In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his familyâs pot filled with coffee.
play, swordplay
(noun) the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
gambling, gaming, play
(noun) the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); âhis gambling cost him a fortuneâ; âthere was heavy play at the blackjack tableâ
play, child's play
(noun) activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; âFreud believed in the utility of play to a small childâ
turn, play
(noun) (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; âit is my turnâ; âit is still my playâ
play, frolic, romp, gambol, caper
(noun) gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; âit was all done in playâ; âtheir frolic in the surf threatened to become uglyâ
maneuver, manoeuvre, play
(noun) a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; âhe made a great maneuverâ; âthe runner was out on a play by the shortstopâ
play
(noun) a preset plan of action in team sports; âthe coach drew up the plays for her teamâ
bid, play
(noun) an attempt to get something; âthey made a futile play for powerâ; âhe made a bid to gain attentionâ
play
(noun) utilization or exercise; âthe play of the imaginationâ
looseness, play
(noun) movement or space for movement; âthere was too much play in the steering wheelâ
fun, play, sport
(noun) verbal wit or mockery (often at anotherâs expense but not to be taken seriously); âhe became a figure of funâ; âhe said it in sportâ
play, drama, dramatic play
(noun) a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; âhe wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadwayâ
play
(noun) a theatrical performance of a drama; âthe play lasted two hoursâ
shimmer, play
(noun) a weak and tremulous light; âthe shimmer of colors on iridescent feathersâ; âthe play of light on the waterâ
play
(noun) a state in which action is feasible; âthe ball was still in playâ; âinsiders said the companyâs stock was in playâ
play, toy
(verb) engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; âThey played games on their opponentsâ; âplay the stock marketâ; âplay with her feelingsâ; âtoy with an ideaâ
act, play, act as
(verb) pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; âHe acted the idiotâ; âShe plays deaf when the news are badâ
play
(verb) exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; âplay a hooked fishâ
dally, trifle, play
(verb) consider not very seriously; âHe is trifling with herâ; âShe plays with the thought of moving to Tasmaniaâ
play
(verb) participate in games or sport; âWe played hockey all afternoonâ; âplay cardsâ; âPele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matchesâ
meet, encounter, play, take on
(verb) contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; âPrinceton plays Yale this weekendâ; âCharlie likes to play Maryâ
play
(verb) shoot or hit in a particular manner; âShe played a good backhand last nightâ
play
(verb) bet or wager (money); âHe played $20 on the new horseâ; âShe plays the racesâ
play
(verb) put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; âHe is playing his cards close to his chestâ; âThe Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victoryâ
bet, wager, play
(verb) stake on the outcome of an issue; âI bet $100 on that new horseâ; âShe played all her money on the dark horseâ
play
(verb) make bets; âPlay the racesâ; âplay the casinos in Trouvilleâ
play
(verb) discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; âplay water from a hoseâ; âThe fountains played all dayâ
toy, fiddle, diddle, play
(verb) manipulate manually or in oneâs mind or imagination; âShe played nervously with her wedding ringâ; âDonât fiddle with the screwsâ; âHe played with the idea of running for the Senateâ
bring, work, play, wreak, make for
(verb) cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; âI cannot work a miracleâ; âwreak havocâ; âbring commentsâ; âplay a jokeâ; âThe rain brought relief to the drought-stricken areaâ
play
(verb) perform on a certain location; âThe prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16â; âShe has been playing on Broadway for yearsâ
play
(verb) be performed or presented for public viewing; âWhatâs playing in the local movie theater?â; ââCatsâ has been playing on Broadway for many yearsâ
play, run
(verb) cause to emit recorded audio or video; âThey ran the tapes over and over againâ; âIâll play you my favorite recordâ; âHe never tires of playing that videoâ
act, play, represent
(verb) play a role or part; âGielgud played Hamletâ; âShe wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the roleâ; âShe played the servant to her husbandâs masterâ
act, play, roleplay, playact
(verb) perform on a stage or theater; âShe acts in this playâ; âHe acted in âJulius Caesarââ; âI played in âA Christmas Carolââ
play
(verb) pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; âLetâs play like I am mommyâ; âPlay cowboy and Indiansâ
play, spiel
(verb) replay (as a melody); âPlay it again, Samâ; âShe played the third movement very beautifullyâ
play
(verb) perform music on (a musical instrument); âHe plays the fluteâ; âCan you play on this old recorder?â
play
(verb) move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; âThe spotlights played on the politiciansâ
play
(verb) cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; âThe engine has a wheel that is playing in a rackâ
play, recreate
(verb) engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; âOn weekends I playâ; âThe students all recreate alikeâ
play
(verb) be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; âThe kids were playing outside all dayâ; âI used to play with trucks as a little girlâ
dally, toy, play, flirt
(verb) behave carelessly or indifferently; âPlay about with a young girlâs affectionâ
play
(verb) behave in a certain way; âplay safeâ; âplay it safeâ; âplay fairâ
play
(verb) be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; âThis speech didnât play well with the American publicâ; âHis remarks played to the suspicions of the committeeâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
play (third-person singular simple present plays, present participle playing, simple past and past participle played)
(intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
(transitive, intransitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
(transitive) To compete against, in a game.
(transitive) (in the scoring of games and sports) To be the opposing score to.
(intransitive) To take part in amorous activity; to make love.
Synonyms: get it on, make out, have sex, Thesaurus:copulate
(transitive) To act as the indicated role, especially in a performance.
(heading, transitive, intransitive) To produce music or theatre.
(intransitive, of a, musical instrument) To produce music.
Synonyms: cook, jam, Thesaurus:play music
(intransitive, especially, of a, person) To produce music using a musical instrument.
(transitive, especially, of a, person) To produce music (or a specified song or musical style) using (a specified musical instrument).
(transitive, ergative) To use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording.
(intransitive, of a, theatrical performance) To be performed; (or, of a, film) to be shown.
(transitive, of a, theatrical company or band, etc.) To perform in or at; to give performances in or at.
(heading) To behave in a particular way.
(copulative) Contrary to fact, to give an appearance of being.
(transitive) To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute.
(transitive, intransitive) To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate.
(intransitive) To move to and fro.
(transitive) To put in action or motion.
(transitive) To keep in play, as a hooked fish in order to land it.
(transitive, colloquial) To manipulate, deceive, or swindle someone.
Synonym: defraud
play (countable and uncountable, plural plays)
(uncountable, formerly countable) Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
(uncountable) Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
(uncountable) The conduct, or course, of a game.
(uncountable) An individual's performance in a sport or game.
(countable) A short sequence of action within a game.
(countable, turn-based games) An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.
Synonym: move
(countable) A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
Synonyms: drama, Thesaurus:drama
(countable) A theatrical performance featuring actors.
(countable) A major move by a business or investor.
(countable) A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
(uncountable) The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely.
(uncountable, informal) Sexual activity or sexual role-playing.
(countable) An instance of watching or listening to digital media.
Synonyms: view (of visual media), listen (of audio)
(countable) A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
(archaic, now usually in compounds) Activity relating to martial combat or fighting.
• paly, pyla
Source: Wiktionary
Play, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Played; p. pr. & vb. n. Playing.] Etym: [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown origin. sq. root28. Cf. Plight, n.]
1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. As Cannace was playing in her walk. Chaucer. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! Pope. And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. Keble.
2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. "Nay," quod this monk, "I have no lust to pleye." Chaucer. Men are apt to play with their healths. Sir W. Temple.
3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.
4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. One that . . . can play well on an instrument. Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. Granville.
5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. His mother played false with a smith. Shak.
6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. Cheyne.
7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. Even as the waving sedges play with wind. Shak. The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. Addison. All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. Pope.
8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. A lord will hear your play to-night. Shak. Courts are theaters where some men play. Donne. To play into a person's hands, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit.
– To play off, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice.
– To play upon. (a) To make sport of; to deceive. Art thou alive Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. Shak. (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words.
Play, v. t.
1. To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. Herbert.
2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.
3. To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin.
4. To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks. Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies. Milton.
5. To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action; as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the woman. Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt. Sir W. Scott.
6. To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball.
7. To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. To play off, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks.
– To play one's cards, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive.
– Played out, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.]
Play, n.
1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. John naturally loved rough play. Arbuthnot.
3. The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play.
4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. "The next who comes in play." Dryden.
5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action. A play ought to be a just image of human nature. Dryden.
6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play.
7. Performance on an instrument of music.
8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. "To give them play, front and rear." Milton. The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them. Moxon.
9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. Play actor, an actor of dramas. Prynne.
– Play debt, a gambling debt. Arbuthnot.
– Play pleasure, idle amusement. [Obs.] Bacon.
– A play upon words, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning.
– Play of colors, prismatic variation of colors.
– To bring into play, To come into play, to bring or come into use or exercise.
– To hold in play, to keep occupied or employed. I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. Macaulay.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
23 December 2024
(noun) Australian tree having hard white timber and glossy green leaves with white flowers followed by one-seeded glossy blue fruit
In the 16th century, Turkish women could divorce their husbands if the man failed to keep his familyâs pot filled with coffee.