play
play [play plays played playing] verb, noun BrE [pleɪ] NAmE [pleɪ]
verb
OF CHILDREN
1. intransitive, transitive to do things for pleasure, as children do; to enjoy yourself, rather than work
• You'll have to play inside today.
• There's a time to work and a time to play.
•~ with sb/sth A group of kids were playing with a ball in the street.
•I haven't got anybody to play with!
•~ sth Let's play a different game.
2. transitive, no passive, intransitive to pretend to be or do sth for fun
•~ sth Let's play pirates.
•~ at doing sth They were playing at being cowboys.
TRICK
3. transitive ~ a trick/tricks (on sb) to trick sb for fun
SPORTS/GAMES
4. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) (with/against sb) to be involved in a game; to compete against sb in a game
•~ sth to play football/chess/cards, etc.
•~ sb France are playing Wales tomorrow.
•~ sb at sth Have you played her at squash yet?
•~ for sb He plays for Cleveland.
•~ against sb France are playing against Wales on Saturday.
•+ adv./prep. Evans played very well.
5. intransitive to take a particular position in a sports team
•+ adv./prep. Who's playing on the wing?
•+ noun I've never played right back before.
6. transitive ~ sb (+ adv./prep.) to include sb in a sports team
•I think we should play Matt on the wing.
7. transitive ~ sth to make contact with the ball and hit or kick it in the way mentioned
•She played the ball and ran forward.
•He played a backhand volley.
8. transitive ~ sth (in ↑chess)to move a piece in ↑chess, etc
•She played her bishop.
9. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) (in card games)to put a card face upwards on the table, showing its value
•to play your ace/a trump
•He played out of turn!
MUSIC
10. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) (on sth) to perform on a musical instrument; to perform music
•~ (sth) to play the piano/violin/flute, etc.
• In the distance a band was playing.
•~ sth (on sth) He played a tune on his harmonica.
•~ sth to sb Play that new piece to us.
•~ sb sth Play us that new piece.
11. transitive, intransitive to make a tape, CD, etc. produce sound
•~ sth (for sb) Play their new CD for me, please.
•~ (sb sth) Play me their new CD, please.
•My favourite song was playing on the radio.
•For some reason this CD won't play.
DVD/VIDEO
12. intransitive, transitive (of a DVD or video)to start working; to make a DVD or video start working
•This DVD won't play on my computer.
•~ sth Click below to play videos.
•Nothing happens when I try to play a DVD.
•A short video was played to the court showing the inside of the house.
ACT/PERFORM
13. transitive ~ sth to act in a play, film/movie, etc; to act the role of sb
• The part of Elizabeth was played by Cate Blanchett.
• He had always wanted to play Othello.
14. intransitive to pretend to be sth that you are not
•+ adj. I decided it was safer to play dead.
•+ noun She enjoys playing the wronged wife.
15. intransitive ~ (to sb) to be performed
•A production of ‘Carmen’ was playing to packed houses.
HAVE EFFECT
16. transitive ~ a part/role (in sth) to have an effect on sth
• The media played an important part in the last election.
SITUATION
17. transitive ~ sth + adv./prep. to deal with a situation in the way mentioned
• He played the situation carefully for maximum advantage.
OF LIGHT/A SMILE
18. intransitive + adv./prep. to move or appear quickly and lightly, often changing direction or shape
•Sunlight played on the surface of the lake.
OF FOUNTAIN
19. intransitive when a ↑fountain plays, it produces a steady stream of water
•Two huge fountains were playing outside the entrance.
Rem: Most idioms containing play are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example play the game is at game.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Culture:
toys and games
Most young children are given toys for their ↑birthday or at ↑Christmas. Many regularly spend their pocket money or allowance on smaller toys. Popular toys include building bricks such as Lego, plastic farm animals, toy cars, model railways and dressing-up costumes. Girls especially have dolls, and several sets of clothes to dress them in. ↑Action Man figures are mainly for boys and ↑Barbie dolls for girls. Babies are given rattles, soft cuddly toys and a ↑teddy bear. Action figures, small plastic models of characters from television shows or films, are also popular. Some parents do not allow their children to have guns or other ‘violent’ toys because they do not want them to think it is fun to kill people.
Among traditional games that are still popular are marbles, which is played with small, coloured glass balls, board games such as ↑snakes and ladders and ↑ludo, card games such as Happy Families, and word games such as ↑hangman. Board and card games are played with family or friends, but children play alone with computer games or video games.
Many children collect objects, such as shells, model animals, stamps or picture cards. In the US baseball cards, cards with a picture of a baseball player on them, are sold with bubblegum. In Britain picture cards are often given free in packets of breakfast cereal.
Children play outside with skipping ropes, bicycles, skateboards and Rollerblades™. In playgrounds there are often swings, a slide, a see-saw and a climbing frame (AmE jungle gym) to climb on. Traditional games played outside include hopscotch, a game in which children hop over squares drawn on the ground to try to pick up a stone, and tag, in which one child chases the others until he or she catches one of them and then that child has to chase the rest.
Toys are often expensive and, even if they can afford them, many parents are unwilling to spend a lot of money on something that they know their children will soon get bored with. Children want toys they see advertised on television or in ↑comics, or toys that their friends already have. There are sometimes crazes for toys connected with characters from a film.
Few people give up toys and games completely when they become adults. Many keep their old teddy bear for sentimental reasons. There are now also executive toys, made specially for adults to keep on their desks. Many people play card games like bridge and poker, and board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, backgammon and chess.
Thesaurus:
play verb
1. I, T
•There's a time to work and a time to play.
enjoy yourself • • have fun • • celebrate • |informal have a good/great time • • party • • live it up •
Let's play/enjoy ourselves/have fun/celebrate/have a good time/party/live it up.
2. T, I
•He plays football in a local team.
compete • • go in for sth • • enter •
play/compete in a competition, etc.
play/compete against sb
3. T, I
•Who played the part of Juliet?
•I could hear a band playing in the distance.
perform • • act • |especially spoken do •
play/perform/do a piece
play/act a role/part
a band/musician plays/performs/does sth
Play or act? When you are talking about drama act can be used with an object (act a part) as well as without (He just can't act.); play can only be used with an object (play a part) and is more commonly used in this way than act.
Synonyms:
entertainment
fun • recreation • relaxation • play • pleasure • amusement
These are all words for things or activities used to entertain people when they are not working.
entertainment • films, television, music, etc. used to entertain people: ▪ There are three bars, with live entertainment seven nights a week.
fun • (rather informal) behaviour or activities that are not serious but come from a sense of enjoyment: ▪ It wasn't serious— it was all done ▪ in fun ▪. ◇▪ We didn't mean to hurt him. It was just ▪ a bit of fun ▪. ◇ ▪ The lottery provides ▪ harmless fun ▪ for millions.
recreation • (rather formal) things people do for enjoyment when they are not working: ▪ His only form of recreation is playing football.
relaxation • (rather formal) things people do to rest and enjoy themselves when they are not working; the ability to relax: ▪ I go hill-walking for relaxation.
recreation or relaxation?
Both these words can be used for a wide range of activities, physical and mental, but relaxation is sometimes used for gentler activities than recreation: ▪ I play the flute in a wind band for recreation. ◇ ▪ I listen to music for relaxation.
play • things that people, especially children, do for enjoyment rather than as work: ▪ the happy sounds of children ▪ at play
pleasure • the activity of enjoying yourself, especially in contrast to working: ▪ Are you in Paris ▪ for business or pleasure ▪?
amusement • the fact of being entertained by sth: ▪ What do you do for amusement round here?
to do sth for entertainment/fun/recreation/relaxation/pleasure/amusement
to provide entertainment/fun/recreation/relaxation/amusement
Example Bank:
•Have you ever heard her play?
•He plays for Aston Villa.
•He plays for the Chicago Bears.
•I'm learning to play sax.
•I've never played John at tennis.
•Let's play at pirates!
•She has played in every game this season.
•She was playing cards with her mother.
•The band will be playing live in the studio.
•The little girl was playing with her toys.
•The other children wouldn't let him play.
•These guys make the team very difficult to play against.
•United are difficult to play against.
•a piece that is relatively easy to play
•learning to play the violin
•Do you want to play cards with me?
•Have you ever played her at chess?
•I haven't got anybody to play with!
•I've never played right back before.
•Let's play a different game.
•The part of the Queen was played by Helen Mirren.
•There's a time to work and a time to play.
•They play football on Saturday mornings.
•Who's playing on the wing?
•You'll have to play inside today.
Idioms: ↑have a play ▪ have money/time to play with ▪ ↑in of play ▪ ↑make a play for somebody ▪ ↑make much play of something ▪ ↑play on words ▪ ↑play with yourself ▪ ↑what is somebody playing at?
Derived: ↑play A off against B ▪ ↑play about ▪ ↑play along ▪ ↑play at at doing something ▪ ↑play away ▪ ↑play itself out ▪ ↑play on ▪ ↑play on something ▪ ↑play somebody up ▪ ↑play something back ▪ ↑play something down ▪ ↑play something out ▪ ↑play something up ▪ ↑play up ▪ ↑play with somebody ▪ ↑play with something
noun
CHILDREN
1. uncountable things that people, especially children, do for pleasure rather than as work
•the happy sounds of children at play
•the importance of learning through play
•a play area
IN THEATRE
2. countable a piece of writing performed by actors in a theatre or on television or radio
•to put on (= perform) a play
•a play by Shakespeare
•a radio play
see also ↑morality play, ↑mystery play, ↑Passion play
IN SPORT
3. uncountable the playing of a game
•Rain stopped play.
•There was some excellent play in yesterday's match.
•The spectators were asked to be quiet during play.
see also ↑fair play, ↑foul play
4. countable (NAmE)an action or move in a game
•a defensive play
IN ROPE
5. uncountable the possibility of free and easy movement
•We need more play in the rope.
ACTIVITY/INFLUENCE
6. uncountable the activity or operation of sth; the influence of sth on sth else
•the free play of market forces
•The financial crisis has brought new factors into play.
•Personal feelings should not come into play when you are making business decisions.
OF LIGHT/A SMILE
7. uncountable (literary)a light, quick movement that keeps changing
•the play of sunlight on water
more at call sth into play at ↑call v., child's play at ↑child, the state of play at ↑state n., all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy) at ↑work n.
Word Origin:
Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Thesaurus:
play noun
1. U
•the happy sounds of children at play
fun • • amusement • • entertainment • • pleasure • • recreation • • relaxation •
do sth for fun/amusement/entertainment/pleasure/recreation/relaxation
2. C
•a play by Shakespeare
drama • • comedy • • tragedy • • farce • • sketch •
a play/drama/comedy/tragedy/farce/sketch about sth
perform a play/drama/sketch
see a play/drama/comedy/sketch
Example Bank:
•At close of play he had scored 38 not out.
•Children spend hours at play.
•He kicked the ball out of play.
•He made several nice defensive plays.
•He was sent off for foul play.
•I only said it in play.
•Rain stopped play 40 minutes into the match.
•The ball is still in play.
•The children always perform a nativity play every Christmas.
•The local council runs some good play schemes.
•The offensive coordinator has called 60 running plays and 44 passes.
•The play is reviewed in most of today's papers.
•There were ten double plays completed.
•They ran 10 plays inside the 30 in the fourth quarter.
•a play about teenage runaways
•the final play of the first half
•the team's ability to execute a play
•Kate's class decided to put on a play for the school.
•The theatre was refused permission to stage the play.
•They are performing a play by Pinter.
•a children's play area
•the happy sounds of children at play
See also: ↑play A off B
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