Definition
Meaning of 'play'
Meaning of 'play' (Webster Dictionary)
1. Play 
[ n.]
- To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the
sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. [ n.]- To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.
- 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.
- To act; to behave; to practice deception.
- To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays.
- To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.
- To act on the stage; to personate a character.
- Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
- Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game.
- 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.
- A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action.
- 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.
- Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.
2. Play [ v. t.]
- To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a
fortification; to play a trump. [ v. t.]- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Meaning of 'play' (Princeton's WordNet)
1. play [ n]
[ n]Meaning (1):
- activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
- activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
Example in sentence:
- Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child
Meaning (2):
- verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
- verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
Example in sentence:
- he became a figure of fun;
- he said it in sport
Meaning (3):
- the removal of constraints
- the removal of constraints
Example in sentence:
- he gave free rein to his impulses;
- they gave full play to the artist's talent
Meaning (4):
- a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
- a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
Example in sentence:
- he made a great maneuver;
- the runner was out on a play by the shortstop
Meaning (5):
- a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
- a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
Example in sentence:
- he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway
Meaning (6):
- the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)
- the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)
Example in sentence:
- his gambling cost him a fortune;
- there was heavy play at the blackjack table
Meaning (7):
- (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
- (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
Example in sentence:
- it is my turn;
- it is still my play
Meaning (8):
- gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
- gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
Example in sentence:
- it was all done in play;
- their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly
Meaning (9):
- (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
- (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
Example in sentence:
- rain stopped play in the 4th inning
Meaning (10):
- a state in which action is feasible
- a state in which action is feasible
Example in sentence:
- insiders said the company's stock was in play;
- the ball was still in play
Meaning (11):
- a preset plan of action in team sports
- a preset plan of action in team sports
Example in sentence:
- the coach drew up the plays for her team
Meaning (12):
- a theatrical performance of a drama
- a theatrical performance of a drama
Example in sentence:
- the play lasted two hours
Meaning (13):
- utilization or exercise
- utilization or exercise
Example in sentence:
- the play of the imagination
Meaning (14):
- a weak and tremulous light
- a weak and tremulous light
Example in sentence:
- the play of light on the water;
- the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers
Meaning (15):
- movement or space for movement
- movement or space for movement
Example in sentence:
- there was too much play in the steering wheel
Meaning (16):
- an attempt to get something
- an attempt to get something
Example in sentence:
- he made a bid to gain attention;
- they made a futile play for power
2. play [ v]
[ v]Meaning (17):
- play a role or part
- play a role or part
Example in sentence:
- Gielgud played Hamlet;
- She played the servant to her husband's master;
- She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role
Meaning (18):
- pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
- pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
Example in sentence:
- He acted the idiot;
- She plays deaf when the news are bad
Meaning (19):
- put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game
- put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game
Example in sentence:
- He is playing his cards close to his chest;
- The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory
Meaning (20):
- consider not very seriously
- consider not very seriously
Example in sentence:
- He is trifling with her;
- She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania
Meaning (21):
- bet or wager (money)
- bet or wager (money)
Example in sentence:
- He played $20 on the new horse;
- She plays the races
Meaning (22):
- perform music on (a musical instrument)
- perform music on (a musical instrument)
Example in sentence:
- Can you play on this old recorder?;
- He plays the flute
Meaning (23):
- stake on the outcome of an issue
- stake on the outcome of an issue
Example in sentence:
- I bet $100 on that new horse;
- She played all her money on the dark horse
Meaning (24):
- cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
- cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
Example in sentence:
- bring comments;
- I cannot work a miracle;
- play a joke;
- The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area;
- wreak havoc
Meaning (25):
- use or move
- use or move
Example in sentence:
- I had to play my queen
Meaning (26):
- pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
- pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
Example in sentence:
- Let's play like I am mommy;
- Play cowboy and Indians
Meaning (27):
- engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
- engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
Example in sentence:
- On weekends I play;
- The students all recreate alike
Meaning (28):
- exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
- exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
Example in sentence:
- play a hooked fish
Meaning (29):
- behave carelessly or indifferently
- behave carelessly or indifferently
Example in sentence:
- Play about with a young girl's affection
Meaning (30):
- replay (as a melody)
- replay (as a melody)
Example in sentence:
- Play it again, Sam;
- She played the third movement very beautifully
Meaning (31):
- behave in a certain way
- behave in a certain way
Example in sentence:
- play fair;
- play it safe;
- play safe
Meaning (32):
- make bets
- make bets
Example in sentence:
- play the casinos in Trouville;
- Play the races
Meaning (33):
- discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream
- discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream
Example in sentence:
- play water from a hose;
- The fountains played all day
Meaning (34):
- contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
- contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
Example in sentence:
- Charlie likes to play Mary;
- Princeton plays Yale this weekend
Meaning (35):
- perform on a stage or theater
- perform on a stage or theater
Example in sentence:
- He acted in `Julius Caesar';
- I played in `A Christmas Carol';
- She acts in this play
Meaning (36):
- shoot or hit in a particular manner
- shoot or hit in a particular manner
Example in sentence:
- She played a good backhand last night
Meaning (37):
- manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
- manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
Example in sentence:
- Don't fiddle with the screws;
- He played with the idea of running for the Senate;
- She played nervously with her wedding ring
Meaning (38):
- use to one's advantage
- use to one's advantage
Example in sentence:
- She plays on her clients' emotions
Meaning (39):
- play on an instrument
- play on an instrument
Example in sentence:
- The band played all night long
Meaning (40):
- cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space
- cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space
Example in sentence:
- The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack
Meaning (41):
- be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children
- be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children
Example in sentence:
- I used to play with trucks as a little girl;
- The kids were playing outside all day
Meaning (42):
- perform on a certain location
- perform on a certain location
Example in sentence:
- She has been playing on Broadway for years;
- The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16
Meaning (43):
- move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
- move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
Example in sentence:
- The spotlights played on the politicians
Meaning (44):
- emit recorded sound
- emit recorded sound
Example in sentence:
- the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered;
- The tape was playing for hours
Meaning (45):
- engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously
- engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously
Example in sentence:
- play the stock market;
- play with her feelings;
- They played games on their opponents;
- toy with an idea
Meaning (46):
- employ in a game or in a specific position
- employ in a game or in a specific position
Example in sentence:
- They played him on first base
Meaning (47):
- cause to emit recorded audio or video
- cause to emit recorded audio or video
Example in sentence:
- He never tires of playing that video;
- I'll play you my favorite record;
- They ran the tapes over and over again
Meaning (48):
- act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome
- act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome
Example in sentence:
- I played no role in your dismissal;
- This development played into her hands;
- This factor played only a minor part in his decision
Meaning (49):
- be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way
- be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way
Example in sentence:
- His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee;
- This speech didn't play well with the American public
Meaning (50):
- participate in games or sport
- participate in games or sport
Example in sentence:
- Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches;
- play cards;
- We played hockey all afternoon
Meaning (51):
- be performed or presented for public viewing
- be performed or presented for public viewing
Example in sentence:
- What's playing in the local movie theater?;
- `Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years
Nearby Topics:
See 'play' also in:
Recent Article
Categories
- Business Studies
- Banking & Finance
- Management & Organization Studies
- HRM & Labor Studies
- Management Information System
- Accounting & Auditing
- Marketing & Public Relations
- Entrepreneurship & Small Business
- Psychology & Behavioral Science
- Computer Programming
- Automotive Engineering
- Computer Networking
- Medical & Health Science
- Microbiology