play | ||
1. | [ verb ] (games) participate in games or sports | |
Examples: | "We played hockey all afternoon" "play cards" "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches" |
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Related terms: | compete walk bid complete fullback bandy start field volley unblock die face_off tee_off ace retire exit play_out seesaw misplay develop cricket replay catch stroke gamble backstop bowl golf quarterback foul cradle croquet curl snooker revoke putt fumble develop play_out meet player playing playing_period | |
2. | [ verb ] act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome | |
Examples: | "This factor played only a minor part in his decision" "This development played into her hands" "I played no role in your dismissal" |
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Related terms: | act | |
3. | [ noun ] (theater,writing) a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage | |
Synonyms: | drama dramatic_play | |
Examples: | "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway" |
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Related terms: | dramatic_composition playlet theater_of_the_absurd satyr_play grand_guignol miracle_play morality_play mystery_play Passion_play act stage_direction drama act dramatize dramatize | |
4. | [ verb ] (music,performing arts) play (music) on an instrument | |
Examples: | "The band played all night long" |
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Related terms: | perform sound_off accompany bow symphonize swing music musician playing | |
5. | [ verb ] (theater) play a role or part | |
Synonyms: | act represent | |
Examples: | "Gielgud played Hamlet" "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role" "She played the servant to her husband's master" |
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Related terms: | re-create enact impersonate act_out spoof make emote support masquerade performing_arts act act act actor acting theatrical_performance | |
6. | [ verb ] be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children | |
Examples: | "The kids were playing outside all day" "I used to play with trucks as a little girl" |
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Related terms: | act skylark frolic horse_around dabble playing | |
7. | [ verb ] (music) as of melodies | |
Synonyms: | render spiel | |
Examples: | "Play it again, Sam" "She played the third movement very beautifully" |
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Related terms: | make re-create replay prelude misplay modulate bugle reprise slur bang_out riff tongue fiddle rag jazz playing | |
8. | [ noun ] (theater,performing arts) a theatrical performance of a drama | |
Examples: | "the play lasted two hours" |
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Related terms: | show musical curtain_raiser act | |
9. | [ noun ] (sport) a preset plan of action in team sports | |
Examples: | "the coach drew up the plays for her team" |
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Related terms: | plan_of_action football_play basketball_play baseball_play razzle-dazzle knock_on | |
10. | [ verb ] (music) perform music on (a musical instrument) | |
Synonyms: | play_on | |
Examples: | "He plays the flute" "Can you play on this old recorder?" |
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Related terms: | sound drum whirl chord pipe beat fiddle trumpet clarion skirl tweedle harp register music music | |
11. | [ verb ] pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind | |
Synonyms: | act act_as | |
Examples: | "He acted the idiot" "She plays deaf when the news are bad" |
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Related terms: | act act act act | |
12. | [ noun ] a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill | |
Synonyms: | manoeuvre maneuver | |
Examples: | "he made a great maneuver" "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop" |
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Related terms: | motion stroke completion completion assist icing jugglery figure footwork obstruction jump takeaway mousetrap safety_blitz ball_hawking athletic_game steer | |
13. | [ verb ] move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly | |
Examples: | "The spotlights played on the politicians" |
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Related terms: | travel shimmer | |
14. | [ verb ] (games) bet or wager (money) | |
Examples: | "He played $20 on the new horse" "She plays the races" |
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Related terms: | gamble underplay | |
15. | [ verb ] pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity | |
Examples: | "Let's play like I am mommy" "Play cowboy and Indians" |
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Related terms: | simulate act | |
16. | [ verb ] engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion | |
Synonyms: | recreate | |
Examples: | "On weekends I play" "The students all recreate alike" |
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Related terms: | diversion | |
17. | [ verb ] cause to happen or to occur as a consequence | |
Synonyms: | bring make_for work wreak | |
Examples: | "I cannot work a miracle" "wreak havoc" "bring comments" "play a joke" "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area" |
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Related terms: | make pull_off effect induce raise stage bring_about work | |
18. | [ verb ] emit recorded sound | |
Examples: | "The tape was playing for hours" "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered" |
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Related terms: | sound | |
19. | [ verb ] (games) engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously | |
Synonyms: | toy | |
Examples: | "They played games on their opponents" "play the stockmarket" "play with her feelings" "toy with an idea" |
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Related terms: | act plaything | |
20. | [ noun ] a state in which action is feasible | |
Examples: | "the ball was still in play" "insiders said the company's stock was in play" |
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Related terms: | action | |
21. | [ verb ] (cards) put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game | |
Examples: | "He is playing his cards close to his chest" "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory" |
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Related terms: | deploy declare pitch cover | |
22. | [ verb ] (theater,performing arts) perform on a certain location | |
Examples: | : "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16" "She has been playing on Broadway for years" |
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Related terms: | perform performing_arts act | |
23. | [ verb ] cause to be emit recorded sounds | |
Synonyms: | run | |
Examples: | : "They ran the tapes over and over again" "Can you play my favorite record?" |
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Related terms: | run run | |
24. | [ noun ] an attempt to get something | |
Synonyms: | bid | |
Examples: | "they made a futile play for power" "he made a bid to gain attention" |
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Related terms: | attempt bid | |
25. | [ noun ] (games) play by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules | |
Synonyms: | child's_play | |
Examples: | "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child" |
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Related terms: | diversion house fireman doctor | |
26. | [ noun ] utilization or exercise | |
Examples: | "the play of the imagination" |
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Related terms: | use | |
27. | [ verb ] consider not very seriously | |
Synonyms: | trifle dally | |
Examples: | "He is trifling with her" "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" |
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Related terms: | consider dally | |
28. | [ adjective ] imagined as in a play | |
Synonyms: | pretend make-believe | |
Examples: | "the make-believe world of theater" "play money" "dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish" |
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Related terms: | unreal | |
29. | [ verb ] behave in a certain way | |
Examples: | "play safe" "play it safe" "play fair" |
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Related terms: | act | |
30. | [ verb ] use to one's advantage | |
Examples: | "She plays on her clients' emotions" |
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Related terms: | exploit maneuver | |
31. | [ verb ] manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination | |
Synonyms: | fiddle diddle toy | |
Examples: | "She played nervously with her wedding ring" "Don't fiddle with the screws" "He played with the idea of running for the Senate: |
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Related terms: | manipulate put_out entertain fiddler | |
32. | [ verb ] (theater,performing arts) perform on a stage or theater | |
Synonyms: | roleplay playact act | |
Examples: | "She acts in this play" "He acted in "Julius Caesar" "I played in "A Christmas Carol" |
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Related terms: | perform mime overact stooge underact dramaturgy act act act roleplaying actor acting barnstormer | |
33. | [ noun ] (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds | |
Synonyms: | period_of_play playing_period | |
Examples: | "rain stopped play in the 4th inning" |
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Related terms: | measure inning hole turn final_period over first_period second_period chukker third_period half period quarter set chukka athletic_game game | |
34. | [ verb ] exhaust by allowing to pull on the line | |
Examples: | "play a hooked fish" |
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Related terms: | exhaust | |
35. | [ noun ] movement or space for movement | |
Synonyms: | looseness | |
Examples: | "there was too much play in the steering wheel" |
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Related terms: | tightness movability slack wiggliness | |
36. | [ verb ] behave carelessly or indifferently | |
Synonyms: | toy flirt dally | |
Examples: | "Play about with a young girl's affection" |
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Related terms: | act dally flirt | |
37. | [ verb ] contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle | |
Synonyms: | meet take_on encounter | |
Examples: | "Princeton plays Yale this weekend" "Charlie likes to play Mary" |
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Related terms: | confront replay brush meet compete | |
38. | [ noun ] verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously) | |
Synonyms: | fun sport | |
Examples: | "he became a figure of fun" |
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Related terms: | wit drollery pun waggery jocosity | |
39. | [ verb ] cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space, as of machinery | |
Examples: | "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack" |
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Related terms: | move looseness | |
40. | [ noun ] gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement | |
Synonyms: | frolic caper gambol romp | |
Examples: | "it was all done in play" "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly" |
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Related terms: | diversion horseplay flirt teasing word_play game folly skylark caper | |
41. | [ noun ] (games) the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize) | |
Synonyms: | gambling gaming | |
Examples: | "his gambling cost him a fortune" "there was heavy play at the blackjack table" |
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Related terms: | diversion vice bet game_of_chance sporting_life throw unlicensed_gambling bet_on | |
42. | [ verb ] shoot or hit in a particular manner | |
Examples: | "She played a good backhand last night" |
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Related terms: | hit hook meet | |
43. | [ verb ] employ in a game or in a specific position | |
Examples: | "They played him on first base" |
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Related terms: | use meet | |
44. | [ verb ] (games) make bets | |
Examples: | "Play the reaces" "play the casinos in Trouville" |
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Related terms: | bet bet | |
45. | [ verb ] be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way | |
Examples: | "This speech didn't play well with the American public" "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee" |
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46. | [ verb ] (games) stake on the outcome of an issue | |
Synonyms: | wager bet | |
Examples: | "I bet $100 on that new horse" "She played all her money on the dark horse" |
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Related terms: | gamble bet_on raise see gambling stake bettor | |
47. | [ verb ] discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream | |
Examples: | : "play water from a hose" "The fountains played all day" |
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Related terms: | discharge | |
48. | [ verb ] (performing arts) be performed | |
Examples: | "What's playing in the local movie theater?" `Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years" |
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Related terms: | debut performing_arts act | |
49. | [ noun ] the removal of constraints | |
Synonyms: | free_rein | |
Examples: | "he gave free rein to his impulses" "they gave full play to the artist's talent" |
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Related terms: | freedom | |
50. | [ verb ] (cards) use or move | |
Examples: | "I had to play my queen" |
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Related terms: | use promote meet | |
51. | [ noun ] a weak and tremulous light | |
Synonyms: | shimmer | |
Examples: | "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers" "the play of light on the water" |
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Related terms: | change | |
52. | [ noun ] the activity of doing something in an agreed succession | |
Synonyms: | turn | |
Examples: | "it is my turn" "it is still my play" |
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Related terms: | activity move start attack bat down lead ruff innings game | |
53. | [ noun ] (arms) the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully | |
Synonyms: | swordplay | |
Related terms: | action fencing | |
Similar spelling: |
ply ploy plea Plewa Pleau plo plow |