Play

/pleɪ̯/ [pɫ̥eɪ̯ ~ pʰɫeɪ̯] · verb

Meaning

(intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment..

Definitions by Sense

1. (intransitive) To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
2. (intransitive, especially with 'with'; see also play with) To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.
3. (transitive, intransitive) To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
4. (intransitive) To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-death combats; to engage in martial games; to joust; to fence
5. (intransitive, copulative) To act or behave in a stated way.
6. (transitive) To act as (the indicated role).
7. (transitive, intransitive) To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
8. (transitive, intransitive) To move briskly, sweepingly, back and forth, in a directed manner, etc.

Example Sentences

The children played in the park.

2003, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.), Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth, Cambridge Univ. Press, p.52:

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.

Don't play with your food!

He's just playing with her affections.

Thus Men are apt to play with their Healths and their Lives as they do with their Cloaths: [...]

He plays on three teams.

Who's playing now?

Synonyms for play

Antonyms for play

Related Words

Word Forms

• plays
• playing
• played

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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