play

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
2. (especially, intransitive) To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.
3. (intransitive, transitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
4. (intransitive, transitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
5. (intransitive, transitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
6. (intransitive, transitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
7. (intransitive) To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-death combats; to engage in martial games; to joust; to fence
8. (copulative, intransitive) To act or behave in a stated way.
9. (copulative, intransitive) To act or behave in a stated way.
10. (transitive) To act as (the indicated role).
11. (transitive) To act as (the indicated role).
12. (especially, intransitive, transitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
13. (intransitive, transitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
14. (intransitive, transitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
15. (intransitive, transitive, usually) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
16. (intransitive, transitive, usually) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
17. (intransitive, transitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
18. (intransitive, transitive, usually) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
19. (intransitive, transitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
20. (intransitive, transitive) To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.
21. (intransitive, transitive) To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.
22. (intransitive, transitive) To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.
23. (transitive) To bring into action or motion; to exhibit in action; to execute or deploy.
24. (transitive) To handle or deal with (a matter or situation) in a stated way.
25. (transitive) To handle or deal with (something) in a calculating manner intended to achieve profit or gain.
26. (intransitive) To be received or accepted (in a given way); to go down.
27. To gamble.
28. (transitive) To keep in play, as a hooked fish in order to land it.
29. (colloquial, transitive) To manipulate, deceive, or swindle.
30. (intransitive) To kid; to joke; to say something for amusement; to act, or to treat something, unseriously.
31. (intransitive) To take part in amorous activity; to make love; see also play around.
32. 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.

Noun

1. (uncountable) Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
2. (uncountable) Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
3. (uncountable) The conduct, or course, of a game.
4. (also, figuratively, uncountable) 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).
5. (uncountable) An individual's performance in a sport or game.
6. (countable) A short sequence of action within a game.
7. (countable, uncountable) A short sequence of action within a game.
8. (countable) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
9. (countable) A theatrical performance featuring actors.
10. (countable) An attempt to move forward, as in a plan or strategy, for example by a business, investor, or political party.
11. (countable) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
12. (uncountable) Movement (of a pattern of light etc.)
13. (uncountable) Freedom to move.
14. (countable, uncountable) Freedom to move.
15. (informal, uncountable) Sexual activity or sexual role-playing.
16. (countable) An instance of watching or listening to media.
17. (countable, uncountable) An instance or instances of causing media to be watched or heard, such as by broadcasting.
18. (countable) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
19. (countable) An instance of wordplay.
20. (archaic, countable, in-compounds, uncountable, usually) Activity relating to martial combat or fighting.

Synonyms

sport

game

perform

act

drama

frolic

pastime

have fun

fun

show

dance

💃

performance

toy

move

joke

🤣

recreation

dally

romp

represent

do

jest

gamble

work

amuse oneself

amusement

trifle

turn

render

tease

dramatic performance

gambol

blow

gambling

give

bet

beat

pleasure

wager

entertainment

meet

depict

present

sing

run

pretend

diversion

gaming

behave

recreate

ring

💍

Translations

jouer

spielen

jeu

jugar

spelen

giocare

Spiel

παίζω

tocar

gioco

suonare

jogar

représenter

tocar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pleɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: pleyen

Inherited from Middle English: plaȝen

Inherited from Old English: pleġan

Inherited from Old English: plegian

Cognate with Ancient Greek: βλύω

Cognate with Sanskrit: बल्बलीति

Cognate with Scots: play

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: pleegje

Cognate with Western Frisian: pleegje

Cognate with Middle Dutch: pleyen

Cognate with Dutch: pleien

Cognate with Dutch: plegen

Cognate with German: pflegen

Cognate with Old English: plēon

Inherited from Middle English: pleye

Inherited from Old English: plæġ

In summary

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”), of uncertain origin.
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.

Sentences

Children come to play in the area provided for them .

He also wrote a play and several detective novels .

This win influenced girls to want to play soccer on a team .

He is mentioned in the unfinished Samuel Beckett play Human Wishes .

The Greek musicians play on small portable folk style instruments .

He accepted a scholarship to play locally at Wichita State University .