Noun
the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully

Noun
play by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"

Noun
the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my 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); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table"

Noun
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"

Noun
a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; "he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on a play by the shortstop"

Noun
a preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up the plays for her team"

Noun
an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention"

Noun
utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"

Noun
movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel"

Noun
verbal wit (often at another''s expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"

Noun
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"

Noun
a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours"

Noun
a weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water"

Noun
the removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist''s talent"

Noun
a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company''s stock was in play"

Noun
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning"

Verb
engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stockmarket"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea"

Verb
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"

Verb
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish"

Verb
consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"

Verb
participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"

Verb
contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"

Verb
employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base"

Verb
use or move; "I had to play my queen"

Verb
shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night"

Verb
bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races"

Verb
put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"

Verb
stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse"

Verb
make bets; "Play the reaces"; "play the casinos in Trouville"

Verb
use to one''s advantage; "She plays on her clients'' emotions"

Verb
discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"

Verb
manipulate manually or in one''s mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don''t fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"

Verb
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area"

Verb
perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"

Verb
be performed; "What''s playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats'' has been playing on Broadway for many years"

Verb
cause to emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?"

Verb
emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"

Verb
play a role or part; "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"

Verb
perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar''"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol''"

Verb
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let''s play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"

Verb
replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully"

Verb
play on an instrument; "The band played all night long"

Verb
perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"

Verb
move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians"

Verb
cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"

Verb
act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"

Verb
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike"

Verb
be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"

Verb
behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl''s affection"

Verb
behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair"

Verb
be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn''t play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"

---

n.
To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot.

n.
To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.

n.
To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.

n.
To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute.

n.
To act; to behave; to practice deception.

n.
To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays.

n.
To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.

n.
To act on the stage; to personate a character.

v. t.
To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump.

v. t.
To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.

v. t.
To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin.

v. t.
To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks.

v. t.
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.

v. t.
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.

v. t.
To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.

n.
Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.

n.
Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game.

n.
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.

n.
Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit.

n.
A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action.

n.
The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play.

n.
Performance on an instrument of music.

n.
Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action.

n.
Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.

---

Play

Play , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Played ; p. pr. & vb. n. Playing.] [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. &root;28. 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.

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play!

And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword.

2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.

"Nay," quod this monk, "I have no lust to pleye."

Men are apt to play with their healths.

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.

Play, my friend, and charm the charmer.

5. To act; to behave; to practice deception.

His mother played false with a smith.

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.

7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.

Even as the waving sedges play with wind.

The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets.

All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart.

8. To act on the stage; to personate a character.

A lord will hear your play to-night.

Courts are theaters where some men play.

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.

(b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words.

Play

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Playa

Pla"ya , n. [Sp.] A beach; a strand; in the plains and deserts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, a broad, level spot, on which subsequently becomes dry by evaporation. Bartlett.

To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot.

To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump.

Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.