▪ Then role play that scene with others from the group.

▪ We'd done this lots of times, role play, in Soc.

▪ Alter each role play, have group members provide feedback on what the person did well and what aspects need improvement.

▪ Then the role play can be pursued as in any of 1 to 3 above.

▪ Units comprise discussion, reading, role play, writing assignment, vocabulary building, practice in points of grammar.

school

▪ From childish disappointment when Anne's parents forget to attend the school play, to the adolescent discoveries in the town park.

▪ So, I was enrolled in the Royal Academy, and got the lead in the school play.

▪ The three wise men became three wise people in the school play - one of them a woman.

▪ I did a drugs awareness sketch and got a small part in the school play which was Twelfth Night.

▪ Once a year I attended the school play.

▪ Introductions and commentaries by children on videos of school plays are also very effective.

▪ If there is a school play try to appropriate as many costumes as possible at the end of it.

▪ Rugby was played vigorously, music flourished, the school plays were of high quality.

■ VERB

bring

▪ In so doing, this overrides the channel selector, bringing both channels into play at once.

▪ Or could that most newly discovered of all scientific miracles, electricity, be brought into play?

▪ Indeed, it is not surprising that a member of this particular grammatical category should have been brought into play here.

▪ Successive rounds of screening bring into play more criteria until the short list is reached.

▪ Interrelated as these four issues undoubtedly are, they do each bring into play independent considerations.

▪ It may have the means, but be unwilling or unable to bring them into play at a particular time.

▪ Compression of this sort, practised more widely, might succeed in bringing the play over into a new medium.

come

▪ But that's easier said than done when financial factors come into play.

▪ Fourth, if speculators bet that the above factors will come into play.

▪ But, in the privacy of the polling booth, cooler and more hard-headed calculations came into play.

▪ Only after that does cost come into play in deciding whom to protect and at what level.

▪ Judicial review may also come into play in the potentially fraught area of contracted-out services.

▪ Mubsan is a legal concept; it comes into play in cases of adultery, where it can increase the penalty.

▪ Here we see Bukharin's concept of equilibrium coming into play.

▪ All of these things have come into play.

make

▪ Kramer wondered if she was worth making a play for.

▪ The Sonics, not the Rockets, have made the necessary plays for victory.

perform

▪ Now, some children are performing plays with very different themes.

▪ By his retirement in 1955 he had performed in over 200 plays.

▪ There was a youth group being set up to perform a play which was about teenage gay men and lesbians and their experiences.

▪ I got involved in that so that by mid-1977 I was performing in a play which was actually saying that I was gay.

▪ If you think your acting is good enough, perform the play for your Pack.

▪ The performed plays, and the acting, were in conscious competition for prizes.

▪ The craftsmen of the local Guilds had been performing a play on the Feast of Corpus Christi for eighty years.

write

▪ For the moment, he obviously has more urgent tasks than writing plays.

▪ This beautifully written play is about universal human longing for love and happiness.

▪ Will you write me another play?

▪ He had written a few plays in his early twenties; one of them had been produced off-off Broadway to good reviews.

▪ He's written plays for Radio Four and Channel Four.

▪ Previous studies Hamilton says that whoever wrote the will also wrote the play.

▪ They are probably going to write another play based on my suggestions.

▪ Look, writing for films is different than writing plays.

PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

(play) a/the waiting game

▪ Although most people were relieved that the waiting game was over, the first days and nights were nerve-racking.

▪ But von Steinholz wanted to play a waiting game and see where the trail led him.

▪ Friday, and volunteer fireman Dave Papenfuss said it was purely a waiting game after that.

▪ It was a waiting game now, she thought anxiously.

▪ Lucy only wished that she could have more of the patience required to play a waiting game.

▪ She had played a waiting game with great skill in the 1540s.

▪ The Danley strike, like many others, was a waiting game and a numbers game.

▪ Unfortunately, with work inhibition, the waiting game only ensures future problems.

a level playing field

all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy)

fair play to sb

full-length play/book/film etc

▪ How to turn a tightly compressed event into a full-length book?

have a part to play (in sth)

▪ All of us have a part to play.

▪ But literacy and the written word do have a part to play.

▪ However, the latter have a part to play from the period of nursery rhymes and finger and other basic-activity games.

▪ Look and Say does have a part to play.

▪ Might farm schools have a part to play?

▪ Models can be useful and have a part to play, if built on a sound theoretical basis.

▪ Now I think that the woman lawyer has been foregrounded as if the law actually does have a part to play.

▪ Now, many of the other items are also sound and have a part to play but they could be improved upon.

level the playing field

play (a game of) cat and mouse (with sb)

▪ For the rest of the hunting season, the saboteurs will play a cat and mouse game with the huntsmen.

▪ They played cat and mouse with the Bay, now scrambling for the outside, now sneaking back in.

play (merry) hell with sth

▪ Ace's proximity was playing hell with her hormones.

▪ Strangulation was all very well, but it played merry hell with the eyeballs.

play Cupid (to someone)

play cupid

play dirty

▪ I hate playing basketball with Bill - he always plays dirty.

▪ Warren was willing to play dirty in order to get the job.

play fair

▪ A mystery novel should play fair with the reader, providing all the clues necessary to solve the crime.

▪ In international trade, very few countries play fair.

▪ The film company says that it played fair in all its contract dealings with the actors' unions.

▪ Bates, however, decided yesterday to play fair and own up about his mistress.

▪ But ideally they should play fair and put their children's interests first.

▪ But Wilson played fair - she did not encourage him.

▪ I trust they play fair, but who knows?

▪ Most also believe it is up to the government to ensure businesses do play fair.

▪ No one who witnessed these debates has ever suggested that Lewis played fair.

▪ Yet the private interests themselves were hardly playing fair.

play fetch

▪ After that, they played fetch with a stick Master found.

play footsie (with sb)

▪ And, even then, Morris played footsie with prominent Republicans, such as Sen.

▪ But who will otherwise leave her undisturbed to play footsie with sweet Riva under the very nose of the current ben Issachar.

▪ Fed up with playing footsie with your missus?

play games (with sb)

▪ Many taxpayers try to play games on their tax returns.

▪ We want an agreement. We're not interested in playing games.

▪ At this Internet chess site, dozens of people around the world are playing games at the same time.

▪ Do we suspect life is a chessboard even though we know that you don't play games?

▪ He plays no budgetary games nor does he tolerate finance people playing games with him.

▪ If they want to play games with their parachutes, then that is their affair.

▪ Surveys show millions of workers use their office computers to play games, surf the Net or worse.

▪ That's just me playing games.

▪ The people played games to pass the time during the winter too.

play hardball

▪ It is clear that the company is ready to play hardball with the unions.

▪ The Deputy Prime Minister told reporters that Canada was ready to play hardball with the US.

▪ Toymaker Mattel is getting ready to play hardball in an effort to persuade Hasbro to reconsider a merger.

▪ PITTSBURGHThe Steelers and Pirates found out voters can play hardball, too.

▪ This is playing hardball, but it is hardball of a sort familiar in these dealings.

▪ Well, we can play hardball, too.

play hooky

▪ A boy playing hooky in Texas is not a criminal who is put away for study.

▪ Abraham and MacGregor begin tasting that delicious sense of playing hooky from life, just like two big, naughty kids.

▪ Maricela Roman will never forget the day her own 4-year-old ratted on her when she tried to play hooky.

play it cool

▪ Traci insists that she is going to play it cool with Brad.

▪ Plus, playing it cool ... the dark secrets of an orchid grower And, who said Robins could sing?

▪ Rather than rushing into print in Nature, however, Cantor played it cool and cautious.

▪ She was trying to play it cool.

▪ The band had wanted a major deal for at least two years previously, but were determined to play it cool.

▪ Tod's playing it cool, of course, as always.

play possum

▪ Glover eased back in his chair and played possum.

play rough

▪ And the Sabres were determined to play rough.

play sth by ear

▪ As he has no political party that can provide him with practical support, he is forced to play it by ear.

▪ At 2, he played the piano by ear.

▪ But the government is having to play it by ear.

▪ He heard jazz records at home when very young and played piano by ear.

▪ So each played it by ear, with resulting policy shifts that often appeared to be not only sudden but incomprehensible.

▪ Well, she would play it by ear.

play to the gallery

play truant

▪ Billy was caught playing truant and has been given extra homework for a month.#

▪ He'd played hooky again and ridden the train out to Brooklyn.#

play your cards right

▪ If you play your cards right, you might get them to reduce the price.

▪ Oh, no - she knew how to play her cards right.

▪ The domino effect can work for us as well as against us if we play our cards right.

▪ This could all turn out for the best if he played his cards right.

play/act the fool

▪ Don't play the fool with me. You know why I moved away.

▪ But the trouble with the picture is that it does absolutely nothing with its various prognostications except play the fool with them.

▪ Dominic and Lee had been playing the fool as only young men can.

▪ Don't go acting the fool, Carl.

▪ He acted the fool, losing at first to whet their appetites, but in an hour emptied his three victims' purses.

▪ He likes me to play the fool.

▪ In class he never played the fool, never challenged the teacher.

▪ Narouz had been angry, first with the girl for playing the fool and then with the eunuch for not finding her.

▪ Those on the path of mastery are willing to take chances, play the fool....

play/keep your cards close to your chest

play/star/appear etc opposite sb

sth is child's play

take/have/play no part in sth

▪ Herrera, personally, took no part in this mild form of political persecution.

▪ Johnny played no part in this world.

▪ Of course, Laura took no part in such a major business decision; the empire builder was Bernard.

▪ Schuster insists his political connections played no part in the choice.

▪ The mostly white jurors who actually sat in the jury room, insisted that race had played no part in their decision.

▪ The very act of imagining Gods exempt from suffering ensures that humans take no part in the deity.

▪ They are evaluated and yet play no part in defining the criteria, determining the methods, or controlling the process.

▪ This is not to say that economic imperatives play no part in penal developments.

the state of play

▪ I can't comment on the state of play in the negotiations.

▪ Depends, of course, on the state of play.

▪ Gerry, what's the state of play?

▪ Let me remind you of the state of play at that time.

▪ That's the state of play in Milton Keynes where Labour lost four seats, and control.

turnabout is fair play

two can play at that game

violent film/play/drama

▪ He thought of hitting Guy, saw himself doing it, like some violent film, slow-motion.

▪ His nose was broken in two places by a player he had sent off for violent play.

▪ They have a violent film then they have a violent advert.

well done!/well played!

when the cat's away (the mice will play)

work/play etc your butt off

▪ He took a beating today but he played his butt off.

▪ I had to give the ball up, and then I had work my butt off to get it back.

▪ I work my butt off for you, while that restaurant is doing worse and worse.

▪ I worked my butt off in basketball and stayed on the varsity-in fact, did well.

▪ In short, I worked my butt off.

▪ Meanwhile, Inspiral Carpets went in at grass roots level and worked their butts off in the clubs.

▪ You could have worked your butt off helping a rep and you finally got the rep doing everything right.

EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES

▪ "Pygmalion" was one of Shaw's most famous plays.

▪ On the next play, Ervin caught a forty-yard pass to score a touchdown.

▪ Parents need to understand the importance of play in a child's development.

▪ The play is about two men on trial for murder.

▪ There's a huge difference in the level of play from college to the NFL.

▪ There needs to be a little more play in the fan belt for it to work right.

EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS

▪ After Troilus and Cressida almost any play is a relief, even the brothel scenes of Pericles.

▪ Episodes are based on dialogues, role play and cloze exercises, with the emphasis on building awareness of language appropriateness.

▪ He chose to do this by re-writing the scene in the form of a script for a play.

▪ His doubts only increased when he performed another job, midway to finally making up his mind about the Bolt play.

▪ Make enough plays like that and nobody in the clubhouse will care if you ever say a word.

▪ These characters can be used to start play very quickly, saving time for eager players!

▪ This brings into play an area of training known as free sparring.

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Play

Play \Play\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Played; p. pr. & vb. n. Playing.] [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown origin. [root]28. Cf. Plight, n.]

To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot.

As Cannace was playing in her walk.
--Chaucer.

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play!
--Pope.

And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword.
--Keble.
To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.

``Nay,'' quod this monk, ``I have no lust to pleye.''
--Chaucer.

Men are apt to play with their healths.
--Sir W. Temple.
To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.
To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute.

One that . . . can play well on an instrument.
--Ezek. xxxiii. 32.

Play, my friend, and charm the charmer.
--Granville.
To act; to behave; to practice deception.

His mother played false with a smith.
--Shak.
To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays.

The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play.
--Cheyne.
To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.

Even as the waving sedges play with wind.
--Shak.

The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets.
--Addison.

All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart.
--Pope.
To act on the stage; to personate a character. A lord will hear your play to-night. --Shak. Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne. To play into a person's hands, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit. To play off, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice. To play upon.
1. To make sport of; to deceive.
  
  Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight.
  --Shak.
2. To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words.

Play

Play \Play\, v. t.

To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump.

First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul.
--Herbert.
To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.
To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin.
To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks.

Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies.
--Milton.
To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action; as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the woman.

Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt.
--Sir W. Scott.
To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball.
To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.

To play hob, to play the part of a mischievous spirit; to work mischief.

To play off, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks.

To play one's cards, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive.

Played out, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.]

Play

Play \Play\, n.

Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game.

John naturally loved rough play.
--Arbuthnot.
The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play.
Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. ``The next who comes in play.''
--Dryden.
A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action.

A play ought to be a just image of human nature.
--Dryden.
The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play.
Performance on an instrument of music.
Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. ``To give them play, front and rear.''
--Milton.

The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them.
--Moxon.
Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.

Play actor, an actor of dramas.
--Prynne.

Play debt, a gambling debt.
--Arbuthnot.

Play pleasure, idle amusement. [Obs.]
--Bacon.

A play upon words, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning.

Play of colors, prismatic variation of colors.

To bring into play, To come into play, to bring or come into use or exercise.

To hold in play, to keep occupied or employed.

I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play.
--Macaulay.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

play

Old English plegan, plegian "move rapidly, occupy or busy oneself, exercise; frolic; make sport of, mock; perform music," from West Germanic *plegan "occupy oneself about" (cognates: Old Saxon plegan "vouch for, take charge of," Old Frisian plega "tend to," Middle Dutch pleyen "to rejoice, be glad," German pflegen "take care of, cultivate"), from PIE root *dlegh- "to engage oneself," forming words in Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, and possibly Latin.\n

\nMeaning "to take part in a game" is from c.1200. Opposed to work (v.) since late 14c. Related: Played; playing. To play up "emphasize" is from 1909; to play down "minimize" is from 1930; to play along "cooperate" is from 1929. To play with oneself "masturbate" is from 1896; play for keeps is from 1861, originally of marbles or other children's games with tokens. To play second fiddle in the figurative sense is from 1809 ("Gil Blas"). To play into the hands (of someone) is from 1705. To play the _______ card is attested from 1886; to play fair is from mid-15c. To play (something) safe is from 1911; to play favorites is attested from 1902. For play the field see field (n.).

play

Old English plega (West Saxon), plæga (Anglian) "quick motion; recreation, exercise, any brisk activity" (the latter sense preserved in swordplay, etc.), from or related to Old English plegan (see play (v.)). Meaning "dramatic performance" is attested by early 14c., perhaps late Old English. Meaning "free or unimpeded movement" of mechanisms, etc., is from c.1200. By early Middle English it could mean variously, "a game, a martial sport, activity of children, joke or jesting, revelry, sexual indulgence." Sporting sense "the playing of a game" first attested mid-15c.; sense of "specific maneuver or attempt" is from 1868. To be in play (of a hit ball, etc.) is from 1788. Play-by-play is attested from 1927. Play on words is from 1798. Play-money is attested from 1705 as "money won in gambling," by 1920 as "pretend money."

Wiktionary

play

n. 1 (context uncountable formerly countable English) Activity for amusement only, especially among the young. 2 (context uncountable English) Similar activity, in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills. 3 (context uncountable ethology English) "Repeated, incompletely functional behavior differing from more serious versions ..., and initiated voluntarily when ... in a low-stress setting." 4 The conduct, or course of a game. 5 (context countable English) An individual's performance in a sport or game. 6 (context countable English) (''turn-based games'') An action carried out when it is one's turn to play. 7 (context countable English) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue. 8 (context countable English) A theatrical performance featuring actors. 9 (context countable English) A major move by a business. 10 (context countable English) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources. 11 (context uncountable English) The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely. 12 (context uncountable informal English) sexual role-playing. 13 (context countable English) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played. vb. 1 (lb en intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment. 2 (lb en ergative) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game). 3 # (lb en transitive) To compete against, in a game.

WordNet

play

n. a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway" [syn: drama, dramatic play]
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"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop" [syn: maneuver, manoeuvre]
a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"
an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention" [syn: bid]
play by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child" [syn: child's play]
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning" [syn: playing period, period of play]
the removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent" [syn: free rein]
a weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water" [syn: shimmer]
verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun" [syn: fun, sport]
movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel" [syn: looseness] [ant: tightness]
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly" [syn: frolic, romp, gambol, caper]
the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table" [syn: gambling, gaming]
the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play" [syn: turn]
the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully [syn: swordplay]

play

v. participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
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"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"
play on an instrument; "The band played all night long"
play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master" [syn: act, represent]
be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully" [syn: spiel]
perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad" [syn: act, act as]
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"; "She plays the races"
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike" [syn: recreate]
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"
engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stockmarket"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea" [syn: toy]
behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair"
cause to emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?" [syn: run]
manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate" [syn: toy, fiddle, diddle]
use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions"
consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" [syn: dally, trifle]
be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"
behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection" [syn: dally, toy, flirt]
cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'" [syn: act, roleplay, playact]
be performed; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area" [syn: bring, work, wreak, make for]
discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"
make bets; "Play the reaces"; "play the casinos in Trouville"
stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse" [syn: bet, wager]
shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night"
use or move; "I had to play my queen"
employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base"
contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary" [syn: meet, encounter, take on]
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish"

Gazetteer

Wikipedia

Play (play)

Play is a one-act play by Samuel Beckett. It was written between 1962 and 1963 and first produced in German as Spiel on 14 June 1963 at the Ulmer Theatre in Ulm-Donau, Germany, directed by Deryk Mendel, with Nancy Illig (W1), Sigfrid Pfeiffer (W2) and Gerhard Winter (M). The first performance in English was on 7 April 1964 at the Old Vic in London.

Play (TV series)

Play (stylized as >play) is a Canadian news magazine series, focusing on pop culture and entertainment, which aired on CBC Newsworld between 2002 and 2005. The show was hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, a former member of pop group Moxy Früvous. The show initially aired weekly. Then themed episodes aired once every several weeks. However, the show was cancelled due to poor ratings.

Play

Play may refer to:

Play (activity), enjoyed by animals, including humans
Play (theatre), structured literary form of theatre

Play (Great Big Sea album)

Play is the third studio album by Canadian band Great Big Sea released in May 1997.

It was belatedly released in Japan on March 9, 2016.

Play (Peter Gabriel video album)

Play: The Videos is a compilation DVD of music videos by Peter Gabriel, released in 2004. The DVD contains remastered audio tracks of songs in DTS 5.1 (DTS 96 kHz/24-bit) and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The new surround sound mixes were created by Daniel Lanois and Richard Chappell.

Play (EP)

Play is the second EP by British rock band Ride.

The EP was combined with its predecessor Ride to form the Smile mini-album for the US market in July, 1990. Two years later, in November, 1992, Smile was released the UK, too, after the British EPs had gone out of print.

Play (UK magazine)

Play (stylized as PLAY) is a monthly magazine produced by Imagine Publishing in the United Kingdom, which reports on Sony's PlayStation product range. It is the UK's longest-running PlayStation magazine. Issue 269, the magazine's final printed edition was published in April 2016, and it has since become a digital only publication. As well as being sold in the UK, PLAY is also sold in Australia. Though because of the distance between the two countries, Australia is one month behind, so some of the information may be inaccurate or old. Prior to issue 249, PLAY came with a covermounted DVD every issue.

Play (group)

Play was a Swedish pop girl group consisting of, in total, seven young women. Faye Hamlin, Anna Sundstrand, Anaïs Lameche, and Rosie Munter formed Play's original line-up from the band's formation from 2001 until late 2003. After founding member Faye left the group, fifth member Janet Leon joined Play to fill Hamlin's position as lead singer. In 2005, the group officially announced an "indefinite break" and split up. At that time, Play had sold almost one million albums. Four years later, in 2009, the group reformed with a new line up of three members consisting of Anaïs, Faye, and the sixth and oldest member of Play, Sanne Karlsson. In February 2011, an official statement was made that Faye had once again left the group in 2010 and would be replaced by Emelie Norenberg. It was announced in May 2011 that the band had separated for the second time.

Play (Moby album)

Play is the fifth studio album by American electronica musician Moby. It was first released on May 17, 1999 by V2 Records. Recording of the album began in 1998, following the release of his fourth album, Animal Rights (1996), which deviated from Moby's electronica style; his goal for Play was to return to this style of music. Originally intended to be his final record, the recording of the album took place at Moby's home studio in Manhattan, New York.

While some of Moby's earlier work garnered critical and commercial success within the electronic dance music scene, Play was both a critical success and a commercial phenomenon. The album introduced Moby to a worldwide mainstream audience, not only through a large number of hit singles (that helped the album to dominate worldwide charts for two years), but also through unprecedented licensing of his music in films, television, and commercial advertisements. It eventually became the biggest-selling album of its genre, with over 12 million copies sold worldwide.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 341 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was nominated for both a Grammy Award and Brit Award, was the UK's biggest selling independent album of 2000, and certified platinum status in more than 20 countries.

Play (Squeeze album)

Play is a 1991 album by the British new wave group Squeeze. It is the band's ninth album, and their only released by Reprise Records. It is the first LP in the Squeeze discography to feature only four official members instead of five ( Steve Nieve took on many of the keyboard duties that would have gone to Jools Holland in the past). Tony Berg produced the album. In the liner notes to the 1996 Squeeze compilation Excess Moderation, Glenn Tilbrook stated that he considers Play the beginning of Squeeze's "renaissance period." The album spent one week at number 41 in the UK Albums Chart in September 1991.

The liner notes to the album are, appropriately, in the form of a play that incorporates the lyrics of the songs in a script that also references the plays Our Town by Thornton Wilder and Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.

Play (BDSM)

Play, within BDSM circles, is any of the wide variety of " kinky" activities. This includes both physical and mental activities, covering a wide range of intensities and levels of social acceptability. The term originated in the BDSM club and party communities, indicating the activities taking place within a scene. It has since extended to the full range of BDSM activities.

Play can take many forms. It ranges from light "getting to know you" sessions where participants discover each other's likes and dislikes to extreme, extended play between committed individuals that know each other's limits and are willing to push or be pushed at their boundaries. While physical activities are better known and more infamous, it also includes 'mental play' such as erotic hypnosis and mind games.

BDSM play is usually the primary topic of negotiation, especially for casual players and limited scenes. Most BDSM clubs and local communities offer classes and materials about negotiating play scenes. Play safety is a major topic of discussion and debate within BDSM communities.

Play (Mexican band)

Play, also known as Grupo Play, is a teen Mexican band made in 2006 out of teenagers from the reality show for kids Código F.A.M.A. made by the giant company Televisa. There are 7 members in the band and only 6 out of 7 of the band were in a telenovela from Televisa. They have already had their debut CD released in Mexico. In their official website they state that their reality show, and telenovelas Código F.A.M.A., Alegrijes y Rebujos, and Mision S.O.S is behind them. The group disbanded in 2007 because of problems with their record label.

Play (telecommunications)

Play, P4 is a brand name of the fourth Polish cellular telecommunications provider.

Icelandic-led Novator acquired a large stake in the company.

Play (Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin album)

Play is an album by Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea.

Play (New York Times)

Play Magazine was a weekly online sports magazine, associated with The New York Times. The magazine was later published quarterly. It was first published in February 2006. Mark Bryant was the editor-in-chief of the magazine which ceased publication in Fall 2008.

Play (David Banner song)

"Play" is the second single released by rapper David Banner from his fourth studio album Certified. It was produced by Mr. Collipark.

Released in 2005, the single peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining his sole Top 10 hit and his best-performing single.

An alternate version, entitled the "Canadian Mix", features Kardinal Offishall and Solitair and appears on the single.

Play (Jennifer Lopez song)

"Play" is a song recorded by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her second studio album, J.Lo (2001). It was released on March 27, 2001, as the album's second single. The song was written by Cory Rooney, Christina Milian, Arnthor Birgisson, and Anders Bagge, with production done by the latter two under their production name, Bag & Arnthor. A dance-pop track, it was noted for its funky vibe, compared to the works of Prince and Madonna by critics. Over an electric guitar and a funky beat, Lopez sings about pleading a DJ to play her favorite song.

"Play" was a commercial success, peaking at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot 100 while charting within the top ten in over ten countries. Most notably, it reached number three in the United Kingdom. Its futuristic-themed music video was directed by Francis Lawrence. Additionally, "Play" was performed live by Lopez on numerous occasions, including at her Let's Get Loud concerts.

Play (S.H.E album)

Play is the eighth studio album by Taiwanese Mandopop girl group S.H.E. It was released on 11 May 2007 by HIM International Music. During the week of its release, Play accounted for over half of all Taiwanese album sales, beating out its runner up by over 40% of the market share. Over 100,000 copies of the album were pre-ordered; by mid-July, the sales total reached 500,000. Despite being tainted by cross-straits controversy, "Chinese Language", the album's lead single, earned six awards, including one for its music video. Due to the overall popularity of the album, Play became the first S.H.E album to warrant its own concert, which was held at the Tamshui Fisherman's Wharf in July.

The track, "五月天" (May Day) won one of the Top 10 Songs of the Year at the 2008 HITO Radio Music Awards presented by Taiwanese radio station Hit FM.

Play (US magazine)

Play was a U.S.-based magazine focused on video games, manga and anime, and other media such as film and television, comics, music. Published by Fusion Publishing between 2001 and 2010, play magazine also had a separate Internet presence on its website, playmagazine. The magazine's founder and editor-in-chief was Dave Halverson.

The magazine offered previews, reviews and opinion pieces on games, anime and other media, as the publishers believed there is significant overlap between the core audiences of these media. The website also contained reader polls, editor blogs, and extensive archives of past reviews.

Play magazine also published the annual "girls of gaming" issue featuring artwork of female video game, anime, and manga characters, often in provocative clothing and suggestive poses.

Play (Robyn song)

"Play" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn from her second studio album My Truth (1999). Robyn wrote the track in collaboration with Ulf Lindström and Johan Ekhé, who also helmed production. BMG Sweden released it as the album's second single on 21 July 1999 with the non-album song "Good Thang" as its B-side. Musically, "Play" contains some world music influences and a "playful" vibe.

"Play" received positive critical response and became Robyn's seventh consecutive top 40 entry on the Sverigetopplistan singles chart, where it peaked at number 31. The singer performed the song live while promoting the parent album, but the single itself received limited promotion. As with the album, "Play" was not serviced outside of Sweden.

Play (activity)

In psychology and ethology, play is a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with recreational pleasure and enjoyment. Play is commonly associated with children and juvenile-level activities, but play occurs at any life stage, and among other higher-functioning animals as well, most notably mammals.

Many prominent researchers in the field of psychology, including Melanie Klein, Jean Piaget, William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Lev Vygotsky have viewed play as confined to the human species, believing play was important for human development and using different research methods to prove their theories.

Play is often interpreted as frivolous; yet the player can be intently focused on their objective, particularly when play is structured and goal-oriented, as in a game. Accordingly, play can range from relaxed, free-spirited and spontaneous through frivolous to planned or even compulsive. Play is not just a pastime activity; it has the potential to serve as an important tool in numerous aspects of daily life for adolescents, adults, and cognitively advanced non-human species (such as primates). Not only does play promote and aid in physical development (such as hand–eye coordination), but it also aids in cognitive development and social skills, and can even act as a stepping stone into the world of integration, which can be a very stressful process.

Play (Doug E. Fresh album)

Play is the fourth album released by Doug E. Fresh. It was released on September 26, 1995, on Gee Street Independent and featured production from Doug E. Fresh, Frankie Cutlass, and Todd Terry. The album peaked at No. 81 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, but several singles—"Where's da Party At?" "Freaks," "Hands in the Air," and "I-ight"—all made it to the Hot Rap Singles chart.

Play (Jonker)

Play is an abstract sculpture by Lars Jonker. It is located in Hendricks Park, in the historic Bates-Hendricks neighborhood, south of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

Play (Mike Stern album)

Play is an album by Mike Stern, released in 1999 through Atlantic Records. The album reached a peak position of number twenty-one on Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

Play (2011 film)

Play is a 2011 Swedish film drama directed by Ruben Östlund and written by Östlund and Erik Hemmendorff. Inspired by actual court cases, it portrays a group of black boys who rob a smaller group of white boys by the means of a psychological game. The film was heavily debated in the Swedish press. It won the Nordic Council Film Prize in 2012.

Play (Brad Paisley album)

Play, also known as Play: The Guitar Album, is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Brad Paisley. It was released on November 4, 2008 (see 2008 in country music). Like all of his previous albums, Play was released on Arista Nashville and produced by Frank Rogers. The album is largely instrumental in nature, except for five vocal tracks. One of these tracks, " Start a Band" (a duet with Keith Urban), has been released as a single and has become Paisley's ninth consecutive Number One country hit, and his thirteenth overall. The album cover photograph was taken at Bristow Run Elementary School in Bristow, Virginia.

Play (David Ball album)

Play is the fourth studio album by American country music singer David Ball. It was released in 1999 on Warner Bros. Records. The album produced the singles "Watching My Baby Not Come Back" (which Ball co-wrote with then-newcomer Brad Paisley) and "I Want To with You", which respectively reached numbers 47 and 67 on the Billboard country charts.

The track "What Do You Say to That" was also recorded by George Strait on his 1999 album Always Never the Same, from which it was released as a single. McBride & the Ride later recorded "Hasta Luego, My Love" under the title "Hasta Luego" on their 2002 album Amarillo Sky.

Play (theatre)

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. Plays are performed at a variety of levels, from Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theater, to Community theatre, as well as University or school productions. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed or read. The term "play" can refer to both the written works of playwrights and to their complete theatrical performance.

Play (Bond album)

Play is Australian/British classical-electropop band Bond's fourth studio album. It was released on 26 June 2011. The album's release was revealed in an interview with Tania Davis in the Birmingham Mail, in which Davis stated that the band were then currently working on their next studio album. She also noted that the album would have gypsy, folk and Eastern European influences. In late 2010, the band were performing material from their new album Play at concerts in Mexico, including the single "Diablo".

The album was released in Mexico in June 2011 before being released in Korea in August 2011 and Japan in late September 2011. It was released on 13 January 2012 in Australia, and charted at #94 on the albums chart, and in the US on August 7, 2012.

Songs on the album include their first single "Diablo". The string quartet also showcases " Jai Ho", a huge hit from the movie Slumdog Millionaire. The album also features a few more recognizable hits. The song " Pump It" is a version of the song popularised by The Black Eyed Peas, which samples the Dick Dale and the Del-Tones' hit song " Misirlou", featured in the opening credits of Pulp Fiction. The song " Last Time" is an interpretation of "The Last Time" by The Rolling Stones, heavily sampled in " Bitter Sweet Symphony" by the band The Verve, per the alternate naming of the song.

Play (2005 film)

Play is a 2005 Chilean film directed by Alicia Scherson.

It was selected as the Chilean entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 78th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist.

Play (Joanna MacGregor album)

Play is a 2002 album by Joanna MacGregor. The album was released on the SoundCircus label and was a nominee for the Mercury Music Prize.

Play (Akdong Musician album)

Play (stylized as PLAY) is the first studio album by South Korean brother-sister duo, Akdong Musician, and their first release since winning K-pop Star 2 the previous year.

Play (Magazine album)

Play is the first live album by English post-punk/ new wave band Magazine. It was released in December 1980 by Virgin Records (International) and in April 1981 by I.R.S. Records (US). It peaked at No. 69 on the UK Album Chart. It was Magazine's sixth 1980 release.

Play (composition)

Play is a symphony for orchestra in three movements by the American composer Andrew Norman. The work was commissioned by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, for whom Norman was then composer-in-residence. It was first performed on May 17, 2013 by the orchestra under the conductor Gil Rose.

Play (Jüri Pootsmann song)

"Play" is a song performed by Estonian singer Jüri Pootsmann. The song will represent Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, and was written by Fred Krieger, Vallo Kikas, and 2015 Estonian entrant Stig Rästa. The song was released as a digital download on 4 January 2016 through Universal Music Group.

Play (PRC magazine)

Play was a Chinese game-and-software oriented magazine founded in October 1993 and first officially published in June 1994 by Popular Science Press (科学普及出版社; Kēxué Pŭjí Chūbănshè). The magazine was originally named Jiāyòng Diànnǎo Yǔ Yóuxìjī (家用电脑与游戏机; lit. "Home Computer and Game Console"), and focused on both PC games and console games. In January 2001 it was renamed to its current name and its coverage shifted to focus on PC games exclusively, making it the first specialized PC gaming magazine in China. Subsequently Play became one of the most important gaming magazines in mainland China.

Following only one year after the closure of the prominent journal Diànzǐ Yóuxì Ruǎnjiàn, the shutdown of Play after nearly 20 years of continual publication has been regarded in context with the earlier shutdown of big-name Western magazines like Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, and Nintendo Power as an example of the global nature of the decline in printed publications.

Play (Jolin Tsai album)

Play is the thirteenth studio album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai , released on November 15, 2014 by Warner Music Taiwan. It has sold more than 85,000 copies in Taiwan, becoming the best-selling album by female artist of 2014 in Taiwan. The album garnered critical acclaim and was declared as "easily the best album of the year". The opening track, "Play", reached number 1 on the Hit FM annual singles chart. The ninth track, "The Third Person and I", reached number 8 on the Hit FM annual singles chart. The music video of "Play" became the most-viewed Chinese-language music video of 2014 on YouTube and thrust her into the international spotlight. Nolan Feeney from Time claimed the music video "might be the year's best pop music video." The album earned Tsai six Golden Melody Award nominations—Best Mandarin Album, Best Song of the Year, Best Vocal Recording Album, and three Best Music Videos—ultimately winning Best Mandarin Album and Best Vocal Recording Album. The album earned Tsai an MTV Europe Music Award nomination for Best Taiwanese Act. The album earned Tsai an Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Asian Artist.

Usage examples of "play".

Sophie went to the piano, played with feeling, and then sang some Italian airs, to the accompaniment of the guitar, too well for her age.

The spirit of a world-famed violinist played as though behind veils a romance by Rubinstein, to a piano accompaniment that sounded thin and cold, like a spinet.

She got to play for the Blackville Society Tap Twizzlers when their own accompanist was arrested in Glace Bay.

The half-dozen executives and accountants from Andersen and Enron laughed and joked as they played a round of golf on a private Arizona course.

Ping Slatterly thought of that fact with relish as he ignited the strong acetylene torch which was to play so important a part in this raid.

In order to entice her more easily to follow my advice, I added that I was well aware of my plan being a very difficult one to carry out, and that to play successfully such a character a woman must be particularly witty.

Muggledrone played allegretto, Trumtwang allegro, Whistlerap presto, and Scrapesqueak prestissimo.

I took her to London on her eighteenth birthday to see a play at Drury Lane she fell prey to the allure of the theatre.

I myself can barely look back on those twenty years of amatory servility with a full comprehension of the part I have been playing in them.

It played the same tune as Ambry had on his pipes, adding verses that answered their questions without words and thus were incomprehensible.

Rae told him about her oxytocin theory and the role she suspected the Hillstar ambulance drivers played.

People at work played out a slightly amplified normality for my benefit.

Winthrop was only beginning to understand, picked up the emotional sequence as a sort of Empathy track surrounding the product and when the tape was played through the telethesia projector, the result was analogous to a posthypnotic suggestion to purchase the product.

Stirred by towers that poke above the host of city lightintense white carbide lamps, smoke-burnished red of lit grease, tallow twinkling, frenetic sputtering gas flare, all anarchic guards against the darkthe winds rejoice and play.

An announcer, his voice as stiff as his undoubted shirt, broke into the playing and announced a special news bulletin.

Find the word definition

What is "play"

Crossword clues for play

play

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

Wiktionary

WordNet

Gazetteer

Wikipedia

Usage examples of "play".

Find the word definition

What is "play"

Crossword clues for play

play

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Related phrases:

The Collaborative International Dictionary

Related phrases:

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary

Wiktionary

Related phrases:

WordNet

Related phrases:

Gazetteer

Related phrases:

Wikipedia

Related phrases:

Usage examples of "play".