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play

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also:PlayandPLAY

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishpleyen,playen,pleȝen,plæien, alsoMiddle Englishplaȝen,plawen(compare Englishplaw), fromOld Englishpleġan,pleoġan,plæġan, andOld Englishplegian,pleagian,plagian(“to play, exercise, etc.”), fromProto-West Germanic*plehan(“to care about, be concerned with”) andProto-West Germanic*plegōn(“to engage, move”), of uncertain origin.

cognates and related terms

Cognate withScotsplay(“to act or move briskly, cause to move, stir”),Saterland Frisianpleegje(“to look after, care for, maintain”),West Frisianpleegje,pliigje(“to commit, perform, bedrive”),Middle Dutchpleyen("to dance, leap for joy, rejoice, be glad"; compare ModernDutchpleien(“to play a particular children's game”)),Dutchplegen(“to commit, bedrive, practice”),Germanpflegen(“to care for, be concerned with, attend to, tend”). Related also toOld Englishplēon(“to risk, endanger”). More atplight,pledge.

The noun is fromMiddle Englishpleye, fromOld Englishplæġ,plega,plæġa(“play, quickmotion,movement, exercise; (athletic)sport,game; festivity,drama;battle; gear for games, an implement for a game; clapping with the hands, applause”), deverbative ofplegian(“to play”); see above.

Pronunciation

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enPR:plā, Rhymes:-eɪ

Verb

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play (third-person singular simple presentplays,present participleplaying,simple past and past participleplayed)

  1. (intransitive) Toact in amanner such that one hasfun; toengage inactivitiesexpressly for thepurpose ofrecreation orentertainment.
    The childrenplayed in the park.
    • 2001, Annabelle Sabloff,Reordering the Natural World, Univ. of Toronto Press, page83:
      A youngster[…]listed some of the things his pet did not do:[…]go on vacation,play in the same way that he did with his friends, and so on.
    • 2003, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.),Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth, Cambridge Univ. Press, p.52:
  2. (intransitive, especially with 'with'; see alsoplay with) Totoy ortrifle; toact withlevity orthoughtlessness; to becareless.
    Don'tplay with your food!
    He's justplaying with her affections.
    • a.1700 (date written),William Temple, “Of Health and Long-life”, inMiscellanea. The Third Part. […], London: […] Jonathan Swift, […] Benjamin Tooke, […], published1701,→OCLC,page167:
      Thus Men are apt toplay with their Healths and their Lives as they do with their Cloaths: [...]
  3. (transitive, intransitive) Toperform in (asport); toparticipate in (agame).
    Hypernym:try
    Hyponym:replay
    Heplays on three teams.
    Who'splaying now?
    play football,play sports,play games
    1. Specifying a particular sporting role or position.
      Heplays left back for Mudchester Rovers
    2. (transitive) Tocompeteagainst, in agame.
      We'replaying one of the top teams in the next round.
      • 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, inBBC Sport:
        England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare toplay Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday.
    3. (transitive, in the scoring of games and sports) To be theopposingscore to.
      Look at the score now ... 23plays 8!
  4. (intransitive) To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-deathcombats; to engage in martial games; tojoust; tofence
  5. (intransitive, copulative) Toact orbehave in a stated way.
    toplay safe, toplay fair, toplay dirty
    1. Togive afalseappearance ofbeing; topretend tobe.
      Heplays dumb, but actually he's very clever.
      • 1819 December 20 (indicated as1820),Walter Scott,Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume(please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […],→OCLC:
        Thou canstplay the rational if thou wilt.
      • 1985, Sharon S. Brehm,Intimate Relationships:
        Playing hard to get is not the same as slamming the door in someone's face.
      • 1996, Michael P. Malone,James J Hill: Empire Builder of the Northwest:
        Now, surveying his final link, he had the nice advantage of being able toplay coy with established port cities that desperately wanted his proven railroad.
      • 2003, John U. Ogbu,Black American Students in an Affluent Suburb: A Study of Academic Disengagement, page194:
        Instead, theyplayed dumb, remained silent, and did their classwork.
  6. (transitive) Toact as (theindicatedrole).
    Stopplaying the fool.
    No part of the brainplays the role of permanent memory.
    1. Toportray (acharacter) in (afilm ortheatre).
      Whoplayed Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind'?
      • 1983 December 3, Michael Wilson, “The Same Story Embellished”, inGay Community News, volume11, number20, page12:
        Mister Frielplays Virgil to the narrator's Dante, finding him an apartment, bringing him to the right parties and offering the last word on gay New York.
      • 1984,Chris Robinson, commercial for Vicks Formula 44:
        I'm not a doctor, but I doplay one on TV.
      • 2023 June 29,City AM, London, page18, column 2:
        An opening sequence, featuring a de-aged Fordplaying a younger Indy, is a bold and nostalgic gambit, offering a glimpse of what you've missed.
  7. (transitive, intransitive)Toproducesound (especiallymusic),moving pictures, ortheatricalperformance.
    1. (transitive, intransitive, especially of a person) To produce music using amusical instrument.
      Synonyms:(intransitive)cook,(intransitive)jam;see alsoThesaurus:play music
      I'llplay the piano and you sing.
      Can youplay an instrument?
      I've practiced the piano off and on, but I still can'tplay very well.
    2. (intransitive, of a musical instrument) To produce music.
      This pianoplays out of tune.
      • 2007, Dan Erlewine,Guitar Player Repair Guide,→ISBN, page220:
        If your guitarplays well on fretted strings but annoys you on the open ones, the nut's probably worn out.
    3. (transitive, of a person) Tooperate (adevice ormedia) so as tocause sound (especially music) or moving pictures to be produced.
      You canplay the DVD now.
      Don'tplay your radio so loud!
      Play the audio clip to hear how the word is pronounced.
    4. (transitive, usually of a person) Torender (a musicaltitle,compositionalstyle,film title, etc.) using a musical instrument or device.
      Do you know how toplay Für Elise on the piano?
      We especially like toplay jazz together.
      She keepsplaying 'Achy Breaky Heart' over and over again on her stereo.
    5. (transitive, intransitive, of a device, media, broadcast, etc.) Toemit orrelay sound (especially music) or moving pictures;(of a device) tooperatemedia.
      The juke box isplaying our favourite song.
      The radio wasplaying in the background.
      This DVD is scratched and won'tplay.
      Channel 9 isplaying that old comedy series again.
      My cassette player won'tplay this worn-out old tape.
    6. (intransitive, of a theatrical performance, film or music) To beperformed,reproduced, orshown.
      His latest film isplaying in the local theatre tomorrow.
      Some kind of lounge music wasplaying in the background.
    7. (transitive, of a theatrical company or band, etc.) Toperform or give performances in or at (avenue orlocation).
      The band isplaying large arenas nationwide.
      • 2008,My Life: From Normandy to Hockeytown,→ISBN, page30:
        I got a hold of Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong's agent and I explained to him on the phone that, "I know you'replaying London on Wednesday night. Why don't you come andplay the Arena in Windsor on Saturday night?"
    8. (transitive) To act or perform (a play).
      toplay a comedy
  8. (transitive, intransitive) Tomovebriskly,sweepingly,back and forth, in adirectedmanner, etc.
    1. To move in alight orbrisk manner.
      The fountainplays.
      The leavesplayed in the wind.
    2. To move so as tofall upon orsweepacross something, or todirect oroperate (something) in such a manner.
      The torch beamplayed around the room.
      Theyplayed the jet of water onto the seat of the fire.
      toplay cannon upon a fortification
      • 1712 (date written),[Joseph] Addison,Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published1713,→OCLC, Act I, scene v,page 1:
        The setting sun
        Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets.
      • 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter I, inZollenstein, New York, N.Y.:D. Appleton & Company,→OCLC:
        The colonel and his sponsor made a queer contrast: Greystone [the sponsor] long and stringy, with a face that seemed as if a cold wind was eternallyplaying on it.
      • 1972, “Thick As A Brick”, Ian Anderson (lyrics), performed byJethro Tull:
        The Poet and the Painter
        Casting shadows on the water
        As the sunplays on the infantry
        Returning from the sea.
    3. To move in analternating orreciprocal manner; to moveto and fro.
  9. (transitive) Tobring intoaction ormotion; toexhibit in action; toexecute ordeploy.
    That was a great shot heplayed!
    Heplayed the blue ball, but the green would have been a better choice.
    When you're in a team, you have toplay your part.
    toplay a trump in a card game, toplay tricks, toplay a joke
  10. (transitive) Tohandle ordeal with (amatter orsituation) in a stated way.
    The bank robbers have three hostages inside, so we're going to have toplay this very carefully.
  11. (transitive) Tohandle ordeal with (something) in acalculatingmannerintended toachieveprofit orgain.
    He made a fortune on Wall Street,playing the markets.
    In this business you have toplay the percentages.
  12. (intransitive) To bereceived oraccepted (in a given way); togo down.
    This policyplays well with younger voters.
    How will thisplay in the swing states?
  13. Togamble.
    • 1791,Charlotte Smith,Celestina, Broadview, published2004, page407:
      “I play, comparatively, very little; I don't drink a fifth part so much as half the people I live with; and I reckon myself, upon the whole, a very orderly, sober fellow.”
  14. (transitive) Tokeepin play, as ahookedfish in order toland it.
  15. (transitive, colloquial) Tomanipulate,deceive, orswindle.
    Synonym:defraud
    Youplayed me!
    • 2020, “Ballad Of You & I”, performed by Hotel Lux:
      If this our song, you're the composer
      I'm not a game, but youplay me anyway
  16. (African-American Vernacular, intransitive) Tokid; tojoke; tosay something foramusement; toact, or totreat something,unseriously.
    They don'tplay with the rules around here.
    • 2016, T. Styles, “seventeen”, inClown Niggas‎[2], United States of America: The Cartel Publications,→ISBN,→LCCN,page161:
      He grew serious. “Sorry, E.M. Just fucking around.”
      “Well, I don’tplay like that and you know it.”
  17. (intransitive) To take part inamorous activity; tomake love;see alsoplay around.
    Synonyms:get it on,make out,have sex;see alsoThesaurus:copulate
  18. For additional senses in various idiomatic phrases, see the individual entries, such asplay along,play at,play down,play off,play on,play out,play to,play up, etc.

Descendants

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  • → Kashubian:plejowac(Canada, United States)

Translations

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act in a manner such that one has fun
produce music using a musical instrument (transitive sense)
produce music using a musical instrument (intransitive sense)
act in a performance
participate in (a sport or game)
use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording
put in action or motion
manipulate or deceive someone—see alsoplay for a fool
feign, pretend
<! "play" does not mean "feign, pretend", it means "pretend to be". -->
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

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play (countable anduncountable,pluralplays)

  1. (uncountable, formerly countable) Activity foramusement only, especially among the young.
    Children learn throughplay.
    • 1803 (date written), [Jane Austen],Northanger Abbey; published inNorthanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume(please specify |volume=I or II), London:John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818),→OCLC:
      She was fond of all boys'plays, and greatly preferred cricket[…] to dolls[…]
    • 1964,Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors),We Both Laughed In Pleasure
      You know, when I was around 7-11 years old, my favoriteplay would be "boys." One of us, Bridget, Maryellen, or I, would say "Let's play boys." We all had boy names, set up the pretend surroundings, and acted like boys.
  2. (uncountable) Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
    This kind ofplay helps the young lion cubs develop their hunting skills.
  3. (uncountable) The conduct, or course, of a game.
    Play was very slow in the first half.
    After the rain break,play resumed at 3 o'clock.
    The game was abandoned after 20 minutes'play
  4. (uncountable, sports, with certain prepositions, also figurative) The sphere or circumstance in which a playing implement, such as a ball, is available to be played (see alsoin play,out of play).
    In potting the yellow ball, he's knocked the green intoplay.
    When a chess piece is captured, it is removed fromplay.
    That option has been removed fromplay.
  5. (uncountable) An individual's performance in a sport or game.
    Hisplay has improved a lot this season.
  6. (countable) A short sequence of action within a game.
    That was a greatplay by the Mudchester Rovers forward.
    1. (turn-based games) An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.
      Synonym:move
      • 2009, Joe Edley, John Williams,Everything Scrabble: Third Edition, page85:
        AWARD is better than either WARED or WADER. However, there's an even betterplay! If you have looked at the two-to-make-three letter list, you may have noticed the word AWA.
  8. (countable) Aliterary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
    Synonyms:drama,script;see alsoThesaurus:drama
    Hyponyms:screenplay,teleplay,telescript
    This book contains all of Shakespeare'splays.
  9. (countable) A theatrical performance featuringactors.
    We saw a two-actplay in the theatre.
    My kids are acting in the schoolplay this Christmas.
  10. (countable) An attempt to move forward, as in a plan or strategy, for example by a business, investor, or political party.
    ABC Widgets makes aplay in the bicycle market with its bid to take over Acme Sprockets.
    Turpin signals the Metric Party's long-termplay for housing reform
  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.)
    theplay of light and shadow across the boy's face
    • 1956, Nyanatiloka Mahåthera,Fundamentals of Buddhism Four Lectures:
      the sum of mental and physical phenomena known by the conventional name “person” or “individual” is not at all the mere play of blind chance.
  13. (uncountable) Freedom to move.
    giveplay to your imagination
    1. The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely, as for examplelash,backlash, orslack.
      No wonder the fanbelt is slipping: there’s too muchplay in it.
      Too muchplay in a steering wheel may be dangerous.
  14. (uncountable, informal)Sexualactivity or sexualrole-playing.
    petplay
    • 1990 December 9, “Butch In The Streets, Bottom Between The Sheets (personal advertisement)”, inGay Community News, volume18, number21, page17:
      Sexy LF novice seeks seasoned top to spice up myplay life. Teach me a lesson I won't forget.
    • 1996, Sabrina P Ramet,Gender reversals and gender cultures:
      The rarity of male domination in fantasyplay is readily explained.
    • 1996, "toptigger", (on Internet newsgroupalt.personals.spanking.punishment)
      Palm Springs M seeks sane F 4 safe bdsmplay
    • 2013, Rachel Kramer Bussel,Best Bondage Erotica 2014:
      There were none of the usual restrictions on public nudity or sexual interaction in the club environment. Still, the night was young, and as he'd made his way to the bar to order Mistress Ramona a gin and tonic, he'd seen little in the way ofplay.
    • 2014, Jiri T. Servant,Facts About Bondage - Bondage Guide For Beginners:
      This type ofplay allows some people to relax and enjoy being given pleasure without having to think about giving pleasure back at the same time.
  15. (countable) An instance of watching or listening to media.
    Synonyms:(of visual media)view,(of audio)listen
    That video of my cat falling off the piano has had ten thousandplays.
    • 2014 December 3, Victor Luckerson, “These Were Spotify's Most-Streamed Songs This Year”, inTime‎[3], archived fromthe original on2 June 2017:
      The most-streamed artist of the year was British singer Ed Sheeran, who amassed 860 millionplays with hits like “I See Fire.”
  16. (countable, uncountable) An instance or instances of causing media to be watched or heard, such as by broadcasting.
    Their single got aplay on the radio.
    The song got a lot ofplay in the clubs.
  17. (countable) Abutton that, whenpressed, causes media to be played.
    pressplay
  19. (countable) An instance ofwordplay.
    play on words
    The nameWiktionary is aplay on the wordswiki anddictionary.
  20. (archaic, now usually in compounds) Activity relating tomartialcombat orfighting.
    handplay,swordplay

Translations

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playful activity
individual's performance in a sport
a short sequence of action within a game
action carried out when it is one's turn to play
literary composition intended to be represented
theatrical performance
major move by a business
geological formation
area of free movement for a part of a mechanism—seebacklash
sexual roleplaying
instance of watching or listening to media

Derived terms

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Terms derived from the noun or verb

See also

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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Chinese

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Etymology

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Borrowed fromEnglishplay, possibly viaJapaneseプレイ(purei). Also compareKorean-플(-peul)

Pronunciation

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This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with theIPA then please add some!

Suffix

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play

  1. play(sexual roleplaying)
    羞恥play／羞耻play  ― xiūchǐplay  ―  erotic humiliation
    女裝play／女装play  ― nǚzhuāngplay  ―  crossdressing
    各種奇怪的play／各种奇怪的play  ― gèzhǒng qíguài deplay  ―  all kinds of strangesexual roleplaying

Italian

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Etymology

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Unadapted borrowing fromEnglishplay.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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play m (invariable)

  1. play (theatrical performance; start key)

Interjection

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play

  1. used to announce the start a game oftennis

References

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  1. ^play inLuciano Canepari,Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)

Middle English

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Noun

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play

  1. alternative form ofpleye

Spanish

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Etymology

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Unadapted borrowing fromEnglishplay.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈplei/[ˈplei̯]
  • Rhymes:-ei
  • Syllabification:play

Noun

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play m (pluralplayes)

  1. play(button)

Usage notes

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According toRoyal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Related terms

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