play
noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
Verb Phrases
- to cooperate or concur; go along.
- to pretend to cooperate or concur.
- to behave in a playful or frivolous manner; fool around.
- to be sexually promiscuous.
- to be sexually unfaithful.
- to pretend interest in: It's obvious that you're just playing at fishing for my sake.
- to do something without seriousness: He is merely playing at being a student.
- Sports. to play an extra game or round in order to settle a tie.
- Sports. to engage in an elimination game or games after the regular season is over in order to determine the champion.
- to set (one person or thing) against another, usually for one's own gain or advantage: The children could usually get what they wanted by playing one parent off against the other.
- to bring to an end; finish.
- to use up; exhaust: to play out one's supplies.
- to reel or pay out, as a rope, line, etc.
Idioms for play
- to try to attract, especially sexually: He made a play for his friend's girlfriend.
- to attempt to gain by impressing favorably: This ad will make a play for new consumer markets.
- exhausted; weary.
- out of fashion; hackneyed: New styles in clothing are soon played out in New York.
- used up; finished: The original tires were played out and had to be replaced.
Origin of play
SYNONYMS FOR play
OTHER WORDS FROM play
Words nearby play
Content related to play
Example sentences from the Web for play
He plays an aging punk rocker and I play the drummer from his old band.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness |Marlow Stern |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEASTWhen fathers hold and play with their children, oxytocin and prolactin kick in, priming them for bonding.
Ironically, the play deals with the ‘management’ of information by the Establishment.
Harry’s Daddy, and Diana’s ‘Murder’: Royal Rumors In a New Play |Tom Sykes |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST“The play contains one five minute scene about James Hewitt,” Conway says.
Harry’s Daddy, and Diana’s ‘Murder’: Royal Rumors In a New Play |Tom Sykes |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Aaron Paul may play a young Han Solo in the first Star Wars spin-off.
Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones) |Rich Goldstein |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEASTI have been thinking that I might play the first part and you the second.
The Queen's Scarlet |George Manville FennAll the epochs that have existed since God first formed the world are mine to play with!
The performers had chosen a play taken from Persian history.
The Former Philippines thru Foreign Eyes |Toms de ComynGoing to play Leerie—going to play it harder than I ever did in my life before.
Leerie |Ruth SawyerIt is a ridiculous thing for the Holby people to do; but I have to go to play the patroness.
Cord and Creese |James de Mille
British Dictionary definitions for play
verb
- to reproduce (a tune, melody, piece of music, note, etc) on an instrument
- to perform works by (a specific composer)to play Brahms
noun
- the performance of a dramatic composition
- (in combination)playreader
- games, exercise, or other activity undertaken for pleasure, diversion, etc, esp by children
- (in combination)playroom
- (as modifier)play dough
- to make an obvious attempt to gain
- to attempt to attract or seduce
Derived forms of play
playability, noun playable, adjectiveWord Origin for play
Idioms and Phrases with play
In addition to the idioms beginning with play
- play along
- play a losing game
- play around
- play at
- play a waiting game
- play back
- play ball
- play both ends against the middle
- play by ear
- play cat and mouse
- play down
- played out
- play fair
- play false
- play fast and loose
- play footsie
- play for
- play for keeps
- play for laughs
- play for time
- play games
- play hardball
- play hard to get
- play havoc
- play hide and seek
- play hooky
- play in Peoria
- play into the hands of
- play it close to one's chest
- play it cool
- play it safe
- play musical chairs
- play off
- play on
- play one's cards close to one's chest
- play one's cards right
- play one's trump card
- play on words
- play out
- play politics
- play possum
- play safe
- play second fiddle
- play the devil with
- play the field
- play the fool
- play the game
- play the heavy
- play the market
- play to the gallery
- play up
- play upon
- play up to
- play with fire
also see:
- all work and no play
- child's play
- devil's advocate, play
- fair play
- foul play
- game that two can play
- grandstand play
- in play
- make a play for
- musical chairs, play
- squeeze play
- trump card, play one's