26984 words

plays

52 definitions • 73 examples
1
When you play, especially as a child, you spend time doing an enjoyable and/or entertaining activity:

Examples:

play with The children spent the afternoon playing with their new toys.
My daughter used to play with the kids next door.
2
to take part in a game or other organized activity:

Examples:

play something (with someone) Do you want to play cards/football (with us)?
play in Irene won't be able to play in the tennis match on Saturday.
play for Which team do you play for?
Luke plays centre-forward (= plays in that position within the team).
3
to compete against a person or team in a game:

Examples:

Who are the Giants playing next week?
4
to hit or kick a ball in a game:

Examples:

play something to someone He played the ball back to the goalkeeper.
A good pool player takes time deciding which shot to play.
5
(in a card game) to choose a card from the ones you are holding and put it down on the table:

Examples:

She played the ace of spades.
6
to perform an entertainment or a particular character in a play, film, etc.:

Examples:

play to Scottish Opera played to full houses every night.
play at I didn't realize that "Macbeth" was playing (= being performed) at the festival.
In the movie version, Branagh played the hero.
7

Examples:

to play dead/dumb
play host Would you mind playing host (= entertaining the guests)?
8
to deceive someone to make them laugh or in order to get an advantage over them:

Examples:

play a joke/trick on She loves playing practical jokes on her friends.
9
to help to achieve something:

Examples:

play a part in My thanks to everyone who has played a part in saving the hospital.
10
to perform music on an instrument or instruments:

Examples:

He learned to play the clarinet at the age of ten.
[ + two objects ] Play us a song!/Play a song for us!
On Radio London they play African and South American music as well as rock and pop.
They could hear a jazz band playing in the distance.
11
to (cause a machine to) produce sound or a picture:

Examples:

Play the last few minutes of the video again.
12
to direct or be directed over or onto something:

Examples:

play hoses onto Firefighters played their hoses onto the base of the fire.
A fountain was playing (= sending out water) in the courtyard outside.
13
(of something you see, such as light) to move quickly or be seen for a short time:

Examples:

play across/over/on A smile played across/over/on his lips.
14
to risk money, especially on the results of races or business deals, hoping to win more money:

Examples:

play the horses He plays the horses every Saturday.
play the stock market You may well lose money if you play the stock market.
15
a piece of writing that is intended to be acted in a theatre or on radio or television:

Examples:

a radio play
"Did you see the play (= the performance of the play) on Thursday?" "No, I went on Wednesday night."
16
the activity of taking part in a sport or a game:

Examples:

Rain stopped play during the final of the National Tennis Championship.
17
a plan or a small set of actions in a sport:

Examples:

The new pitcher made a great play on that throw to first base.
18
If a ball or puck is in play, it is in a position where it can be hit, kicked, or thrown:

Examples:

She managed to keep the ball in play.
19
If a ball or puck is out of play, it is not in a position where it can be hit, kicked, or thrown:

Examples:

The ball had gone out of play.
20
activity that is not serious but done for enjoyment, especially when children enjoy themselves with toys and games:

Examples:

The kids don't get much time for play in the evenings.
at play We watched the children at play in the park.
21

Examples:

play across the play of moonlight across the water
play across/on the play of emotion across/on his face
22
the fact that a rope or a structure is free to move, especially a small distance:

Examples:

Aircraft wings are designed to have a certain amount of play in them.
23
to spend time doing something enjoyable or amusing:

Examples:

The children spent the afternoon playing.
24
to take part in a game or other organized activity:

Examples:

[ T ] He loves playing football.
[ I ] What team does she play for?
25
If you play a person or team, you compete against them:

Examples:

[ T ] We’re going to the stadium to see New York play Chicago.
26
If you play the ball or a shot, you hit or kick the ball:

Examples:

[ T ] In golf, you have to take time to decide how to play difficult shots.
27
In a card game, to play a card is to choose it from the ones you are holding and put it down on the table.
28
to perform as a character in a play or movie, or (of a performance) to be shown:

Examples:

[ T ] She played the part of a beautiful and brilliant scientist.
[ I ] What’s playing at (= being shown at) the local movie theaters?
29
To play is also to behave or pretend in a particular way, esp. to produce an effect or result:

Examples:

[ L ] Don’t play dumb with me (= pretend you don’t know anything) – you know very well what happened!
30
To play can mean to influence or have an effect on:

Examples:

[ T ] The president denied that politics played any part in his decision to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court.
31
To play a joke on someone or play a trick on someone is to deceive someone for amusement or in order to get an advantage:

Examples:

She loves to play jokes on her friends.
32
to perform music on an instrument, or to cause something that produces sound or a picture to operate:

Examples:

[ I/T ] She plays (the piano) beautifully.
[ T ] I was just playing my stereo.
I learned how toplay the guitar by ear (= by listening rather than by reading music).
33
to risk money, esp. on the results of races or business deals, hoping to win money:

Examples:

He plays the stock market.
34
a story that is intended to be acted out before people who have come to see it:

Examples:

She starred in many Broadway plays in her career.
35
If a ball or something else is in play, it is in a position where it can be used as part of the regular action in a game or sport, and if it is out of play, it is not in such a position:

Examples:

[ U ] She put the ball in play in midfield.
36
In sports, a play can also be a particular action or a plan for a specific set of actions:

Examples:

[ C ] The school football team has been practicing new plays all week.
37
to have money, time, etc. available to use:

Examples:

Swelling tax receipts have given the government more money to play with over the last two years.
38
to obey the rules of a particular system:

Examples:

Workers should not be relegated to poverty if they work hard and play by the rules.
39
to do things in the way that you want, rather than obeying the rules of a particular system:

Examples:

40
to try to be as successful as other people, companies, etc.:

Examples:

The firm has adapted quickly to changes in the global market, leaving its rivals to play catch up.
41
to take big risks in order to achieve something that you really want:

Examples:

The Prime Minister is playing for high stakes, at the risk of alienating public opinion.
42
to decide not to take risks:

Examples:

The federal government often plays it safe by funding research that is likely to succeed but may have only a slight impact.
The biggest companies usually play safe and hire top legal firms from London or New York.
43
to trade shares, bonds, etc., especially in order to make money quickly, rather than to invest over a longer period:
44
to have a lot of power or influence in a particular situation:

Examples:

IT had a key part to play in modernizing the organization.
45
to use a set of rules or laws in order to get an advantage for yourself, in a way that may not be fair:

Examples:

If you know how to play the system, there are various legal loopholes to be exploited.
46
to do things that you know you are good at:

Examples:

In business, you sometimes have to follow your instincts and play to your strengths.
47
the act of trading shares, bonds, etc.:

Examples:

Institutional investors remained on the sidelines, refusing to make any big plays until a definite announcement is made.
48
to have an influence in a situation:

Examples:

Many issues are at play here, including the impact on the environment.
49
if a company or its shares are in play, they may be bought by other companies or shareholders:

Examples:

In a corporate-driven deal environment, even "untouchable" bank stocks could be in play.
50
to start to use something for a particular purpose:

Examples:

Special computer software programs were brought into play during the vote recount.
51
to begin to have an influence on something:

Examples:

New federal pension laws have come into play that could affect the retirement security of many of our employees.
52
to try to get control of something:

Examples:

The government has been accused of making a play for online betting tax revenues.

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