play

The children played in the park.

A youngster[…]listed some of the things his pet did not do:[…]go on vacation, play in the same way that he did with his friends, and so on.

2001, Annabelle Sabloff, Reordering the Natural World, Univ. of Toronto Press, page 83:

2003, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.), Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth, Cambridge Univ. Press, p.52:

(intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.

Don't play with your food!

He's just playing with her affections.

Thus Men are apt to play with their Healths and their Lives as they do with their Cloaths: [...]

a. 1700 (date written), William Temple, “Of Health and Long-life”, in Miscellanea. The Third Part. […], London: […] Jonathan Swift, […] Benjamin Tooke, […], published 1701, →OCLC, page 167:

(intransitive, especially with 'with'; see also play with) To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.

To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.

He plays left back for Mudchester Rovers

(transitive, intransitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).

Specifying a particular sporting role or position.

To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).

Specifying a particular sporting role or position.

We're playing one of the top teams in the next round.

England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.

2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:

(transitive) To compete against, in a game.

Look at the score now ... 23 plays 8!

(transitive, in the scoring of games and sports) To be the opposing score to.

He plays on three teams.

Who's playing now?

play football, play sports, play games

to play safe, to play fair, to play dirty

His mother played false with a smith.

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom / Well, who am I to keep you down? / It's only right that you should play the way you feel it / But listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness

1977, “Dreams”, in Stevie Nicks (lyrics), Fleetwood Mac (music), Rumours, performed by Stevie Nicks:

(intransitive, copulative) To act or behave in a stated way.

He plays dumb, but actually he's very clever.

Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt.

1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:

Playing hard to get is not the same as slamming the door in someone's face.

1985, Sharon S. Brehm, Intimate Relationships:

Now, surveying his final link, he had the nice advantage of being able to play coy with established port cities that desperately wanted his proven railroad.

1996, Michael P. Malone, James J Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest:

Instead, they played dumb, remained silent, and did their classwork.

2003, John U. Ogbu, Black American Students in an Affluent Suburb: A Study of Academic Disengagement, page 194:

To give a false appearance of being; to pretend to be.

To give a false appearance of being; to pretend to be.

Stop playing the fool.

No part of the brain plays the role of permanent memory.

In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual.

2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:

(transitive) To act as (the indicated role).

Who played Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind'?

Mister Friel plays Virgil to the narrator's Dante, finding him an apartment, bringing him to the right parties and offering the last word on gay New York.

1983 December 3, Michael Wilson, “The Same Story Embellished”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 20, page 12:

I'm not a doctor, but I do play one on TV.

1984, Chris Robinson, commercial for Vicks Formula 44

An opening sequence, featuring a de-aged Ford playing a younger Indy, is a bold and nostalgic gambit, offering a glimpse of what you've missed.

2023 June 29, City AM, London, page 18, column 2:

To portray (a character) in (a film or theatre).

To portray (a character) in (a film or theatre).

I'll play the piano and you sing.

Can you play an instrument?

I've practiced the piano off and on, but I still can't play very well.

(transitive, intransitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.

(transitive, intransitive, especially of a person) To produce music using a musical instrument.

To produce music using a musical instrument.

This piano plays out of tune.

If your guitar plays well on fretted strings but annoys you on the open ones, the nut's probably worn out.

2007, Dan Erlewine, Guitar Player Repair Guide, →ISBN, page 220:

(intransitive, of a musical instrument) To produce music.

You can play the DVD now.

Don't play your radio so loud!

Play the audio clip to hear how the word is pronounced.

(transitive, of a person) To operate (a device or media) so as to cause sound (especially music) or moving pictures to be produced.

Do you know how to play Für Elise on the piano?

We especially like to play jazz together.

She keeps playing 'Achy Breaky Heart' over and over again on her stereo.

(transitive, usually of a person) To render (a musical title, compositional style, film title, etc.) using a musical instrument or device.

The juke box is playing our favourite song.

The radio was playing in the background.

This DVD is scratched and won't play.

Channel 9 is playing that old comedy series again.

My cassette player won't play this worn-out old tape.

(transitive, intransitive, of a device, media, broadcast, etc.) To emit or relay sound (especially music) or moving pictures; (of a device) to operate media.

His latest film is playing in the local theatre tomorrow.

Some kind of lounge music was playing in the background.

(intransitive, of a theatrical performance, film or music) To be performed, reproduced, or shown.

The band is playing large arenas nationwide.

I got a hold of Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong's agent and I explained to him on the phone that, "I know you're playing London on Wednesday night. Why don't you come and play the Arena in Windsor on Saturday night?"

2008, My Life: From Normandy to Hockeytown, →ISBN, page 30:

(transitive, of a theatrical company or band, etc.) To perform or give performances in or at (a venue or location).

To perform or give performances in or at (a venue or location).

to play a comedy

(transitive) To act or perform (a play).

The fountain plays.

The leaves played in the wind.

All fame is foreign but of true desert,
 Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart.

1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], (please specify |epistle=I to IV), London: Printed for J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC:

(transitive, intransitive) To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.

To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.

The torch beam played around the room.

They played the jet of water onto the seat of the fire.

to play cannon upon a fortification

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

1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene v, page 1:

The colonel and his sponsor made a queer contrast: Greystone [the sponsor] long and stringy, with a face that seemed as if a cold wind was eternally playing on it.

1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter I, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

The Poet and the Painter
Casting shadows on the water
As the sun plays on the infantry
Returning from the sea.

1972, “Thick As A Brick”, Ian Anderson (lyrics), performed by Jethro Tull:

To move so as to fall upon or sweep across something, or to direct or operate (something) in such a manner.

the waving sedges play with wind

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act INDUCTION, scene ii]:

The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play.

1705, George Cheyne, Philosophical Principles of Religion:

To move in an alternating or reciprocal manner; to move to and fro.

To move in an alternating or reciprocal manner; to move to and fro.

That was a great shot he played!

He played the blue ball, but the green would have been a better choice.

When you're in a team, you have to play your part.

to play a trump in a card game, to play tricks, to play a joke

Nature here
 Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will
 Her virgin fancies.

1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

The Bat—they called him the Bat.[…]. He'd never been in stir, the bulls had never mugged him, he didn't run with a mob, he played a lone hand, and fenced his stuff so that even the fence couldn't swear he knew his face.

1920, Mary Roberts Rinehart, Avery Hopwood, chapter I, in The Bat: A Novel from the Play (Dell Book; 241), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Company, →OCLC:

(transitive) To bring into action or motion; to exhibit in action; to execute or deploy.

To bring into action or motion; to exhibit in action; to execute or deploy.

The bank robbers have three hostages inside, so we're going to have to play this very carefully.

(transitive) To handle or deal with (a matter or situation) in a stated way.

To handle or deal with (a matter or situation) in a stated way.

He made a fortune on Wall Street, playing the markets.

In this business you have to play the percentages.

(transitive) To handle or deal with (something) in a calculating manner intended to achieve profit or gain.

This policy plays well with younger voters.

How will this play in the swing states?

(intransitive) To be received or accepted (in a given way); to go down.

To be received or accepted (in a given way); to go down.

“I play, comparatively, very little; I don't drink a fifth part so much as half the people I live with; and I reckon myself, upon the whole, a very orderly, sober fellow.”

1791, Charlotte Smith, Celestina, Broadview, published 2004, page 407:

(transitive) To keep in play, as a hooked fish in order to land it.

To keep in play, as a hooked fish in order to land it.

You played me!

If this our song, you're the composer
 I'm not a game, but you play me anyway

2020, “Ballad Of You & I”, performed by Hotel Lux:

(transitive, colloquial) To manipulate, deceive, or swindle.

They don't play with the rules around here.

He grew serious. “Sorry, E.M. Just fucking around.”
“Well, I don’t play like that and you know it.”

2016, T. Styles, “seventeen”, in Clown Niggas, United States of America: The Cartel Publications, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 161:

(African-American Vernacular, intransitive) To kid; to joke; to say something for amusement; to act, or to treat something, unseriously.

Her proper face
 I not descerned in that darkesome shade,
 But weend it was my loue, with whom he playd.

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

Cheree, Cheree / Je t'adore, baby / I love you / Oh, come play with me

1977, “Cheree”, in Suicide, performed by Suicide:

(intransitive) To take part in amorous activity; to make love; see also play around.

To take part in amorous activity; to make love; see also play around.

For additional senses in various idiomatic phrases, see the individual entries, such as play along, play at, play down, play off, play on, play out, play to, play up, etc.

en-verb

play (third-person singular simple present plays, present participle playing, simple past and past participle played)

plays (present singular third-person)
playing (participle present)
played (participle past)
played (past)

desc

→ Kashubian: plejowac (Canada, United States)

→ Kashubian: plejowac (Canada, United States)

عَزَفَ

produce music using a musical instrument (transitive sense)

拉

string instruments with a bow such as violin

játszik (noun specifying instrument in superessive case)

поигра́ть pf (poigrátʹ) (+ на (na) + prepositional case)

عَزَفَ

produce music using a musical instrument (intransitive sense)

شَغَّلَ

use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording

From Middle English pleyen, playen, pleȝen, plæien, also Middle English plaȝen, plawen (compare English plaw), from Old English pleġan, pleoġan, plæġan, and Old English plegian, pleagian, plagian (“to play, exercise, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *plehan (“to care about, be concerned with”) and Proto-West Germanic *plegōn (“to engage, move”); both perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *blek- (“to move, move about”), from Proto-Indo-European *bal- (compare Ancient Greek βλύω (blúō), βλύζω (blúzō, “I gush out, spring”), Sanskrit बल्बलीति (balbalīti, “it whirls, twirls”)).
cognates and related terms
Cognate with Scots play (“to act or move briskly, cause to move, stir”), Saterland Frisian pleegje (“to look after, care for, maintain”), West Frisian pleegje, pliigje (“to commit, perform, bedrive”), Middle Dutch pleyen ("to dance, leap for joy, rejoice, be glad"; compare Modern Dutch pleien (“to play a particular children's game”)), Dutch plegen (“to commit, bedrive, practice”), German pflegen (“to care for, be concerned with, attend to, tend”). Related also to Old English plēon (“to risk, endanger”). More at plight, pledge.
The noun is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, plega, plæġa (“play, quick motion, movement, exercise; (athletic) sport, game; festivity, drama; battle; gear for games, an implement for a game; clapping with the hands, applause”), deverbative of plegian (“to play”); see above.

gloss

compare English <i class="Latn mention" lang="en">plaw</i>

inh

Proto-West Germanic *plehan (“to care about, be concerned with”)

Proto-West Germanic *plegōn (“to engage, move”)

der

Proto-Indo-European *blek- (“to move, move about”)

cog

Sanskrit बल्बलीति (balbalīti, “it whirls, twirls”)

to act or move briskly, cause to move, stir

Scots play (“to act or move briskly, cause to move, stir”)

Saterland Frisian pleegje (“to look after, care for, maintain”)

Dutch pleien (“to play a particular children's game”)

gloss

"to dance, leap for joy, rejoice, be glad"; compare Modern Dutch <i class="Latn mention" lang="nl">pleien</i> (“to play a particular children's game”)

cog

Dutch plegen (“to commit, bedrive, practice”)

to care for, be concerned with, attend to, tend

German pflegen (“to care for, be concerned with, attend to, tend”)


play

Children learn through play.

She was fond of all boys' plays, and greatly preferred cricket […] to dolls […]

1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC:

1964, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
You know, when I was around 7-11 years old, my favorite play would be "boys." One of us, Bridget, Maryellen, or I, would say "Let's play boys." We all had boy names, set up the pretend surroundings, and acted like boys.

(uncountable, formerly countable) Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.

This kind of play helps the young lion cubs develop their hunting skills.

(uncountable) Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.

Play was very slow in the first half.

After the rain break, play resumed at 3 o'clock.

The game was abandoned after 20 minutes' play

(uncountable) The conduct, or course, of a game.

In potting the yellow ball, he's knocked the green into play.

When a chess piece is captured, it is removed from play.

That option has been removed from play.

(uncountable, sports, with certain prepositions, also figurative) The sphere or circumstance in which a playing implement, such as a ball, is available to be played (see also in play, out of play).

His play has improved a lot this season.

(uncountable) An individual's performance in a sport or game.

That was a great play by the Mudchester Rovers forward.

(countable) A short sequence of action within a game.

A short sequence of action within a game.

AWARD is better than either WARED or WADER. However, there's an even better play! If you have looked at the two-to-make-three letter list, you may have noticed the word AWA.

2009, Joe Edley, John Williams, Everything Scrabble: Third Edition, page 85:

(turn-based games) An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.

This book contains all of Shakespeare's plays.

(countable) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.

We saw a two-act play in the theatre.

My kids are acting in the school play this Christmas.

(countable) A theatrical performance featuring actors.

A theatrical performance featuring actors.

ABC Widgets makes a play in the bicycle market with its bid to take over Acme Sprockets.

Turpin signals the Metric Party's long-term play for housing reform

(countable) An attempt to move forward, as in a plan or strategy, for example by a business, investor, or political party.

(countable) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.

the play of light and shadow across the boy's face

the sum of mental and physical phenomena known by the conventional name “person” or “individual” is not at all the mere play of blind chance.

1956, Nyanatiloka Mahåthera, Fundamentals of Buddhism Four Lectures:

(uncountable) Movement (of a pattern of light etc.)

give play to your imagination

No wonder the fanbelt is slipping: there’s too much play in it.

Too much play in a steering wheel may be dangerous.

The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely, as for example lash, backlash, or slack.

Sexy LF novice seeks seasoned top to spice up my play life. Teach me a lesson I won't forget.

1990 December 9, “Butch In The Streets, Bottom Between The Sheets (personal advertisement)”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 21, page 17:

The rarity of male domination in fantasy play is readily explained.

1996, Sabrina P Ramet, Gender reversals and gender cultures:

Palm Springs M seeks sane F 4 safe bdsm play

1996, "toptigger", (on Internet newsgroup alt.personals.spanking.punishment)

There were none of the usual restrictions on public nudity or sexual interaction in the club environment. Still, the night was young, and as he'd made his way to the bar to order Mistress Ramona a gin and tonic, he'd seen little in the way of play.

2013, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Best Bondage Erotica 2014:

This type of play allows some people to relax and enjoy being given pleasure without having to think about giving pleasure back at the same time.

2014, Jiri T. Servant, Facts About Bondage - Bondage Guide For Beginners:

(uncountable, informal) Sexual activity or sexual role-playing.

That video of my cat falling off the piano has had ten thousand plays.

The most-streamed artist of the year was British singer Ed Sheeran, who amassed 860 million plays with hits like “I See Fire.”

2014 December 3, Victor Luckerson, “These Were Spotify's Most-Streamed Songs This Year”, in Time:

(countable) An instance of watching or listening to media.

An instance of watching or listening to media.

Their single got a play on the radio.

The song got a lot of play in the clubs.

(countable, uncountable) An instance or instances of causing media to be watched or heard, such as by broadcasting.

press play

(countable) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.

play on words

The name Wiktionary is a play on the words wiki and dictionary.

handplay, swordplay

(archaic, now usually in compounds) Activity relating to martial combat or fighting.

en-noun

play (countable and uncountable, plural plays)

tūtākaro

a short sequence of action within a game

مَسْرَحِيَّة

literary composition intended to be represented

reproducció

instance of watching or listening to media