| 释义 |
playn. Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: play v. Etymology: < play v.In Old English usually a weak masculine; however, a rare strong form plæg is attested in Northumbrian. I. Exercise, brisk or free movement or action. 1. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > exercise > [noun] the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or control > [noun] > vigorous eOE (1890) 87/2 Palestra, plaega. eOE Cleopatra Gloss. in W. G. Stryker (Ph.D. diss., Stanford Univ.) (1951) 221 Gesticulatio, plega. OE Cynewulf 743 Þa wearð burgwarum eadgum ece gefea æþelinges plega. OE 1334 Lagumearg snyrede, gehlæsted to hyðe, þæt se hærnflota æfter sundplegan sondlond gespearn, grond wið greote. OE (Tiber. B.iv) anno 1004 Hi næfre wyrsan handplegan on Angelcynne ne gemetton þonne Ulfkytel him brohte. OE (1931) 1989 Þær wæs heard plega, wælgara wrixl, wigcyrm micel, hlud hildesweg. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 211 Corea, ceruisia, forum, monasterium..þat on is pleȝe, þat oder [sic] drinch, þe þridde chepinge, þe ferðe chirche. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) 10400 Þan voxe þenne he bið baldest..& hafeð his fulle ploȝe [c1300 Otho folle pleay] & fuȝeles inoȝe. a1400 (c1300) Northern Homily: Herod & John the Baptist (Coll. Phys.) in at Plei(e Herodias dohter..tumbeled sa wel..That al war payed of hir play. OE 2039 Oð ðæt hie forlæddan to ðam lindplegan swæse gesiðas. OE i. 13 Nalles ic ðe..wordum cide, ðy ic ðe gesawe æt ðam sweord wlegan [read sweordplegan]..wig forbugan oððe on weal fleon. ?a1300 St. Eustace (Digby) l. 280 in C. Horstmann (1881) 2nd Ser. 217 Þere nes non at þare plawe Wiþ sheld and spere out I-drawe Þat hoere dunt atstode. 1647 R. Stapleton tr. Juvenal 48 When there was any sword-play, or fighting on the stage. 1699 G. Farquhar ii. ii. 18 I'm much in Love with Fencing: But I think Back-Sword is the best play. 1839 H. W. Longfellow ii In the play of spears, Fell all the cavaliers. 1860 C. Dickens Uncommerc. Traveller in 7 Apr. 559/1 Some of the sword play being very skilful. 1899 E. J. Chapman Fir-tree in 78 I thrust him to earth, and he lay there, For all his boasted play. 1901 21 Oct. 8/6 The latter's play being very correct, and his parries both neat and effective. 2002 (Nexis) 26 Aug. 16 In Luhrmann's film [sc. Romeo and Juliet], a TV anchorwoman replaced the narrator, gun play replaced sword play, gang violence supplanted family rivalries. the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [noun] > sexual display 1858 A. M. Redfield 380 In the early spring, the male bird [sc. the capercaillie] is noted for his ‘play’, in which his movements are ‘much like those of an angry Turkey-cock’. 1875 ‘Stonehenge’ (ed. 12) i. i. iv. §1. 72 The ‘play’ of the capercaillie is very remarkable; it is confined to the males, who indulge in it in order to astonish and excite the hens. the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > action of boiling > [noun] > agitation of liquid in boiling (Harl. 221) 403 Plaw, or plawynge, bullicio, ebullicio. ?c1450 in G. Müller (1929) 70 (MED) Take a quart of oyle dolye and lat it han a plaw or to; siþen cast þer-on in þe boylyng a quart of red led and lat it plawyn a plaw to-gedre. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny I. xiv. xvii Boile them al together at a soft fire, until they haue had ten plawes or walmes. a1825 R. Forby (1830) II. 256 Plaw, a slight boiling. 1866 Apr. 327 Give it a plaw, parboil. 3. the world > action or operation > [noun] 1548 f. xxxvijv The Capitayn..prayed God that the Kynge of Scottes woulde come wyth hys puyssaunce, for he woulde kepe hym playe tyll the tyme that the Kynge of Englande came oute of Fraunce. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iv. viii. 109 Without stratagem, But in plaine shock, and euen play of Battaile. View more context for this quotation 1649 J. Ellistone tr. J. Böhme vi. xliv. 89 God hath made all things in his Divine pley or operation out of his Spiration. 1788 W. Hayley III. i. 14 In vain would Reason those nice questions solve, Which the fine play of mental powers involve. 1837 B. Disraeli II. 27 That enchanting play of fancy, which had once characterised her. 1874 L. Stephen 1st Ser. 344 The play of evil passions gives infinite subjects for dramatic interests. 1932 F. R. Leavis i. 9 Wit, play of intellect, stress of cerebral muscle had no place: they could only hinder the reader's being ‘moved’—the correct poetical response. 1967 R. Singha & R. Massey xi. 109 Their dance is the lila or play of cosmic forces and serves as a preface to the drama which is to follow. 2003 (Nexis) 49 No. 1. 31 The play of intellect and imagination that characterizes French prose styles is a model of the poesis of curiosity that constantly flirts with a resistance to authority. the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] the world > action or operation > continuing > continue (an action) [verb (transitive)] > keep in exercise or practice society > armed hostility > armed encounter > contending in battle > fight (a battle, etc.) [verb (transitive)] > keep engaged in battle the world > action or operation > difficulty > hindrance > types or manners of hindrance > hinder in specific manner [verb (transitive)] > hinder or delay > by keeping occupied 1548Kepe hym playe [see sense 3a]. 1578 T. Churchyard 20 The enimies horsemen..came lustily on a great gallop to holde vs in play till their footemen hadde ouertaken them. 1582 A. Munday sig. C1v They must war within, while other holds them playe with out. 1600 P. Holland tr. Livy xxvii. xlvi. 662 [He] had by all the devises and policies of warre, mocked him and kept him play. c1645 I. Tullie (1840) 12 Forest was the only man who held the Cavalliers in play. 1714 J. Swift (1741) 9 A struggling Faction kept them continually in Play. 1762 G. Cockings v. 23 (note) They flung the stones off the ramparts on the advancing enemies! and held them in play for some time. 1842 T. B. Macaulay Horatius in 58 I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. 1851 J. Richardson in (1884) Jan. 234/2 Nothing that we have fallen in with..could hold her [sc. a ship] play. 1889 R. L. Stevenson ix. 241 The count..kept him in play till his curiosity was highly inflamed, and then suffered himself, with seeming reluctance, to be overborne. 2004 (Nexis) (Review) 15 Allied commanders made a terrible hash of the Sicilian campaign. Some 60,000 Germans were able to hold in play eight times that number of British and American troops for 38 days. the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin action or activity [verb (intransitive)] > become active or come into operation the world > action or operation > undertaking > beginning action or activity > begin or enter upon (an action) [verb (transitive)] > bring into activity or activate 1568 in W. T. Ritchie (1928) III. f. 138v Ffra tyme ȝe stank in to þe bank And drypoynt puttis in play. 1638 G. Langbaine tr. G. Ranchin ii. ix. 108 Boniface to take up the quarrell which was betwixt the King of England and Scotland,..came in play as to assist the Scotch. 1650 A. Weldon 41 Salisbury liking not that any of Essex his faction should come into play. 1678 J. Phillips v. 52 With help of..Canvas saile (live ever they, That Canvas first did bring in play). 1683 S. Pordage tr. T. Willis i. vi. 34 How all this may be done, (without calling an immaterial Soul into play) to wit, by what helps..the Science of the Brutes is gotten or pollish'd, will be worth our Labour to shew a little more fully. 1706 E. Baynard in J. Floyer (rev. ed.) ii. 148 A Distemper in England almost worn out, but now it begins to come in Play again. 1761 tr. C. Batteux III. iv. iii. iii. 256 There are real beauties within our reach, all existing in the subject we are handling. All that is required is discernment to perceive them, and art to put them in play. 1799 H. More (ed. 4) I. 115 Those societies in which their kind of talents are not likely to be brought into play. 1836 A. Combe i. v. 118 The muscular fibres of the stomach..next come into play. 1874 W. B. Carpenter i. i. §3 The reaction of his brain upon the impressions which called it into play. 1936 E. A. Atkins & A. G. Walker (ed. 3) xiii. 150 Slowly raise the hand lever..so as to bring the oxygen stream into play. 1962 D. Slayton in J. Glenn et al. 22 The recovery techniques which we would put into play to find and rescue the Astronaut and his capsule after they had landed. 1993 T. Hawkins i. 19 It's my recommendation that you call into play the little common sense I suspect you possess. d. (In later use perhaps influenced by sense 9d.) the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > unoccupied [phrase] 1661 S. Pepys 2 Sept. (1970) II. 170 There is endeavours to get my Lord out of play at sea. 1719–20 J. Swift (1721) 28 Men who were impatient to be out of Play, have been forced to..reconcile their former Tenets with every new System of Admiration. 1767 E. Lloyd 21 Here grey-beard Politicians, out of play, Profoundly whisper what the Papers say. 1833 H. Ellison I. 360 Still striving with his spiderweb to stay Its mighty movements, of whose countless Springs Not one, one least is ever out of play. 1904 15 June 1/3 In the fovea centralis there are cones only, so that in direct or foveal vision the rods are out of play. 1985 3 June 9/5 On tube trains..it is evident that most rush hour passengers are carefully cultivating that 90 per cent impassivity..which indicates that they are for most social purposes ‘out of play’. the world > action or operation > in operation [phrase] > in full operation the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupied or busy [phrase] 1669 S. Pepys 26 Jan. (1976) IX. 427 My Lord Privy Seale, whom I never before knew to be in so much play as to be of the Cabinet. 1774 O. Goldsmith 42 'Twas his fate, unemploy'd, or in play, Sir, To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor. 1791 18 Aug. 3/1 Since the bloody flag has been taken down, the itinerant clubs are agian in full play. 1815 E. Hitchcock i. iv. 25 Try every means to clog The vast machine the tyrant has in play. 1847 C. Brontë III. ix. 245 My powers were in play, and in force. 1873 E. Bulwer-Lytton v There was a huge engine in the wall which was in full play. 1936 W. F. Russell i. 19 Bring on the opposition. Let it be heard. Then shall we have all the forces in full play. 1950 15 83 The unknown aerodynamic forces in play at these speeds. 1999 8 Nov. (Lottery Suppl.) 4/1 The chance of a non-profit making body running the Lottery is still very much in play. e. to make play. the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > proceed rapidly [verb (intransitive)] > hasten or hurry the world > movement > progressive motion > order of movement > following behind > follow behind [verb (intransitive)] > pursue > exercise pursuers or followers society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > boxing > box [verb (intransitive)] > deliver blows effectively society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > engage in horse racing [verb (intransitive)] > exercise followers 1799 E. Dubois I. 152 A pause having succeeded..Mr. Burley thought it a fit time (in the jockey-term) to make his play. 1806 22 Mar. 3/2 In this round Mendoza began to make play: he rallied and knocked his opponent out of the ring. 1809 33 89 The fox..made play towards Mr. Thellusson's. 1824 Ld. Byron lxxviii. 103 But I'm too late, and therefore must make play. 1883 11 July 10/1 Fontenoy made play to the distance, where the favourite took the lead. 1901 E. Arnold 70 Our oars, which—bank by bank—made play As those three keels raced gaily. 1910 2 Sept. 16/2 Young Turk made play from Marajax and Greenback..to the straight, when Marajax drew out clear. society > society and the community > dissent > fighting > fight [verb (intransitive)] > keep adversary engaged the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > be occupied or busy (in or at something) [verb (intransitive)] > be fully occupied > keep fully occupied 1813 42 243 A young bull of great game, made play for no less than nine-and-twenty dogs. 1889 A. Conan Doyle ix. 75 I trust that the Duke will muster every man he can, and make play until the royal forces come up. 1872 July 78 In the fourth place, Mr. Buckle makes great play, in his pompous, hollow way, with the contrast of induction and deduction. 1903 16 Oct. 7/2 At one point he made play with the maxim that we ought to do to others as we would wish them to do to us. 1931 R. A. J. Walling in J. Bright xv. 398 (note) He made great play of the advancement of Manchester within half a century from government by a Borough Reeve..to the stately dignity of a great municipality. 1960 D. E. Butler & R. Rose x. 133 Fewer Conservative candidates..made play with the argument that Labour's disunity made the party incompetent to govern. 2003 (Nexis) 8 Nov. 3 The embarrassing episodes, of which the Australian media made great play. 1847 W. M. Thackeray (1848) xxiii He feared his father might have been informed of certain transactions at play. 1875 45 22 If we bear in mind the vast extent of some floes and their enormous mass, we may gain some idea of the colossal forces at play in these processes. 1955 Apr. 68/1 It shows clearly and primitively the effects of the physical factors at play in the environment. 2003 14 Feb. 12/1 While France, Germany and Belgium caused chaos at NATO by refusing to authorise military planning for the defence of Turkey in the event of war with Iraq it is worth wondering whether or not other motives could be at play. 4. the world > movement > motion in specific manner > [noun] > light and brisk the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > [noun] > fluttering or flickering a1628 F. Greville Mustapha ii. Chorus in (1633) 116 A play of Sunne-motes from mans small World come. 1805 W. Saunders (ed. 2) 494 This operation always admits the play of air upon the feverish body. 1850 Bryant (1903) 370 The saw, with restless play, Was cleaving through a fir-tree Its long and steady way. 1875 J. W. Dawson ii. 13 Iridescent play of colours. a1878 G. G. Scott (1879) I. 224 This gives..great play of light and shade. 1919 J. Conrad i. ii. 25 The play of the white gleams of his smile round the suspicion of grimness of his tone fascinated me like a moral incongruity. 1950 E. Hemingway xxxiii. 205 He watched, again, the strange play of the light on the ceiling. 1988 M. Dunford & J. Holland (1989) iii. 187 Jan Vermeer..brought the most sophisticated methods to painting interiors, depicting the play of natural light on indoor surfaces with superlative skill. 1698 J. Fryer 214 You may set it upon full scraped Ivory, which graceth the Play of the Stone. 1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ 715 The intention of foils is either to increase the lustre or play of the stones, or more generally improve the colour, by giving an additional force to the tinge. 1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ 716 To stones or pastes, that have some share of play, it gives a most beautiful brilliance. 5. society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [noun] > scope or free opportunity 1641 J. Milton 47 Yet to give them play front, and reare, it shall be my task to prove that Episcopacy..is not only not agreeable, but tending to the destruction of Monarchy. 1711 E. Budgell No. 162. ¶9 They..form themselves altogether upon Models, without giving the full Play to their own natural Parts. 1787 J. Whitaker I. i. §3. 24 Those scenes..where he might have a play for his activity in cunning. a1856 W. Hamilton (1859) II. xliv. 477 All pleasure, thus, arises from the free play of our faculties and capacities. 1888 J. Bryce II. lii. 325 To allow the fullest play to the sentiment of State independence. 1914 W. W. Jacobs iv. 108 The only time he allowed full play to his feelings Mrs Gribble took to her bed for two days. 1975 R. Davies (1977) i. vii. 67 Zitta was a nasty thing, too, but she was too stupid to give her nastiness serious play. 1996 R. Mistry (1997) v. 207 Any kind of mania was a bad thing. Now she had to allow his passion full play: carrot juice, carrot salad, carrot-ma-gose, carrots in his pocket as walking companions. the world > movement > [noun] > unimpeded movement 1644 H. Mainwaring 73 In a storm it is dangerous to let the Mast have any play. 1653 I. Walton ii. 53 Give him [sc. the chub] play enough before you offer to take him out of the water. View more context for this quotation 1733 J. Tull xxii. 152 Now the Distance between these two Marks, is the Measure..of the Tongue's Play at the Place of Pressure. 1794 D. Steel II. 270 The great length..is an obstacle to the play of the rudder. 1856 W. E. Aytoun ii. vii And felt once more The pulse's stirring play. 1897 Aug. 526 The girl..was an arch, ogling person, with..a great play of shoulders. 1903 H. James xi. xxxi. 407 He hereupon gave large play to these things, agitating his hat and his stick and loudly calling out—a demonstration that brought him relief as soon as he had seen it answered. 1947 S. Bellow xiv. 176 He could not restrain the play of muscles in his throat. 1969 V. Nabokov i. xiii. 81 The..wrestling master, taught the strong lad to walk on his hands by means of a special play of the shoulder muscles, a trick that necessitated..nothing short of a dislocation of the caryatics. the world > space > [noun] > sufficient space or room > room to live, move, or work 1659 J. Leak tr. I. de Caus 18 The two Buckets..have about three feet play, rising and falling. 1678 J. Moxon I. ii. 28 Square Staples, just fit to contain the Bolt with an easie play. 1793 W. Herschel in (Royal Soc.) 83 217 The shake, or play, of the screw is less than 3-tenths of a division. 1858 G. MacDonald 269 The overlappings in the lower part [of the armour] had more play than necessary. 1860 7 113 Taking care to allow at least an inch of play. 1876 J. Rose xix. 359 Suppose, for instance, there was even a trifling amount of play in the eccentric or any of the bolts. 1972 D. Bloodworth xvi. 153 Just look at the play on this steering wheel. 1992 Jan. 30/4 The wind came up, Schmidt started rowing harder. Too much play in the oarlocks—the nuts on the bolts were gone. society > trade and finance > buying > [noun] > custom or patronage society > communication > information > publishing or spreading abroad > [noun] > publicity 1912 Jan. 844 Any time you get a better coop than this you lose my play. 1929 D. Runyon in July 57/1 Everybody goes to the Chicken Club now and then to give Tony Bertazzola, the owner, a friendly play. 1970 30 Sept. b2/2 Asked her opinion on the ‘youth revolt’, she replied: ‘I think it's such a minority—it gets far too much play.’ 1993 July 14/2 A recent report got big play in the newspapers. II. Exercise or action for enjoyment or recreation, and related senses. 6. society > leisure > entertainment > [noun] society > leisure > entertainment > mere amusement > [noun] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > [noun] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > [noun] > playing eOE tr. Orosius (BL Add.) (1980) iv. xii. 111 Bebudon Romana godas þæm senatum þæt mon theatrum worhte him to plegan. OE 99 Hie hæfdon wif & cyfesa, & heora fyrenlustas, & wiste, & plegan, & oforgedrync. OE Acct. Voy. Ohthere & Wulfstan in tr. Orosius (Tiber.) (1980) i. i. 17 Ealle þa hwile þe þæt lic bið inne, þær sceal beon gedrync & plega, oð ðone dæg þe hi hine forbærnað. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 55 Vte we..al þese..dages forleten blisfulle songes and plege. a1250 (?a1200) (Nero) (1952) 143 Sire, þus ich pleiede oðer spec ine chirche, eode oðe pleouwe ine chirc-heie. c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 2388 in C. Horstmann (1887) 175 (MED) Is bones weren al bare; þo ne likede him no plei! 1340 (1866) 214 (MED) He lyest þe guodes þet he ssolde do ine zuo moche time ase he lyest ine þe playes and ine ydelnesse. 1340 (1866) 143 Þe play of children amidde þe strete. c1400 (?c1380) (1920) 1502 In þe poynt of her play he porvayes a mynde. c1450 (Fairf. 16) f. 198 Hyt is hir pley to lawgh whan men siketh. ?c1450 tr. (1906) 155 (MED) That is my play and my gladnesse to be aboute hym and forto do hym seruice. ?1523 J. Fitzherbert f. liiiv It is conuenyent for euery man..to haue play and game acordynge to his degre. 1562 tr. Damiano da Odemira sig. Aj Most men are geuen rather to play then to studye. 1667 J. Milton iv. 404 A Tiger, who by chance hath spi'd In some Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play . View more context for this quotation 1673 W. Temple viii. 248 No Man at play sees a very great Game..unexpectedly lost, but He is apt to consider, whether it could have been saved. 1712 J. Arbuthnot iii. 8 John naturally lov'd rough Play. 1782 W. Cowper Hope in 148 Men deal with life, as children with their play, Who first misuse, then cast their toys away. 1842 C. Dickens I. iii. 71 Those who were at play, were gleesome and noisy as other children. 1871 G. MacDonald xxv. 241 When he awoke, all the angels were starting up wide awake too. He expected to see them lift their tools, but no, the time for play had come. 1939 (1984) i. 8 Florida's tourist population is drawn to the State largely by the prospect of play and recreation. 1959 6 Nov. 636/4 Not a night passes without one aspect or another of the far western frontier holding children from play. 1992 Jan. 23/2 (caption) Young badgers at play on their log in the fading light of a summer's evening. 2000 10 June 4 It's home from work, now, a play with my daughter and a relaxing evening with a glass of lager in my hand. the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > [noun] the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > quality of causing joy or delight > [noun] > an instance or source of joy or delight eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) vii. 18 Ða min þeowas si[nd]on wisdomas & cræftas & soðe welan; mid þæm þeowum wæs on symbel min plega. ?a1300 Maximian (Digby) 190 in C. Brown (1932) 98 (MED) I-tint is al mi plawe, Þat i wes woned to haue. c1330 in C. Brown (1924) 33 (MED) Now plente, now pouer, Now pine, now plawe. 1340 (1866) 92 (MED) Hi nemeþ and useþ þe lostes ulessliche and þe pleȝes þet be þe vif wyttes comeþ. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) 1014 (MED) Hor play watz passande vche prynce gomen. a1450 (a1387) W. Langland (Rawl.) (1960) A. xii. 95 (MED) Do after dowel whil þi dayes duren, Þat þi play be plentevous in paradys with aungelys. c1450 (?a1400) T. Chestre (1930) 612 (MED) He wente ayen yn to Bretayn Withe solas and wyth plawe. a1500 (a1460) (1897–1973) 177 (MED) Alas! and waloway! my child that was me lefe! My luf, my blood, my play that neuer dyd man grefe! a1513 W. Dunbar (1998) I. 168 Our peax, our play, our plane felicite. 1570 in J. Cranstoun (1891) I. 95 Adew all glaidnes sport and play. the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > [noun] the mind > emotion > love > action of caressing > [noun] > instance of caressing > act or instance of amorous caressing OE 28 Ic wiþ bryde ne mot hæmed habban, ac me þæs hyhtplegan geno wyrneð, se mec gearo [read geara] on bende legde. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1934) 32 (MED) Wið luueliche lates, wið steape bihaldunge eiðer on oðer, & wið plohe-speche [they] sputte to mare, se longe þet ha toggið & tollið togederes. a1350 in R. H. Robbins (1959) 28 (MED) Þe harlotes bueth horlynges ant haunteþ þe plawe. c1390 G. Chaucer 1307 In al the reawme of France is ther no wyf That lasse lust hath to that sory pley. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) i. 2164 With maydens had he þer his play. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer (Hunterian) 4876 The pley of love for-ofte seke. a1475 (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) 8809 (MED) Wheþer of leccherie may more, May or womman and wherfore? Womman may more of þat play Þan any man hir fynde may. 1565 T. Randolph in P. F. Tytler (1864) III. 215 He knoweth himself that he hath a partaker in play and game with him. 1667 J. Milton ix. 1045 Till dewie sleep Oppress'd them, wearied with thir amorous play . View more context for this quotation 1732 47 Mr Parson beginning to be a little elivated, must needs be medling with one of the Ladies, who (while he was in the midst of his Amorous Play) pick'd his Pocket of his Watch. 1797 Poetry 165 See, as the rose-lipt Almé weave the dance, To melting airs they move, in amorous play. 1853 T. H. Chivers ii. 19 Twined in each other's arms, they laid them down, Couched upon Swan-down, where they spent, unseen, The whole night long in passion's amorous play. 1935 H. M. Stone & A. Stone viii. 265 A long period of precoital play and a considerable prolongation of the sexual act are unsuccessful in bringing about a culmination for the woman. 1966 P. Willmott iii. 49 They would often try to move on from kissing to sexual play: as they put it, they..went up her skirt or ‘touched her up’. 1990 5 Apr. 36/2 Alex introduces him to a hot number, then videotapes their sex play. 7. society > leisure > sport > [noun] eOE (1974) 31 Ludi litterari, staebplegan. eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) xxxvi. 108 Ða cild ridað on hiora stafum & manigfealde plegan plegiað ðær hi hyriað ealdum monnum. OE 99 Heora bliss & heora plegan wæron swiðe genihtsume. c1225 (?c1200) (1973) 106 (MED) Ne luuede heo nane lihte plohen [v.r. plahen]. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) 12336 Summe heo on uelde pleouweden vnder scelde; summe heo driuen balles..Þis ilæste þreo dæȝes, swulc gomes & swulc plæȝes. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 3575 Moyses cam ner and sag ðis [p] lages [MS wlages] And ðis calf and ðis ille lages. c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) l. 812 He þat best doþ þat day, Þer he schal winne þat play. c1390 G. Chaucer 627 Lordes may fynden oother manere pley Honeste ynow to dryue the day awey. ?a1425 (c1400) (Titus C.xvi) (1919) 11 For justynges or for oþer pleyes & desportes. c1450 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker (1884) I. 594/1 Ludus, a game or a pleye. a1500 (?a1400) (Cambr.) (1930) 958 (MED) Now haue i lornyd a play. c1515 Ld. Berners tr. (1882–7) liii. 178 I shall cause thee to be assayed at ye playe of the chesse. 1598 W. Shakespeare iv. iii. 75 All hid, all hid, an olde infant play . View more context for this quotation a1629 W. Hinde (1641) xxxviii. 120 To celebrate their Festivals with such illiberall plays and sports. 1659 D. Pell 418 When the Sea was calm, they were at their sports and playes. 1728 T. Sheridan tr. Persius iii. 44 The Boys had a Play of pitching Nuts into a narrow-mouth'd Vessel. 1783 (new ed.) vi Discoliasmus, Children's play, called Fox to thy hole. a1817 J. Austen (1818) I. i. 3 She was fond of all boy's plays . View more context for this quotation 1844 R. W. Emerson 2nd Ser. ii. 63 The plays of children are nonsense, but very educative nonsense. 1924 R. M. Ogden tr. K. Koffka ii. 45 Plays of Indians and robbers, also constructive plays of building and digging, plays of adornment, such as tattooing and filing the nails [etc.]. 1960 B. Malinowski 55 This [genital sexuality] will be their pleasure quite soon just as other infantile plays will be. society > leisure > social event > large or public event > [noun] > fair a1586 Peblis to Play 2 in W. A. Craigie (1919) I. 176 At beltane quhen ilk bodie bownis To peblis to the play. c1600 in (1754) 541 Pairtieis bankcating deliecat and costlie trieumph and playis and feistis. 1779 Session Papers in (1968) VII. (at cited word) The weekly market there, called Play-Saturday's fair, held in the town of Kincardine O'Neal. 1825 J. Mitchell 183 Every burgh of Scotland..had their solemn play or festival, when feats of archery were exhibited, and prizes distributed to those who excelled in wrestling, hurling the bar, and other gymnastic exercises. 1847 J. O. Halliwell II Play,..a country wake. Somerset. 1886 R. L. Stevenson xxii. 219 Like people lifting weights at a country play. 8. the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [noun] > jest or pleasantry OE Ælfric (Julius) (1881) I. 458 Ðær wæs sum dysig mann plegol ungemetlice, and to þæm mannum cwæð swylce for plegan, þæt he swyðun wære. ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 254 Habbeð þach to ouwer bihoue þis lutle leste ende. Of alle cuðe sunnen as of prude..of ploȝe [c1230 Corpus plohe; a1300 Caius ploge]. of ischake lachtre. c1330 (?a1300) (1886) l. 3101 (MED) Aski sche wil in plawe, And say þou comest fro me. c1385 G. Chaucer 1125 Wheither seistow this in ernest or in pley? a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 2816 (MED) Al þat loth to þaim can sai þam thoght it was not bot in plai. a1470 T. Malory (Winch. Coll.) 646 Than the damesell that halpe sir Alysaundir oute of the castell, in her play tolde Alys all-togydir how he was presonere in the castell of La Beall Regarde. c1500 (?a1475) (1896) 1663 (MED) Turnyng as hem lyst and all her varyaunce, Chaunge from ernest in to mery play. a1513 W. Dunbar Ballat Abbot of Tungland in (1998) I. 57 To sum man thair it was no play, The preving of his sciens. a1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in (1557) 59/1 The king..made her answer part in ernest part in play merely. 1613 S. Purchas 367 I desire not sacrifices and inwards, these are plaies. 1689 J. Evelyn (1955) IV. 618 He was as earnest at play, as at his study. 1781 W. Cowper 158 The waves o'ertake them in their serious play, And ev'ry hour sweeps multitudes away. 1853 C. Brontë I. x. 179 When an article disappeared whose value rendered restitution necessary, she would profess to think that Désirée had taken it away in play, and beg her to restore it. 1987 J. Uglow vi. 110 Hetty takes on the role of these doomed women who take the play of the gods too seriously. 2002 R. Lang ii. 34 The only hunting they do is done in play, like Pumbaa's comically exaggerated and inept stalking of a bright blue dung beetle. society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > ornateness > [noun] > wordmongering 1711 Ld. Shaftesbury I. ii. 120 Now if these Gentlemen, who delight so much in the Play of Words, but are cautious how they grapple closely with Definitions, wou'd tell us only what Self-Interest was, and determine Happiness and Good, there wou'd be an end of this Enigmatical Wit. 1739 D. Hume I. ii. 63 To confess..that human reason is nothing but a play of words. 1850 F. W. Robertson 3rd Ser. ix. 114 It was..no mere play of words which induced the apostle to bring these two things [sc. fulness of the Spirit and fulness of wine] together. 1881 B. Jowett tr. Thucydides I. Introd. 14 The Speeches of Thucydides everywhere exhibit the antitheses, the climaxes, the plays of words..of the rhetorician. 1920 D. H. Lawrence v. 60 It was the rich play of words and quick interchange of feelings he enjoyed. The real content of the words he never really considered. 1996 E. Wilson iv. 114 This play of words may be seen to suggest a reflexive equivalence between the self within (‘en je’) and the exterior Other (‘ange’). the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > wit with words > [noun] > instance of 1761 tr. C. Batteux IV. iii. §1 ii. 31 The omonima, or play upon words, is nearly, in the same taste. 1778 F. Burney III. vii. 82 I..never could resist a smart play upon words. 1810 D. Stewart iii. 123 A childish play upon words, quite foreign to the point at issue. 1871 E. A. Freeman IV. xviii. 174 To a Latin or French speaker the name of Urse might have suggested an easy play upon words. 1904 L. F. Baum 160 A Joke derived from a play upon words is considered among educated people to be eminently proper. 1990 28 June 57/1 They call Korotich (who is not a Jew) ‘Gospodin Bekitzer’, a play on words: bekitzer is the Yiddish/Hebrew word for ‘briefly’, and korotko means ‘short’ in Russian. 9. ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 139 Alþe wa of þis world efneð to helle alre leaste pine. al nis bute aploȝe [c1230 Corpus plohe]. c1300 St. Thomas Becket (Laud) 249 in C. Horstmann (1887) 113 (MED) Pley he siwede of hauekus and of houndes I-nouȝ. c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) l. 3174 Go we togider wiþ game & plawe. a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) vi. 1852 (MED) Sche..abod To se..The lusti folk jouste and tourneie; And so forth every other man, Which pleie couthe, his pley began. a1450 (?a1390) J. Mirk (Claud.) (1974) 336 Bal and bares and suche play. a1470 T. Malory (Winch. Coll.) 253 Thus sir Launcelot rested hym longe with play and game. a1500 (?a1450) (Harl. 7333) (1879) 259 (MED) Thei sente to þe forest and tolde hit to the Emperoure, & saide he most leve his playe and come home. 1736 5 Oct. The Weather proving very rainy they were forced to give over play. 1851 J. Pycroft iv. 56 The chief patronage..was..in London. There the play was nearly all professional: even the gentlemen made a profession of it. 1882 24 June Play was very slow,..twenty minutes being consumed in getting ten runs. 1916 J. Joyce i. 43 There was no play on the football grounds for cricket was coming. 1996 28 Apr. 99/5 Hendry led 10–6 overnight and fluked a crucial red when play resumed. society > leisure > sport > [noun] > manner or skill 1531 T. Elyot i. xxvi. sig. Mviv If fortune brynge alwaye to one man iuell chaunces, whiche maketh the playe of the other suspected. 1731 19 June A great Cricket-Match was play'd in Lamb's-Conduit-Fields,..and after a great deal of good Play on both sides, it was won..by fourteen Notches only. 1773 19 June The match of cricket,..shewing great play on both sides. 1823 W. Scott II. v. 120 Lord Etherington seemed at first indolently careless and indifferent about his play. 1883 G. A. MacDonnell 166 Eliciting his opponent's best play. 1961 M. Beadle (1963) iv. 48 The Americans had a hard time at first learning to applaud good play by either team. 1992 22 Feb. 13/3 The powerful German..saved all three match points with positive, attacking play. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > [noun] > actions or tactics 1778 T. Jones 41 If you win that Trick, your next Play is, to throw out the Queen of Trumps. 1885 K. A. Linderfelt 39 Such a play is particularly important in preference, where there is no trumps to check your bringing in a long suit. 1983 T. Reese & D. Bird (1985) xiii. 133 When caught unawares, it is usually better not to cover, because declarer will then often have alternative plays. 1990 Jan. 23/2 He can choose plays to suit the cards left in the pack. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > [noun] > of ball being played with society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > play at ball [verb (intransitive)] > being played with society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [noun] > boundary > main area of play in society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > football > [noun] > ground > parts of 1795 S. Britcher 35 The Striker is out..if in striking, or at any other time while the Ball is in play, both his feet are over the Popping Crease and his Wicket is put down. 1816 W. Lambert 34 Always endeavour to hit the Ball on the same side on which it is bowled, and not draw it across the play. 1849 Laws of Cricket in ‘Bat’ (1850) 56 If the striker touch..the ball while in play. 1857 T. Hughes i. v. 109 As soon as the ball gets past them, it's in touch, and out of play. 1882 C. F. Pardon 22 He got half way up the play, and just reached the ball with one hand. 1930 26 Dec. 11/7 Of the full sixty minutes of a football game the ball is ‘in play’—that is, is actually being handled, run with, kicked, passed or thrown—for an average of only seven minutes. 1974 R. J. Mills & E. Butler 113 The shuttle..is..returned..until a fault is made or the shuttle ceases to be ‘In Play’. 1997 26 Mar. i. 21/4 A philosopher asks a professional footballer why players from opposing teams always appeal for a throw-in when ‘every bloody time’ the player who actually kicked it out of play knows that he did. 1981 (Nexis) 20 Nov. 4 The real danger of the minority investment is that it provides a way for a speculator to put a company ‘in play’—that is, put the company on the block so the minority interest can be sold at a nice premium to another bidder. 1985 (Nexis) 14 Apr. iii. 1/2 Chiefs of the target companies have had to divert their attention from running their corporate ships, instead devoting their time to plotting strategies to keep the company ‘out of play’. 1985 28 May 24/7 The launching of the November 1983 petition and the subsequent going into play of the Getty Oil Company shares. 1995 G. Drabinksy xx. 401 The special committee is an idea imported from the United States. It's meant to be a panel of disinterested directors of the company in play. Its job is to ensure that shareholders get the highest possible price for their shares. 10. the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > cunning > [noun] > a wile or cunning device ?a1300 (a1250) (Digby) (1907) 57 (MED) Þou miȝt wel witen bi mi play Þat ich wile hauen mine away. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) 5906 (MED) Vpe þin owe..heued it ssal come, þi moderes luþer plawe. c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) (1898) 15 If þu louest more worldes god Þan god..Þu shalt hit finde an yuel plawe. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 16898 Þar bes an iuel plai [a1400 Trin. Cambr. muchel wo]. a1450 (Pierpont Morgan) (1865) 6785 (MED) Til he herd of Jewells play, He held him stil in the galay. 1481 W. Caxton tr. (1970) 8 Maister reynard..bygan to playe his olde playe [Du. hi speelde sijn oude speel], For he had caught kywaert by the throte. 1572 in J. Cranstoun (1891) I. xxx. 183 Ȝit was the pepill puneist for sic playis. 1702 184 When a man has any notable defect about him, 'tis the best of his play to try the Humour, if he can turn it into a fashion. a1704 J. Locke Conduct of Understanding §30 in (1706) 94 The Answerer on his side makes it his play to distinguish as much as he can. 1746 151 In case they keep only to their strong Passes, which hitherto has been their ‘Play’. 1916 J. Joyce i. 46 Besides Gleeson won't flog him hard.—It's best of his play not to, Fleming said. 1930 21 454/2 We build the sap for the scare an' the shamus queers the play. 1946 M. Mezzrow & B. Wolfe vii. 89 My wife Bonnie was putting up with some relatives and I knew she was O.K., so I made up my mind to travel gay—that was the play, all the way. 1977 R. Caron 45 I've got this weird feeling that something very, very bad is going to happen to me if I go through with this play. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > legerdemain, etc. > [noun] > a trick a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville (Vitell.) 3803 Yiff I now made a newe pley [Fr. ieu], ffor to take the sonne away. a1500 (?c1450) 312 (MED) Than he taught hir ther a pley [Fr. gieu] that she wrought after many tymes, ffor he taught hir to do come a grete river ouer all ther as her liked. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > [noun] > gaming c1300 (c1250) (Cambr.) (1966) l. 376 He wule þe bidde..Þat þu legge þe cupe to pleie. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) 1379 (MED) How payez yow þis play? haf I prys wonnen? 1582 Ld. Offaly in R. Stanyhurst 107 By losse in play men oft forget Thee duitye they dooe owe. 1620 tr. G. Boccaccio II. vi. x. f. 20v At the Palace they arriued in a due houre, finding the three Gentlemen at play, as they left them. a1629 W. Hinde (1641) xxxviii. 120 The play at Dice, the property whereof is, by casting and hurling here and there. 1683 J. Evelyn (1857) II. 194 He has lost immense sums at play. 1710 in No. 4754/4 William Bradbury, Esq.; Deputy Groom-Porter, will open his House..to Morrow.., to keep Play for all Persons of Quality and Gentlemen, being the only Person authorized so to do. 1769 ‘Junius’ (1772) I. i. 5 A young nobleman,..ruined by play. 1789 J. Bentham xi. 135 The same nobleman, presently afterwards, contracts a debt, to the same amount, to another nobleman, at play. 1852 J. R. McCulloch (ed. 2) ii. ix. 315 During the carnival, when, from the excitement of the season, the extent of play is always the greatest. 1875 H. James in 24 June 428/2 A gentleman complained to Talleyrand of having been insulted by a charge of cheating at play, and a threat of being thrown out of the window on a repetition of the offence. the world > action or operation > advantage > an opportunity > while opportunity exists [phrase] c1480 (a1400) St. Paul 885 in W. M. Metcalfe (1896) I. 54 For-thi quhen the play best is best is to lefe than I-wyse. 1816 W. Scott Old Mortality vii, in 1st Ser. IV. 131 Come, laddie, speak while the play is good—you're too young to bear the burthen will be laid on you else. 1907 (at cited word) Stop now while the play is good; you have gone far enough. 13. society > leisure > [noun] society > occupation and work > lack of work > [noun] a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) i. i. 20 A father..whose skill..,had it stretch'd so far, would haue made nature immortall, and death should haue play for lacke of worke. View more context for this quotation 1772 E. Montagu Let. 9 Aug. in J. Doran (1873) 173 The doctor allowed me to ask a play for the boys, which made them very happy. 1845 B. Disraeli II. iii. i. 11 When miners and colliers strike they term it, 'going to play'. 1866 J. Ruskin 20 Down in the black north country, where ‘play’ means being laid up by sickness. 1892 26 Feb. 5/7 The question of ‘play’ [is] to be discussed at the next conference [which] will settle the question how long the cessation of work is to last. society > leisure > [noun] > leave of absence > from school 1649 Extracts Rec. in W. Chambers (1872) 387 It shall not be lesum to him to give the bairnes..the play in any dayes of the weik except vpon Tuysday and Thursday betuixt tuo and foure houres after noone. c1650 J. Spalding (1851) II. 89 The colliginares gat the play vpone the 27th of December to the 3rd of Januar. a1709 J. Fraser (1905) 442 Mr. Alexander Fraser, schoolmaster at Invernes, haveing given his scholars the play, he waited uppon them himselfe in the Links. 1723 R. Wodrow (1843) III. 33 There was never a schoolboy more desirous to have the play than I am to have leave of this world. 1826 J. Wilson Noctes Ambrosianae xxvi, in June 739 You micht hae gien him the play the day, I think, sir; you micht hae gien him the play. 1900 E. H. Strain 281 It was Saiterday mornin'—they get the play frae the school. a1917 E. C. Smith (1927) 17 How is't ee're no at the skuil the day? Oh, oo've gotten the play till the morn. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > other card games > [noun] > beast > stakes 1674 C. Cotton xxv. 153 They make three heaps, the King, the Play, and the Triolet... He that wins most tricks takes up the heap that is called the Play. 15. society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [noun] > attack the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > [noun] > attempt to gain someone's affections the world > action or operation > endeavour > [noun] > an attempt 1868 H. Chadwick 46 A ‘treble play’ is made when three players are put out after the ball is hit, before it is pitched to the bat again. 1905 ‘H. McHugh’ 75 His intentions are honorable and he wishes to prove them so by shooting his lady love if she renigs when he makes a play for her hand. 1912 C. Mathewson 174 Most clubs try to keep an umpire feeling hostile toward the team because, even if he means to see a play right, he is likely to call a close one against his enemies, not intending to be dishonest. 1943 D. Powell (new ed.) vi. 132 If you were twenty years younger I'd make a play for you, no fooling. 1961 P. Field xiv. 170 It's the second time War Ax hands made a play for that money. 1966 P. G. Wodehouse i. 26 Grab the girl while the grabbing's good, because..your nephew Bertram is making a heavy play in her direction. 1972 10 Jan. 30/2 In the U.S., a guard is supposed to handle the ball and set up plays. 1978 S. Brill ii. 60 The attempt that finally worked was the play by Giacalone, to get Hoffa to a peace meeting. 1996 29 Sept. 2/2 Where have all the fatties gone? We asked Britain's biggest gut-buckets to send us their pictures and make a play for the Mr Belly '96 award. society > trade and finance > financial dealings > types of money-dealing > [noun] > speculation > a speculation 1957 15 July 83/1 The discovery touched off Canada's biggest oil play since the great Leduc and Pembina oilfields were tapped in 1947 and 1953. 1977 R. E. Megill viii. 90 The first well could be a discovery and thus finance the whole play. 2003 (Nexis) 25 Aug. 80 The operator's Stavanger personnel now view slimhole technology effective for deeper North Sea plays. III. A dramatic or theatrical performance, and related senses. 16. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] eOE tr. Orosius (BL Add.) (1980) vi. ii. 134 Wearþ eft Godes wracu Romanum, þa hie æt hiora theatrum wæron mid heora plegan, þa hit eall tofeoll. OE (Julius) 25 Aug. 188 Se wæs ærest sumes kaseres mima, þæt is leasere, ond sang beforan him scandlicu leoþ ond plegode scandlice plegan. c1330 in T. Wright (1839) 336 (MED) Hii ben degised as turmentours that comen from clerkes plei. c1395 G. Chaucer 558 I made my visitacions..To pleyes [v.r. pleying] of myracles and of mariages. ?a1475 (1922) 1 (MED) We purpose us pertly stylle in þis prese þe pepyl to plese with pleys ful glad. a1500 (?c1378) J. Wyclif (1880) 429 As men seyen in þe pley of ȝork. c1540 (?a1400) 2923 Hit is wondur to wit of wemen dissyre Þat..prese vnto playes pepull to beholde. a1586 Sir P. Sidney (1595) sig. H What childe is there, that comming to a Play, and seeing Thebes written in great Letters vpon an olde doore, doth beleeue that it is Thebes? 1601 J. Manningham 2 Feb. (1976) 48 Wee had a play called ‘Twelve night..’. 1663 W. Clark ii.ii. 19 Playes are indeed profane, scelerate, abominable. 1672 A. Marvell i. 53 It was grown almost as good as a Play among us. 1741 H. Fielding x O! Bless me! I shall be Mrs. Booby, and be Mistress of a great Estate, and have a dozen Coaches and Six..and go to Plays, and Opera's, and Court. 1776 A. Smith I. ii. iii. 404 Even the common workman, if his wages are considerable, may maintain a menial servant; or he may sometimes go to a play or a puppet-show. View more context for this quotation 1890 W. D. Howells 221 It was in this hall that he first saw a play, and then saw so many plays, for he went to the theatre every night. 1929 8 Nov. 388/2 Next week's play is Typhoon, John Watt's adaptation of a story by Joseph Conrad. 1988 (Nexis) 16 Nov. ii. 8 If you watch a play on television, you see tiny characters speaking in full-sized voices. 2004 (Nexis) 16 Sept. 1 d He had never acted in a play, much less performed in a musical before. the world > action or operation > doing > a proceeding > [noun] 1581 G. Pettie tr. S. Guazzo iii. f. 53v The Count sayde nothing to it, but..attended the ende of the play. 1681 (1730) 146 And when it comes to that Part of the Play, do ye not think, that it was our Part to contend for Truth? 1849 W. M. Thackeray II. vii. 70 This little play being achieved, the Marquis of Steyne made..two profound bows..and passed on. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > play within a play 1727 J. M. Smythe Epil. sig. A6 Our Authour would this Epilogue essay, As Hamlet shews a Play within a Play. 1817 W. Hazlitt 318 The Taming of the Shrew is a play within a play. 1883 17 Oct. 308/1 He knew that the play within the play was meant for the conscience of the king. 1918 13 151 The idea of having a play within the play is a famous one. 1973 26 Apr. 563/1 As a variation on the play-within-a-play we had the documentary-within-a-play. 1993 Summer 8/2 What came from that image was a sense of a complex theatrical metaphor and several specific bits in the overall composition: the use of curtains, the use of the backstage point of view in the play-within-the-play middle section, the suitcase in which Ophelia keeps her mementos. 1638 J. Taylor sig. C7 It was as good as a Comedy to him to see the trees fall.] 1827 T. Creevey Let. 22 Nov. in J. Gore (1963) xiii. 232 This morning after breakfast he has been as good as a play. 1871 Mrs. H. Wood II. vi. 119 The tale that Master Jarvis told was as good as a play. 1925 A. Huxley ii. iii. 111 He is the life and soul of Miss Carruthers's establishment... To see him with Fluffy—it's as good as a play. 1975 D. M. Davin vi. 129 ‘He's as good as a play,’ my own parents would have said of him, had they known him. 2002 (Nexis) 31 Aug. 14 He was as good as a play, teasing and entertaining the passengers, giving some well-worn quips a topical spin. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > as literary composition (Harl. 221) 404 Pley..þat begynnythe wythe myrthe and endythe wythe sorowe, tragedia. 1530 J. Palsgrave 255/2 Playe an enterlude, farce. 1542–3 c. 1 By..balades, plaies, rimes, songes, and other phantasies, subtilly and craftely instructing his highnes people. 1606 iv. iii. sig. G3v Few of the vniuersity pen plaies well, they smell too much of that writer Ouid..and talke too much of Proserpina & Iuppiter. 1668 J. Denham 71 Having plotted and penn'd Six plays. 1740 C. Cibber v. 83 In Dryden's Plays of Rhime, he as little as possible glutted the Ear with the Jingle of it. 1792 M. Wollstonecraft iv. 157 Dr. Young supports the same opinion, in his plays, when he talks of the misfortune that shunned the light of day. 1806 R. Cumberland (1807) I. 203 I had no expectation of my play being accepted. 1892 Tennyson in (1897) II. 423 I have just had a letter from a man who wants my opinion as to whether Shakespeare's plays were written by Bacon. I feel inclined to write back, ‘Sir, don't be a fool’. 1927 1 May 10/2 It is..much easier to write a good play about hicks, boobs, hayseeds, highbrows,..and sentimentalists than about decent English people. 2000 6 Dec. ii. 10/4 Four years ago, when Jenny Topper commissioned me to write a play for Hampstead Theatre, she asked what it might be about. IV. The playing of music or a musical or other recording. 18. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > [noun] c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) 5514 (MED) He harpede so wel þat he payde al þe route..After mete þo hii nolde nammore of is pley. c1330 (?a1300) (1886) l. 1248 He made his play a-loft; His gamnes he gan kiþe. c1440 S. Scrope tr. C. de Pisan (St. John's Cambr.) (1970) 85 Litil he [sc. Orpheus] wan there with his harpe and pley. c1450 (?c1408) J. Lydgate (1901) 1762 (MED) In his lifte honde A flowte he helde..Ther with to pipe and make play. 1642 A. J. Tasman Jrnl. in (1694) i. 133 The play which they heard was much like that of a Jews-Trump. 1755 S. Johnson Play, n.s...8. Act of touching an instrument. 1877 G. MacDonald III. viii Jist sit doon..an' tak a play o' yer pipes. society > communication > record > recording or reproducing sound or visual material > sound recording and reproduction > [noun] > playing of records 1961 Play, an act of playing a phonograph record through (this needle should be good for hundreds of plays). 1963 15 June 3/7 The juke boxes each achieve 800 ‘plays’ a week. 1974 3 Jan. 28/1 About eight records are played on each edition of Top of the Pops. That makes for four thousand ‘plays’ in ten years. 1984 Spring 33 (advt.) Even after a Maxell recording is 500 plays old, you'll swear it's not a play over five. 1995 July The poetic beauty of the lyrics will only seep in after a few plays at home. society > communication > record > recording or reproducing sound or visual material > [noun] > playback equipment > specific part 1978 S. Brett xv. 138 He might have put down the Play a moment earlier and left something unerased. 1984 (Nexis) 27 Feb. 91 Turn the ‘Remote’ switch on the interface to the ‘On’ position and press ‘Play’ on the recorder. 1994 16 June 92/1 You put a tape in the dubbing deck and hit play. The deck and receiver power up, the receiver switches to tape mode, and the tape begins playing. 2003 (Nexis) 22 Oct. b7 Push play on the camcorder and click a button on the computer screen to start recording. Compounds C1. General attributive and objective. a. (In branch II.) (a) 1890 W. James II. xxiv. 429 The immense extent of the play-activities in human life is too obvious to be more than mentioned. 1927 G. A. de Laguna iv. 72 It was the adaptation of the play-activity to the needs of social coordination that was the essential agency in the process [of developing human speech]. 1991 4 Jan. 30/1 Section 4 looks at the scientific learning potential in play activities such as sand or water play, toys, role play and modelling. 1899 15 May 6/3 When the successful man of today recalls the space of his play areas in childhood..he realizes the handicap of the city child as regards room and facilities to play. 1925 4 112/2 The increase in play areas and in the number of cities establishing organized recreation is commensurate with other lines of advance. 1990 R. Staines ii. 15 Do you need to consider other ancillary facilities, i.e. toilets, picnic area, children's play area, etc.? 1845 F.-G. Halleck 84 There was a time When, musical as play-bell's chime To wearied boy, That sound would summon dreams sublime Of pride and joy. 1968 7 Nov. 11/2 There will be a dance today at noon in the social hall. It is open to the whole student body. The doors will open at the playbell and the jukebox will be used. 1893 Jan. 633/1 He bought a field in the rear of his house as a playground where his boy could invite other boys and make a play-centre for the neighbourhood. 1908 1 Feb. 7/3 The play-centres, far from tending to diminish the influence of home life, actually made the children appreciate it more. 2004 (Compact ed.) 25 Feb. (Property section) 7/2 £13 per child..seemed like a bargain to me, certainly when compared to the cost of a two-hour romp at one of those indoor play centres with ball ponds. 1886 22 July 2/3 Mr. Jennings sailed for Europe yesterday. Which means that nothing of London neckwear and house-coats and play-clothes is going to be missed next fall. 1899 7 July 2/4 Play clothes are recognized needs of children now. It no longer is considered quite the thing to send the small folk out to play in any garments so long as they are soiled. 1959 26 Jan. 11/1 Wit in styling, good fabrics and lovely colours are what the designers of ‘play’ clothes usually offer. 2003 (Nexis) 30 Aug. 3 Some parents are concerned about the cost [of a school uniform], that they would still have to buy playclothes for the kids. 1902 11 162 Play includes all activities performed with pleasure and the spirit of mastery. Traditional play-forms may at times be most distasteful work and strain. 1998 4 595/1 The author analyses two sorts of routines, playforms and adult-guided activities. 1835 16 May 5/4 Unfortunate Spain perpetually destined as a play-garden to serve for them, forgetting the presence of French troops in the interior of that country might produce the most disastrous moral effect. 1862 J. Keble vi. 103 Is not a life well-spent A child's play-garden, lent For Heaven's high trust to train young heart and limb? 1999 (Nexis) 3 Aug. 10 Youngsters at a North Tyneside nursery can now make the most of the sunshine thanks to a cash boost that has paid for a new play garden. 1805 Session Papers in (1968) VII. (at cited word) The rabbit scrapes or holes on the putting-greens, near the play-holes. 1888 (ed. 2) v. 22 A play-hole, in rabbiting parlance, is a burrow to which rabbits resort to play, and to lie in during the day. 1710 T. Dyche (ed. 2) 51 A School-Boy entring upon his Learning, imagines it a Work of great Difficulty, that it will require abundance of Labour and Care,..besides the Fears of losing many and delightful Play-Hours. 1857 T. Hughes (ed. 3) Pref. p. viii His play-hours are occupied in fagging. 1940 15 406 All, however, should have a recess from study or a play-hour for sports and games in order to raise their spirits, stir their blood, and recreate their minds. 2002 (Nexis) 25 Nov. 14 We should have longer play hours at school because all the children are getting too fat. 1854 L. P. Hickok iii. ii. 633 This impulse in humanity which is neither that of craving appetite in the sense nor of sovereign behest in the spirit, but a serene interest in some end in the reason, has been termed the play-impulse. 1890 W. James II. xxiv. 427 The sexes differ somewhat in their play-impulses. 1991 3 511 The tense relations between..the unproductive play-impulse of the newly rich and the hallowed instinct of workmanship possessed by old-time craftsmen. 1865 Sept. 275/1 It indicates the play-instinct in children as the first fountain of growth. 1878 3 150 The different play-instincts both of the sexes and of individuals should be regarded by the educator as indications of the right courses to follow in express training. 1991 L. Price (BNC) 92 Fighting instinct has a direct parallel with play instinct and in puppies can be observed as being one and the same. 1907 15 Sept. (Misc. section) 3/6 The speaker does not believe the use of the play language of itself robs the child of a further natural desire to learn the language. 1996 25 77 Certain changes in wording were made and new questions were added about hurricane Hugo and the childhood play language known variably as jerigonza, jeringonza, or jerigoza. a1586 Sir P. Sidney (1595) sig. K3v I haue lauished out too many wordes of this play matter. 1908 1 Mar. 2/5 (headline) Asks Realism in Play Parks..Tells Social Workers How to Attract the Larger Children. 1911 19 Nov. 6/3 No exercise in the play park can overcome the injury from studying in foul aired schoolrooms or sleeping in closed apartments. 1991 179 The great community spirit has enabled a children's play park to be established close by the village hall, and more recently a sports field which has a beautiful pavilion. a1737 in (1925) 15 401 A play-place for ye Scholars. 1884 J. Colborne 188 The river and its banks are the play-place of the crocodile. 1957 J. Kerouac i. xiii. 87 The kids bounced on the bed; it was their play-place. 2003 (Nexis) 29 Nov. w23 This was real Lord of the Rings topography with soaring coastal cliffs, secret caves and sculptured rocky islands, the playplace for Australian fur seals. 1625 F. Bacon (new ed.) 42 It must needs be, that he taketh a kinde of plaie-pleasure, in looking vpon the Fortunes of others. 1915 E. R. Lankester 196 The bower-bird of Australia makes a ‘play run’ or reception-room in which he places shells and bits of bone to attract the female. 1970 21 Mar. c2/5 If the age group is 4 to 10,..playsacks..are imaginative animal costumes that slip on easily. 1970 28 Oct. 20/1 Playsacks® fit everyone, and they'll fit over sweaters or coats... 12 totally charming animals to choose from. Each is a strong, flame retardant paper bag, gaily printed with cut-outs for arms, legs and faces. 1852 G. A. Sala in 2 Oct. 50/1 The play-shed; the brick wall..seemed to glance reproachfully at me. 1932 20 Aug. 318/1 Playsheds can as a rule be omitted, but inexpensive bicycle sheds may be advisable and serve as shelters for the children against rainstorms. 1999 (Nexis) 19 Dec. b11 A cafeteria was on the ground floor and barn-like playshed at the rear of the school. 1892 J. C. Harris in Mar. 346/1 Don't set here moping. Can't we have some play-songs? 1924 M. W. Beckwith 110 Massah, me kyan' stop him singing, because it mus' of been his little play-song what he have singing. 1990 S. Jamba (1992) xix. 163 This had sparked off a fierce debate among the Jamba politicos. They said no person other than the Elder could be included in play-songs, otherwise little children would have no sense of direction. 1893 8 Apr. 2/2 I have used one [sc. a hammock] for eight months and have found it very satisfactory, dispensing with a bed or crib, which would leave very little play space for the baby. 1959 July 44/1 When the children are older, their play space and bedrooms will be planned as two large bed-sitting-rooms. 1991 11 Jan. 41/1 You may have heard good things about Greenwich, particularly about the schools: good pupil-teacher ratios, plenty of play space and well resourced. 1824 C. M. Sedgwick III. xx. 117 Now that you are happy among your mates, it is but fair you should have a play-spell. 1878 H. B. Stowe xix. 209 No school was kept, and even household disciplinarians recognized a reasonably well-behaved child's right to a Saturday afternoon play-spell. 2004 (Nexis) 20 Feb. 19 As 3pm approached, the beginning of their ‘play’ spell, the young boy, Dilovan, shot out like a whippet with his ball. 1896 12 Sept. 3/2 Such is the curious novel piece of work—a scholar's play-task—which will be produced authentically and precisely. 1977 (Nexis) 6 Nov. a21 Tsunechika Mimura..toddled down a narrow plank in his playroom..and as instructed by a teacher, picked up three red apples. It was a good performance of a play-task the two-year-old had been practicing for weeks. 1892 B. Bosanquet xi. 295 The defect of a play-theory of the beautiful is its tendency to cut life in two between work and play. 1960 C. Winick 535/2 Play theory, the theory that fine art is produced independently of the struggle for existence and that the imagination is exercised for the sake of the sense of freedom (Schiller), or power (Groos), or for conscious self-deception (Lange). 1997 32 165 The major inspiration for the play-theory of the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga. 1707 tr. N. Venette (ed. 2) ii. xiii. 207 We [sc. men] fall in with the first Play-Toy [Fr. jouet] we meet with; our great Heat emboldening us to make new Conquests. 1833 Jan. 22/2 Well, I hope its plazin' to you at last..throth one 'ud think you were never at say before you wor in sitch a hurry to be off; as newfangled a'most as a child with a play-toy. 1935 Z. N. Hurston 19 I'll put this play toy in his hand, and he will seize it and go away. Then I'll say my say and sing my song. 1989 Oct. 94/2 Favorite playtoys include movie cameras, truck-mounted campers, and above-ground swimming pools. 1883 3 Aug. 16/3 (advt.) Special preparations are made for young gentlemen, of all ages, home for the holidays. Attention is drawn to the extremely durable and inexpensive Cloths introduced for school and play wear. 1996 V. B. Oliver iii. 22 Popular trends she brings into focus include..overalls or apron overalls originally advertised for work that evolved into modern children's playwear between 1890 and 1900. 1790 ‘M. Pelham’ I. 86 Just as he said this, a voice called for help, was heard from a lane adjoining to the play yard. 1876 ‘M. Twain’ vii. 78 She ran to the door; he was not in sight; she flew to the play-yard; he was not there. 1991 N. Rush ii. 99 I saw something ahead that looked from a distance like a play yard with blue and white blocks scattered over a wide area. (b) 1696 (1860) II. 55 For converts and bullys, And play-ruin'd cullys. 1832 R. Cattermole 191 Sunk to rest Like a play-wearied child. 1871 July 49/2 A third gift..is adapted to the time when the little play-wearied one first begins to come to the mother, with the pitiful plea, ‘Do you know what I can do?’ b. (In branch III.) (a) 1673 R. Leigh 22 This we took for a play-conceit ill transpros'd. 1868 H. H. Milman xi. 313 The indecencies of their heathenish and idolatrous play-fables. 1764 S. Foote iii. 63 The words the playfolk were talking. 1895 22 Dec. 7/2 Playfolk are notoriously superstitious. 1925 Z. Kincaid xviii. 178 Shortly after the theatre was burned down, and the superstitious playfolk traced this ill luck to the absence of the Torii posters. 1956 20 June 20/6 City playfolk gathered at Pioneer Park for a picnic and fun. 1610 ii. 308 Give your play-gull a stool, and my lady her fool, And her Usher potatos and marrow. 1633 W. Prynne Ep. Ded. Two olde Play-houses being also lately reedified, enlarged, and one new Theatre erected, the multitude of our London Play-haunters being so augmented now, that all the ancient Divels Chappels (for so the Fathers stile all Play-houses) being five in number, are not sufficient to containe their troopes, whence wee see a sixth now added to them. 1634 W. Prynne Let. in S. Gardiner (1877) 49 It speakes onely of the expenses of common play-haunters at publike playes and theatres. a1775 J. Rutty (1776) I. 36 Paid a visit to a play-haunter. 1948 G. Eades Bentley in G. E. Dawson et al. 779 In his second epistle he laments the reputation of Inns of Court men as play-haunters. 1672 J. Lacy Prol. sig. A4 Though such things pass on those that Sermons hear, It will not do with Play-judgers, I fear. 1828 T. Carlyle in 1 128 Closer partiality, to players, play-lovers, and..unprofitable companions. 2001 (Nexis) 17 Apr. 18 Hopes are high that they can come to Manila with one or two of their productions sometime this year, so local theater people and play lovers can better appreciate how much they've progressed. 1924 H. Allen et al. 482 Comic play-opera, Intermezzo (text by Strauss). 1937 12 Apr. 5/3 ‘The Second Hurricane’ is neither grand nor light opera, and somebody had to think up a name for it. This turned out to be ‘play opera’. 2004 (Nexis) 7 Mar. d5 Those with lesser parts were purposeful if not verbally razor-sharp, but it should be said that there's really no way this ‘playopera’ can ever be perfect. 1633 W. Prynne i. iii. v. 111 What a stupendious impietie..is it..to temper the purest Scriptures with the most obscene lascivious Play-poems, that filthinesse or prophannesse can invent? 1907 17 May 3/7 A soulful little French play-poem, Coppée's ‘Le Passant’. 1992 43 286 Dr. McNichol draws attention to some of those achievements, including..The Waves as playpoem, and Between the Acts as ‘pure poetry’. 1615 J. Greene iii. 41 Our English was the rudest language in the world, a Gallymafry of Dutch, French, Irish, Saxon, Scotch, and Welsh, but by Play-Poets it hath beene refined. 1789 C. Burney III. 419 The profession of play-poets, of stage-players, together with the penning, acting, and frequenting of stage players are unlawfull, infamous, and misbecoming Christians. 1866 J. P. Collier (new ed.) III. 215 This was a man who afterwards repented his repentance, and, according to Gosson, became once more both play-poet and actor. 1891 24 May 13/1 It has excited hot discussion, and book publishers and play producers believe that is a good thing for a book or a play. 1963 17 Apr. 13/3 Miss Gwen Lally, O.B.E., pageant master, play producer, and lecturer, died on Saturday. 1998 53 580 Actor and zamoto (play producer) Sakata Tōjūrō is introduced as ‘a thinking man's hero and a heartthrob for the ladies’. 1887 14 Apr. 5/3 The blame should lie not against the business of play-producing but against the violators of the law. 1965 54 806/1 Anyone on your faculty who does know anything about play producing will know what you are going through. 1633 W. Prynne ii. iv. i. 931 When a man reads a Play, he ever wants that viva vox, that flexanimous rhetoricall Stage-elocution..which put life and vigor into these their Enterludes..yea, the eyes, the eares of Play-readers want all those lust-enraging objects, which Actors and Spectators meet with in the Play-house. 1711 Ld. Shaftesbury III. Misc. v. ii. 289 To do justice to our Play-Readers, they seldom fail to humour our Poets in this respect. 1895 T. Dreiser in N. W. Barrineau (1996) 18 They have prize-fighter playreaders, who surrender all good manuscripts to their friends to be plagiarized from before they are finally returned to the trusting sender. 1969 L. Hellman v. 53 I worked as a play reader for Anne Nichols,..who wanted to become a producer. 1799 F. Lathom III. xxii. 123 My turn for play-reading had made me perfect in the principal character for this comedy. 1898 June 273/1 Besides the play-reading and all that it involves, the manager plans and attends to all the scenery, costumes, furnishings, and small ‘properties’. 1999 30 July 5/4 Atthill and his wife used to invite boys on Saturday afternoons to come and take part in play-readings at their home in the village. 1913 19 Oct. iii. 25/7 This story is being prepared for stage production..and Mrs. Kingsley is hard at work on the play script. 1958 9 504 The resulting playscript has all the worst excesses of the gutted theatre versions, plus much of Plumptre's own mortal verse. 1999 K. Jackson 192 In quite a few contemporary playscripts you will find that the printed directions are less an indication of the playwright's ideal vision than a straightforward record of how the play was staged in its first or most profitable run. 1857 E. Bulwer-Lytton What will he do with It? i. iii, in June 657/2 He contrived to cut up that play-story. 1897 4 Dec. 12/5 Stories and Play Stories. 1938 26 Mar. 5/5 The play story is of love, comedy and mystery which gives the cast an excellent opportunity for good characterizations. 1903 3 June 5/2 To him is given the task of performing the duties neglected by the censor; he ought to act as a play-taster, and..inform his readers whether they are likely to be pleased by an entertainment. 1913 26 Oct. 6/5 There has been for some time past a disposition on the part of a few of the London theater managers to quarrel with the critical abilities of the play-tasters who are in the employ of the various newspapers. 2003 (Nexis) 23 May 16 Chris Mead is the grand play-taster. It is his job to..keep an ear to the ground in a search for new foreign plays that may pique the interest of Belvoir Street's audience. 1909 P. Sheavyn iv. 91 Was Henslove, one asks, responsible for the surreptitious issue of some of the printed play-texts, by the publication of which the players felt themselves defrauded? 1950 24 Nov. 626/2 The [British Drama] League's seventy thousand books include not only play-texts, but a unique collection of critical works. 1988 M. Charney i. iv. 55 To accept some of these examples.., and reject others as the..interpolations of actors, seems to me an arbitrary and capricious way of dealing with Elizabethan–Jacobean playtexts. 1901 Aug. 545/2 Organised play-wreckers, who without uttering a word or an unseemly laugh have succeeded in destroying whatever chance of success a play may have had. 2001 (Nexis) 9 Sept. h13 When do two men block one defensive man, and when does the play say ignore one man and hit somebody else? And find the playwreckers on the other side. (b) 1908 19 May 1/6 Several uncommercial play-producing societies..had done..good work recently. 1968 4 Nov. 9/5 And so we come back to the independent, unsubsidised play-producing companies. 2001 (Nexis) 7 Nov. 25 He had his first stage play tried out in 1953 by a Sunday play-producing society at the West End theatre. C2. 1963 10 Nov. 50 The Giants are using a lot of play-action passes this year..in which the initial action makes it appear that a running play is coming. 1977 (Nexis) 31 Oct. d1 We kept waiting for them to throw, to use play-action passes. 1999 (Nexis) 27 Nov. (Sports section) Any team that gambles on third-and-inches with a play-action pass to a linebacker..must be destined to win. the world > food and drink > hunting > fowling > fowling equipment > [noun] > decoy bird 1878 M. Browne ii. 26 An important actor in the performance is the ‘playbird’, which is a bird braced by a peculiar knot or ‘brace’..on an arrangement called the playstick. 1878 M. Browne ii. 27 Directly birds appear, the playline is smartly pulled, which has the effect of jerking the playbird upwards, while at the same time it flutters its wings to regain its perch. This motion is mistaken by the wild birds as a natural proceeding; they accordingly alight around the playbird. 1909 S. Lewis Song to Calif. in G. H. Lewis (1955) ii. xii. 105 Nestling like a chirping playbird, Low and downy-winged and brown. 1907 at Play Play-bone, a bone played with. 1999 (Nexis) 26 Feb. 48 It is a good idea to add some hard food to your dog's diet and have him play with a hard play bone. 2002 (Nexis) 19 Mar. 7 Alan then armed himself with a dog's cow-hide play bone and walked from the house. society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > [noun] > box for toys 1799 ‘M. Pelham’ 94 Fanny then took out of her play-box my spencer and cloak, and holding the latter up by the two car-cases, said, ‘Is it not a very nice cloak, mamma?’ 1882 ‘F. Anstey’ v. 103 Let every boarder go down into the box-room and fetch up his playbox, just as it is, and open it here before me. 1923 J. Galsworthy 56 I had taken them out of my playbox, together with the photographs of my parents and eldest sister. 1929 W. Deeping xxi. 234 To Ruth Avery, No. 7 Roper's Row was a child's play-box, and much more than that—for it was the first playbox of her very own that she had possessed. 2003 (Nexis) 18 Nov. 21 They have a playbox, where various bells, containers and materials hang above the children for them to touch and see. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] > play-reader or broker 1884 7 Sept. 3/1 ‘The Private Secretary’ has been bought by the Messrs. French, but it will probably be produced in another dress before that estimable firm of family play brokers have disposed of it to any manager in this city. 1929 9 Jan. 11/2 Major James Clare, a leading playbroker, who is also a dramatist. 2001 Aug. 34/2 According to Oxfordians..William of Stratford was an actor, playbroker, and businessman who was manifestly incapable of writing the plays attributed to him. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > vehicle 1972 9 Aug. 7/6 The areas are served by the imaginative idea of the playbus..which tours on a regular route and offers in place of moquette seats the usual impedimenta of educational play for children up to five. 1993 R. Lowe & W. Shaw 131 The Skool Bus, once a thriving playbus for kids financed by the Travellers School Charity, now unused and abandoned. 2004 (Nexis) 28 May 29 The bus will be at the Mersey Retail Park in Speke.., giving pre-school and children under eight the chance to enjoy some traditional play on board the bright pink double-decker playbus. 1938 23 Sept. 8/3 Len Carpenter will do much of the play-calling. 1976 38 78/2 Our sports metaphors have changed with us. ‘The good fight’ and ‘the old college try’ have given way to the more sophisticated ‘game plans’, ‘play-calling’, and quarterbacking rhetoric of Vietnam and Watergate. 2003 (Nexis) 14 Nov. 3 While questions about playcalling are legitimate.., the on-the-field execution of players also needs to be examined... If the execution were better, would Shoop's playcalling be under such scrutiny? society > communication > information > publishing or spreading abroad > publishing or spreading by leaflets or notices > [noun] > placarding, postering, or billing > a placard, notice, or bill society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > a theatre > theatrical equipment or accessories > [noun] > advertising bill 1778 L. Carter Let. 7 May in G. Washington (2006) Revolutionary War Ser. XV. 71 Just so this playcard now publishd, was evidently intended. 1881 P. Fitzgerald iv. 268 The Court Theatre, the Princesses, and the St. James have adopted square cards of a pale blue tint—an abnormal and inconvenient form. In the instance of the first-named house it is folded diagonally, it is a play card, and no longer a bill. 1885 Jan. 213 We were shown a play-card, the two-spot of clubs. 2003 (Nexis) 30 Mar. 2 Staff flick letters—like playcards—into sacks held up in partitions. 1904 22 Dec. 6/2 Dear Santa Claus,..I am going to write for my brother Fred... He wants a horse and a play clock. 1976 18 Mar. c4/1 (heading) NFL decides to use 30-second play clock. 1991 Dec. 107/3 With just one second remaining on the play clock, he took the snap. 2006 S. Weidman 118 It features a colorful frame and fabric curtains, a chalkboard, and a play clock. 2010 (Nexis) 9 June (Sports section) 4 We have a 20-second play clock here versus a 45-second clock down south. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > equipment > [noun] > club > types of club 1685 in 63 357 3 iron clubs, 17 plae clubs. 1857 (new ed.) II. 693/2 The play-club is for swiping off the tee, and is further used throughout the green if the ball is lying fair, and the distance more than a full drive from the hole you are approaching. 1928 C. B. Macdonald 49 I now play with a cross between a driver and a brassy, which, like all the best play clubs nowadays, is made with a slight bulge. 1992 June 98/1 (caption) A selection of 19th Century scared head playclubs. society > trade and finance > management of money > insolvency > indebtedness > [noun] > a debt > debt incurred at gambling 1687 C. Sedley iv. i. 38 Hold, you shall have your choice of six Play Debts: Sir Thomas Whiskin ows me three hundred pound. 1760 S. Foote i. 32 They wou'd as soon now-a-days, pay a tradesman's bill, as a play debt. 1849 W. M. Thackeray II. v. 50 The last time she paid my play-debts, I swore I would not touch a dice-box again, and she'll keep her word. 1887 8 Oct. 1333 Agreements..they would regard as Englishmen regard play-debts. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] > improver of other people's plays 1912 19 July 3/2 If Shakespeare lived to-day he would have waited four years to have his first comedy read and accepted—after which it would have been re-written by the stage carpenter and the leading lady and put on with interpolated songs and a costume chorus with a play doctor in the rear of the theater keeping track of the laughs with a hand comptometer. 1967 P. McGerr ii. 32 A play doctor was brought in to rework Rex's unfinished script. 1994 H. Burton ii. xiv. 132 Mr. Abbott, as he was universally known, was a theatrical legend. He had been an actor, writer, play-doctor and producer. society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > other toys > [noun] > play-dough or silly-putty 1951 9 Jan. 2 b/6 I would like to know the recipe for play dough which can be re-used and stored in the refrigerator. 1969 B. Ryan iii. 56 Play dough, if it is made from scratch from salt, flour, water, and perhaps a little alum powder as a preservative, gives an even broader experience of chemistry before little fingers begin to manipulate it. 1994 29 June 4/2 It's easy to be a ‘summer saver’ when you can suggest puppet making, homemade play dough, the sandbox..to kids under 11. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > the staging of a theatrical production > people concerned with theatrical productions > [noun] > director or producer 1602 B. Jonson v. iii. sig. L3v Arraigned, vpon the Statute of Calumny..by the name of Demetrius Fannius, Play-dresser & Plagiary. View more context for this quotation 1851 E. P. Whipple II. 28 In the arraignment, Decker is called poetaster and plagiary; Marston, play-dresser and plagiary; and they are accused of taxing Jonson falsely. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > a play > [noun] > words spoken by actors > specific group of 1616 B. Jonson Cynthias Revels (rev. ed.) iv. i, in I. 220 Letting this gallant expresse himselfe.., with play-ends, and pittifull verses. a1625 J. Fletcher (1647) iii. i A School-Master, a very amorous Pedant, run almost mad with study of Sonnets and Complements out of old play-ends. the world > animals > mammals > order Primates > suborder Anthropoidea (higher primates) > [noun] > monkey > facial expression 1962 J. A. R. A. M. van Hooff in No. 8. 121 Suddenly one of the partners may..show the play face in the direction of the other who will immediately react by resuming the play. 1973 16 Dec. (Colour Suppl.) 32/2 Certain facial expressions are also used [by monkeys], such as the ‘playface’—a smile with teeth covered. 1996 20 Jan. 5/2 If you tickle a chimp, it produces what's called the play face. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > other types of game > [noun] > playfight 1899 22 June 3/3 He is a powerful hitter and even in the little play-fight on the stage he accidentally came near knocking out his opponent with a swift uppercut. 1922 J. Joyce ii. xv. [Circe] 427 An armless pair of them flop wrestling, growling, in maimed sodden playfight. 1989 7 248 Throughout the pre-adult period the males of both species initiate and become involved in play-fights more frequently than do their female peers. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > other types of game > [noun] > playfight 1897 26 Feb. 347/2 ‘Play-fighting’ (‘teasing, scuffling among young animals,’ ‘play-fighting among adult animals.’ 1932 S. Zuckerman xvii. 277 The play-fighting activities and bodily examinations continued intermittently. 1997 20 June 9/1 Play-fighting is a universal thing that men do with boys. It is how boys learn to control their tempers because when it gets too rough their fathers will stop and tell them that they must not hurt other people. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > playground c1650 in J. W. Hales & F. J. Furnivall (1867) 98 Other three on won play greene. 1800 M. Edgeworth Simple Susan ii, in (ed. 3) II. 164 All the children..were assembled in the play-green. a1886 S. Ferguson (1897) 5 Ask me not, good oh Conor, yet to leave The play-green; for the ball-feats just begun Are those which most delight my playmate-youths, And they entreat me to defend the goal. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] > playwright > for hire 1773 G. A. Stevens Prol. 5 These same Play-jobbers, though it is surprizing, Will always send me on, apologizing. 1899 4 Sept. 2/1 Melodrama written by the most adroit play-jobber of our times. 1962 17 Apr. 2/2 Mrs. Hanson..had done volunteer service as a ‘play lady’ and had assisted in many other activities of that organization which for many years has been devoted to service for the children patients in the hospital. 1966 24 June 923/3 There is a ‘play lady’..who spends her whole time seeing to the personal interests and difficulties of the children in the wards. 1993 4 Jan. a 3/2 The pediatric wards of today are a far cry from the days when volunteers called ‘play ladies’ would wheel a cart of toys from room to room. society > leisure > entertainment > place of amusement or entertainment > [noun] > pleasure-ground or playground 1891 1 July 8/4 There was a capital picture of school life presented by the Juniors, entitled ‘A Scene from Playland’. 1930 13 Mar. 16/2 They had, at least, made it possible for some child, or some children, to escape, if only for a few moments, from a drab life into the realm of playland and or imagination, into a new and different world. 1996 N. Maraire iv. 52 Rhodesia was a forbidden country for me, a white man's playland. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > play-leader 1904 12 July 2/5 The settlement asks for the honorary services of friends who will act as teachers, play leaders, story-tellers, accompanists, guides, and Kindergärtner. 1938 11 266 The recreation committee has secured two playleaders for afterschool recreation. 1996 Jan. 26/1 Loud thudding music, a child clings to a play leader, while others hide under stacked chairs. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > play-leader > position of 1910 14 Dec. 9/4 The conference is for the purpose of discussing the way in which educational institutions are attempting to prepare their pupils for play leadership. 1932 28 May 9/2 Going on to deal with the organization and control of children's games by play leaders, Alderman Melland, who is the chairman of the play leadership committee of the association, said the system had spread rapidly in America. 1990 23 Nov. 11/5 In colleges, pre-school courses remain thin on the ground and lacking in status, while there is virtually no knowledge of British-style play leadership training. the world > food and drink > hunting > fowling > fowling equipment > [noun] > decoy bird > line 1878 M. Browne ii. 27 Directly birds appear, the playline is smartly pulled, which has the effect of jerking the playbird upwards, while at the same time it flutters its wings to regain its perch. This motion is mistaken by the wild birds as a natural proceeding; they accordingly alight around the playbird. the world > food and drink > food > meal > [noun] > light meal or snacks 1960 N. Hilliard 13 The family shared one schoolbag and fought over who was to open it and give out the play-lunches. 1982 N. Keesing 120 The Queensland coal mining town of Blair Athol gave the world ‘eleveners’—the morning break, or recess in a school day or ‘playlunch’ as it might be called further south. 2002 (Nexis) 6 Nov. 3 East Ivanhoe Preschool has all the features that make up the ideal recreational hangout for children. It has the playground, the face painting and the plates of apples and oranges for morning playlunch. society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > puzzle > [noun] > dissected map 1825 S. T. Coleridge 19 Draw lines of different colours round the different counties..and then cut out each separately, as in the common play-maps that children take to pieces and put together. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > pantomime > [noun] > role or character 1598 A. Montgomerie (1885) I. 124 A plane playmear for vanitie devysit. 1831 W. Scott (new ed.) I. xiv. 193 Here one fellow..performed the celebrated part of the hobby-horse, so often alluded to in our ancient drama. Note, This exhibition, the play-mare of Scotland, stood high among holyday gambols. 1875 H. H. Bancroft II. viii. 300 Professional gamesters went from house to house with dice and play-mats, seeking fresh victims. 1935 3 Sept. 6/3 Sonia..settled down on John's play-mat and began to play with him and his bricks. 2001 (Nexis) 8 Aug. 2 The game features colourfully illustrated cards which capture the characters, potions, spells and creatures from the book... The game is played on a paper play mat. 2014 A. Gratz x. 87 Archie picked the baby up, holding her out away from himself a little nervously as he returned her to the playmat. society > communication > information > [noun] > not secret society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > [noun] 1897 3 Jan. ii. 16/4 Children both small and great love..building and modelling, and..as much care has been taken by provident people to store this wonderful play material as food itself. 1969 E. Ambler (1970) ii. 39 ‘Play material’ was the jargon phrase used to describe the low-grade classified information fed back to the enemy through double agents. 1971 D. O'Connor xxii. 154 There'll be stretches on this tape with nothing on them but a lengthy silence. You could fill them in, if you wanted, with play material. 1989 J. M. Stone (BNC) 54 There is plenty of ordinary play material available commercially that is perfectly suitable for use in shared play by children with a range of levels of vision. society > education > teaching > [noun] > other methods of teaching 1914 H. C. Cook (title) First-fruits of the play method in prose. 1923 8 157 All this work has been done conscientiously by the students with an agreeable realization that they were learning, something very far indeed from the superficial play-method so much in vogue in many so-called up-to-date High Schools. 1996 30 June 36/4 The Caring Start Pack uses play methods, called High/Scope, developed in America 30 years ago and now used in 20 countries. society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > other toys > [noun] > toy vehicle to ride on society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > vehicle 1921 11 Dec. iv. 6/2 (advt.) Playmobile. A big, strong hardwood toy [car] with wood wheels and steering wheel. 1955 17 Oct. 9/3 The Playmobile..takes recreation to the city's children in their own neighborhoods. The 33-foot trailer is towed by a two-ton truck... The Playmobile's equipment includes merry-go-round, swings, slide, [etc.] 1963 (U.S. Patent Office) 21 May tm148/1 DeLuxe Reading Corporation, Newark, N.J. Playmobile for toy miniature automobiles. First use Feb. 20, 1961. 1971 16 Dec. 11/1 A children's playgroup in a converted double-decker bus..? The Playmobile will penetrate the drab streets of slumland. 2004 (Nexis) 2 Apr. It was a toy he had craved as a 10-year-old with a passion for cars, a toy he was thrilled to find under the Christmas tree in 1963..the Deluxe Reading Playmobile. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] > playwright 1593 G. Harvey 75 A professed iester, a Hick-scorner, a scoff-maister, a playmunger, an Interluder. 1789 xi. 144 The play-monger..came to him and said, why weepeth the Vox Populi? 1857 A. B. Meek 131 They had to prune and warp their intellects to the whims of the book-pedlars and play-mongers in Grub-street, or the Rue de la Paix. 1931 17 June 7/8 This evening hopscotched to Sir Edwin Justis Mayer's (the playmonger) and there find Milord Middleton, the pundit, with his noble wyfe. society > leisure > social event > type of social event > [noun] > incidental to funeral the world > life > death > obsequies > [noun] > a funeral > funeral entertainment society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > [noun] > dramatic performance > time or occasion of performance 1717 C. Shadwell iii. 61 My Lord talk'd a great deal to me in the Lettice last Play Night, I know he likes my Colour, and he praised my Hand and Neck. 1755 C. Charke 103 Those Assailants of Liberty..constantly attended every Play-Night there. 1849 2 July 43/1 His Majesty [sc. George II]..was pleased to order that the Guards should in future do duty every playnight, which custom has not yet been dispensed with. 1941 14 254 Thursday was play-night which took us from Molière..to Tristan Bernard. 1961 D. De Camp in R. B. Le Page II. iv. 72 Plie-nait. 1971 3 Feb. 16/3 Play Night... ‘Harold and Seymore,’ an original one-act play written by David Selk, will be a feature of the annual one-act play night at New Holstein High School Auditorium. society > leisure > social event > social gathering > party > [noun] > party where play is performed society > leisure > social event > social gathering > party > [noun] > other parties society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > [noun] > dramatic performance > time or occasion of performance 1796 F. Burney I. ii. 39 Sir Hugh complied; premising only that they must none of them expect him to be of their play-party again till after dinner. 1879 L. Troubridge Jrnl. June in J. Hope-Nicholson (1966) 152 Met Amy and had quite a gay visit to Abbey Lodge, doing lots of plays. Uncle Hay failed us for a play party. 1937 B. A. Botkin i. i. 16 The play-party..was a rural American social gathering for playing games, distinguished by the manner in which it was ‘got up’, by the age of its participants, and by the character of the games played. 1989 C. R. Wilson & W. Ferris 514/2 The play-party is a ritual event in which people gather to play singing games that feature dance movements; it is also a game played at such parties. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > playpen 1902 27 Feb. 3/5 In the play~room are to be found the latest chairs, which aid in teaching children to walk, play pens, where the younger ones are confined; [etc.]. 1967 N. Freeling 81 A child's playpen stood folded against the wall. 1976 W. H. Canaway xiii. 136 A set of beads on wires, a bit similar to the set I'd had on my play-pen when I'd been smaller. 2003 Autumn 40/1 (advt.) Casino.Net is the internet's preferred playpen for courtiers of lady Luck. society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > [noun] 1905 3 90 The children want some play-pretties for Christmas. 1929 W. Faulkner 36 Aint you shamed of yourself. Taking a baby's play pretty. 1942 J. Thomas 160 The children's play-pretties—the poppet, a make-believe corn-shuck doll. 1990 13 309 It was her heart's desire, the play-pretty of her dreams, being this man's wife. society > law > legal right > rights to do or use something > [noun] > performing or publishing rights > right of performing on stage 1879 E. S. Drone (title) A treatise on the law of property in intellectual productions in Great Britain and the United States. Embracing copyright in works of literature and art, and playright in dramatic and musical compositions. 1890 5 596 Mr. Drone uses the word ‘playright,’ but this is identical in sound with ‘playwright,’ and it seems better to adopt the word ‘stage-right,’ first employed by Charles Reade. 1891 Martineau in 90 250/1 A musical composition, the copyright and play-right of which had expired by effluxion of time. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > project offering play facilities 1921 8 May 10/3 If there are enough children engaged in this play scheme to warrant it, it would be well to have two bridges. 1972 Apr. 104/2 There were in fact something over 400 playschemes in England and Wales last summer. 1992 May 27/2 Most local authorities organise playschemes so encourage your children to go along—it may well be taking place at their school. Playschemes generally are based on a programme of physical activities. society > education > place of education > school > [noun] > nursery school 1869 ‘Aunt Mattie’ (title) Play school stories for little folks. 1899 May 656/2 A committee reported to the authorities that the only ‘play school’ that received the direct support of a Board of Education was in Newark, New Jersey. 1964 S. Bellow 267 I'm picking June up at noon tomorrow. She goes to a play school, half-days. 2001 2 Apr. i. 18/1 He talks Castilian Spanish almost as fluently to his dad, and Catalan with his playschool mates. 1713 J. Addison in 29 July 1/2 The Day lies heavy upon her till the Play-Season returns. 1899 7 Sept. 4/4 The prospects for an exceptionally prosperous play season are so good that a host of new companies are springing and taking the road. 1987 40 276 Christmas was play-season all through the Renaissance, a time for court masques and ‘Christmas comedies’. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > theatre-going > theatregoer > [noun] > playgoer 1637 J. Rutter tr. P. Corneille To Rdr. sig. A4 This age consists of such Play-seers. 1954 27 Sept. 4/1 The Washington play-seers agreed that Jean Arthur's decision to take ‘St. Joan’ on a 30-week tour (before challenging Broadway) was a wise one. eOE Glosses to Lorica of Laidcenn (Cambr. Ll.1.10) in A. B. Kuypers (1902) 86 Libera tuta pelta : gefria ðine plæg sceldæ. OE Aldhelm Glosses (Digby 146) in A. S. Napier (1900) 22/1 Pelta : parma, plegscylde. the world > food and drink > hunting > fowling > [noun] > decoy 1878 M. Browne ii. 26 An important actor in the performance is the ‘playbird’, which is a bird braced by a peculiar knot or ‘brace’..on an arrangement called the playstick. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > children's game > [noun] > street 1915 17 May 6/3 In the establishment of what are called ‘play streets’ the avowed endeavor of the People's Institute is to give ‘as free rein as possible to the individuality of the child’. 1968 25 Apr. 7/6 Some local authorities label streets as play streets when they have not enough money for playgrounds. 2003 (Nexis) 29 May 11 There are street signs that say it is a playstreet so people should not cut through. the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > one-piece garment > [noun] society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > the theatre or the stage > a theatre > theatrical equipment or accessories > [noun] > costume 1609 T. Dekker sig. E3 By sitting on the stage, you may..examine the play-suits lace. 1876 19 Mar. 8/3 (advt.) Boy's play suit, $5 to $9. 1940 W. C. Williams xxii. 305 The little girl in her snug brown playsuit. 1963 N. Freeling vii. 105 Housewives..in playsuits and sunglasses and Garbo hats, languidly pushing energetic toddlers. 1995 17 Mar. 21/2 Hotpants have made a come-back, this time briefer than ever, as angora playsuits worn under tailored jackets. 2003 (Nexis) 23 Nov. (Eire Sport section) There was the gentle care he showed in changing his newborn daughter Lauren's nappy and zipping her into her playsuit. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > [noun] > table 1717 A. M. P. Du Noyer II. xxxiv. 154 He came to the Play-Table, where drawing a Card, they admired the Beauty of his Ring. 1848 W. M. Thackeray lxv. 591 The day after the meeting at the play-table. 1905 Dec. 102 The enormous extent of Fox's transactions at the play-tables is of course recorded. the world > health and disease > healing > psychiatry > [noun] > one who practises other forms of therapy 1942 Jan. 262 A direct interpretation given to the child of the meaning of his play should be undertaken only..by the experienced play therapist. 1963 A. Heron 49 The child may have treatment with a play therapist. 1991 22 Feb. 33/3 A special mention must go to the most wicked play therapist in the world, Kirit who let me paint Christmas pictures on the ward windows! the world > health and disease > healing > psychiatry > [noun] > other forms of therapy 1936 11 Aug. 9/7 A social worker is wanted for infant welfare centres in an industrial town, with experience in psychiatry and play therapy. 1995 Spring 36/3 Children who require services such as play therapy face long waiting lists and do not get the immediate attention they need. society > education > teaching > [noun] > other methods of teaching 1914 H. C. Cook 52 The boys do not object to learning anything, so long as they may do it in the Play way. 1973 13 Jan. 12/3 Nephew X, proud of himself for being tough with his daughter over the cello lessons, dismisses all this ‘play-way’ approach to education as a lot of soft nonsense. 2000 (Nexis) 30 Dec. The workshop..was aimed at teaching children English in an innovative way. It was designed to get children interested in learning the language through games. As always, the playway method proved a sure-fire formula for success. 1865 Sept. 275/2 Fie upon reality, then! He will away, and find a concocted play-world, where all shall suit his purpose, and where he shall have nothing to do but picture forth in beauty his inward being. 1909 13 Dec. 3/4 Nature's kingdom is not all a reign of tooth and claw, but a play-world also. 1978 I. B. Singer vii. 135 There is no reason why hedonism, the cabala, polygamy, asceticism, even our friend Haiml's blend of eroticism and Hasidism could not exist in a play-city or play-world. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > write as play [verb (transitive)] 1941 R. H. Ball in Pref. p. xii The De Mille-Belasco collaborations were playwrought before they were playwritten. Except for experimental snatches, dialogue was held in abeyance until character had been conceived and developed and situations devised and arranged in elaborate detail. 1949 24 Dec. 24/3 One of the unique and beckoning characteristics of his plays was that they were written no less than playwritten. 1994 (Nexis) 26 Oct. t5 His unfinished sentences became instantly a secular liturgy for those with no prospects of afterlife: nothing he playwrote may have such lasting popularity. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] > playwright a1626 N. Breton (1879) 13 And bid Play-writers better spend their spirits, Than in fox-burrows, or in cony-ferrits. 1766 J. Fordyce I. iv. 155 The common herd of Play-writers. 1872 W. L. Collins iii. 41 To win the verdict of popular applause, which was the great aim of an Athenian play-writer, he must above all things hit the popular taste. 1993 76 517/1 Another great loss for Portugal was the death of the poet, writer, essayist, playwriter and politician Natália Correia on March 16. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > playwriting > [noun] 1702 172 The trade of Play-writing is now (as we say) one of Jack's last Shifts. 1773 D. Garrick 21 June (1963) II. 878 If you think ye Dr wants a rough purge to be cleans'd from his play-writing let it go as it is. 1898 G. B. Shaw Pref. p. v I made a rough memorandum for my own guidance that unless I could produce at least half a dozen plays before I was forty, I had better let playwriting alone. 1995 2 Oct. 70/3 As a result of observing the Bird (as I called Tennessee) at work, Bill decided that playwriting was obviously a very easy thing to do. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online June 2022). playv. Origin: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps a word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Origin uncertain: perhaps cognate with Middle Dutch pleyen to dance, leap for joy, rejoice, be glad (compare also Dutch pleien to play a particular childrens' game), of uncertain etymology; a further connection has frequently been suggested with Old English plēon and related verbs in other Germanic languages (see plight n.1), but this is very uncertain.The Old English verb is recorded in several diverging forms, so that it is difficult to determine its original type and the conjugation to which it belonged (compare the α and β forms). The γ. forms appear to mix the other two. In sense 3a the form plaw is frequent in regional use, even where play is used in other senses. In Old English (Northumbrian) the prefixed form geplægia is also attested. In Middle English prefixed and unprefixed forms of the past participle are attested (see y- prefix). I. Senses relating to movement, exercise, and activity. the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > be occupied or busy (in or at something) [verb (intransitive)] the world > action or operation > operate [verb (intransitive)] OE 85 Þis is se ilca þe þu longe for his deaþe plegodest. OE Wulfstan (Corpus Cambr.) (1972) lxv. 14 We lærað þæt preost ne beo hunta ne hafecere ne tæflere, ac plegge on his bocum swa his hade gebirað. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. iii. 307 (MED) Eche man to pleye with a plow, pykoys, or spade. 1481 W. Caxton tr. ii. xxiv. 116 [The air] susteyneth the byrdes fleeyng that so playe with their wynges and meue them so moche al aboute therin that they disporte them..therin. 1484 W. Caxton tr. v. v Now shalle we see who shalle playe best for to preserue and saue hym self. a1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. (1823) xlii. i So my soul in panting playeth, Thirsting on my God to look. 1591 H. Savile tr. Tacitus Life Agricola in tr. Tacitus 253 Agricola hauing vnderstoode by spyes what way the enemies had taken,..commandeth the lightest horsemen and footmen to play on their backes and maintayne the skirmish. 1646 Sir T. Browne i. x. 37 There is an invisible Agent,..whose activity is undiscerned, and playes in the darke upon us. View more context for this quotation 1677 W. Temple (1731) II. 453 Thus I believe that Affair plays at present. 1883 G. J. Romanes iii. 34 There is no doubt that the hemispheres are able to ‘play down’ upon these ganglia as upon so many mechanisms. 2. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > upward movement > leaping, springing, or jumping > leap, spring, or jump [verb (intransitive)] > caper OE (1932) 370 Hornfisc plegode, glad geond garsecg, ond se græga mæw wælgifre wand. OE 724 Swa hit him on innan com, hran æt heortan, hloh þa and plegode boda bitre gehugod. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 127 (MED) Þat child..floxede and pleide to-genes hire. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1963) 892 Wind stod on willen; ploȝede þe wilde fisc. c1300 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Otho) 13447 Hit gan to daȝeȝe and þe deor to pleoye [c1275 Calig. waȝeȝen]. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 23342 On sunni dai To se fixs in a water plai. c1460 in R. Brotanek (1940) 119 (MED) Þe buk and þe dogges playde by and by. 1611 Job xl. 20 Surely the mountaines bring him foorth foode: where all the beasts of the field play . View more context for this quotation 1626 F. Bacon §825 Fishes, when they play towards the Top of the Water, doe commonly foretell Raine. 1667 J. Milton vii. 410 On smooth the Seale, And bended Dolphins play . View more context for this quotation 1767 G. White Let. 9 Sept. in (1789) 32 Bats drink on the wing..by sipping the surface, as they play over pools and streams. 1869 C. Thirlwall (1881) II. 209 He played about them like a bee, only to take in honey for his art-cell. 1879 G. F. Jackson 328 Two 'ives played in one day, Sir. 1892 H. C. O'Neill 110 Bees, especially when they are playing, love a noise. society > communication > indication > gesturing or gesture > hand gesture > [verb (transitive)] > clap eOE (Mercian) (1965) xcvii. 8 Flumina plaudent manibus : flodas plægiað mid hondum. eOE (Mercian) (1965) xlvi. 1 (2) Omnes gentes plaudite manibus : alle ðiode plagiað mid hondum. OE Cynewulf 805 He mid bæm handum, eadig ond ægleaw, upweard plegade. c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring (1891) xlvi. 1 Ȝe alle folk, plaieþ wyþ hondes [L. plaudite manibus]; gladeþ to God in voice of ioie. a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) xcvii. 8 in C. Horstmann (1896) II. 231 Stremes sal plaie handes samen. a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) xlvi. 1 All genge, playes with hend. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming in > go or come into [verb (transitive)] > bring in > by playing 1657 J. Worthington in tr. Thomas à Kempis To Rdr. sig. ¶6 Larks..play themselves into the Fowlers net. the world > animals > birds > actions or bird defined by > [verb (intransitive)] > engage in sexual display 1765 4 Cocks will often play to, and disturb the others as they sit. 1765 4 Allowing eighteen inches between shelf and shelf, that powters may not be under the necessity of stooping for want of height, for in that case they would contract an habit of playing low, which spoils their carriage. 1768 G. White Let. 18 Apr. in (1789) 47 In breeding-time snipes play over the moors, piping and humming. 1869 A. R. Wallace in July 185/1 An immense head of spreading branches and large but scattered leaves, giving a clear space for the birds to play and exhibit their plumes. 1892 July 37 I have put black~cock up here many years ago, one of my woodland friends having invited me over to see them play up. 3. the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > action of boiling > boil [verb (intransitive)] > with bubbling or agitation α. a1400 (Pepys) (1976) 160 Pot þat plaieþ [c1230 Corpus Cambr. walleð swiðe], nyl it ben ouerladen? a1450 (?c1300) (Caius) l. 3455 (MED) [It] dede seþe & playde ffaste [v.r. boyled alther faste]. a1500 in A. Way 403 Put it ynne a cowdrun ful of water, and layt yt play longe þerin. a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil (1960) vi. iii. 120 Sum spedis to graith haite wattir besely In caldrouns playing on the fire fast by. a1525 Bk. Sevyne Sagis 2181, in W. A. Craigie (1925) II. 69 Vnder' ȝour bed ar sevyn well springis That bulleris & playis nycht & day. 1639 in W. Cramond (1906) 44 It wold have maid our pott to play and our pan to amble. 1684 G. Meriton i. 43 Did'th pot play when you com? 1721 J. Kelly 106 Fair words will not make the Pot play. 1813 E. Picken I. 124 Their walth..Will ne'er gar Symon's pat play brown. 1870 R. Chambers (new ed.) 67 Ae pat gar anither pat play, Let Rashie-coat gang to the kirk the day. 1966 in (1968) VII. 163/3 [Shetland] Boil kettle boil an play pot play, Mony a hungry gut is waitin dee da day. the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > cooking > cook [verb (transitive)] > boil the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > action of boiling > boil or cause to boil [verb (transitive)] α. a1475 (Sloane) (1862) 42 (MED) Fyrst play þy water with hony and salt. ?a1475 Noble Bk. Cookry in at Pleien Put it unto the pot and boile it..and play it up with cow mylk till yt be enoughe. 1533 in J. W. Clay (1902) VI. 42 A lesser lede to play growte in. 4. the world > action or operation > manner of action > [verb (transitive)] > deal with or treat the world > action or operation > behaviour > follow (a course of behaviour) [verb (transitive)] > behave towards c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. xix. 290 (MED) Who so eet of þat seed hardy was..bolde & abydynge bismeres to suffre And playeth al with pacyence. a1492 W. Caxton tr. (1495) i. cxli. f. cliiiv/1 I haue done many offences to my god, the whyche he playeth mekely, in yeuynge vnto me example. 1584 T. Lodge 12 The vsurer that playes all this rie, will yet be counted an honest and well dealing man. 1597 Bp. J. King xlv. 620 It is a great maistery, saith Seneca, to play a man kindly. the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (transitive)] > bring to bank a1586 Sir P. Sidney (1590) ii. xv. f. 167v Not drawing him violently, but letting him play himself vpon the hooke, which he had greedely swalowed. 1722 D. Defoe 95 Yet I had hook'd him so fast, and play'd him so long that I was satisfied he would have had me in my worst Circumstances. 1740 S. Richardson (1824) I. 69 I..soon hooked a lovely carp. Play it, play it, said she: I did, and brought it to the bank. 1787 T. Best (ed. 2) 40 He seldom breaks his hold, if your tackle is strong and you play him properly. 1856 E. K. Kane I. xxx. 414 The victim..is played like a trout by the angler's reel. 1895 Nov. 367 But where would be the sport of playing the fish? 1900 Mrs. H. Ward 97 Eleanor had played her with much tact, and now had her in her power. 1946 K. Tennant (1947) vi. 89 A great kingfish leapt out of the wake..with a shout Alec leapt off the house and ran to play the fish. 1990 Apr. 88/2 When one of his party is playing a fish, Palmer retrieves his lure with a slow, pumping action. the world > action or operation > advantage > usefulness > use (made of things) > use or control > [verb (transitive)] > vigorously society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > fencing > fencing or exercise with sticks or cudgels > fence with sticks or cudgels [verb (intransitive)] 1590 R. Harvey 3 Thy late Customers, which play more sacks to the mill, haue brought greists or iests at least wise to be ground. 1713 R. Steele No. 50. ⁋2 The dexterity..consists in playing the razor, with a nimble wrist, mighty near the nose without touching it. 1728 E. Chambers at Organ One of these Hydraulic Organs; with two Men..seeming to pump the Water which plays it. 1748 T. Smollett I. ix. 64 You hear he plays a good [fiddle-]stick. 1788 J. May 21 July (1873) (modernized text) 88 Five hands at work... Two playing the whipsaw. ?a1800 in 11 July (1892) 2/5 If..he is a tolerable good boxer, can play a good stick. 1848 W. M. Thackeray xliii. 385 The Colonel plays a good knife and fork at tiffin. 1885 28 Nov. 548/1 The dining-hall..where the occupants..played ‘knife and fork’. 1927 C. A. Lindbergh viii. 134 I pulled the flashlight from my belt and was playing it down towards the top of the fog. 1986 10 Feb. 43/1 Letsamao was playing the clutch, keeping the car moving slightly forward. 1992 Autumn 77/1 One can drive along and vary the gentle whine from the transmission by playing the accelerator so that the engine revs rise and fall. the world > action or operation > doing > do [verb (transitive)] society > occupation and work > working > [verb (transitive)] the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > banter or good-humoured ridicule > banter [verb (transitive)] > make a fool of the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > trickery, playing jokes > trick, hoax [verb (transitive)] c1410 (c1350) (Harl. 7334) 307 Whan Gamelyn þe yonge þus hadde pleyd his play. a1450 ( G. Chaucer ii. §40. 84 Yf thou wilt pleye this craft with the arisyng of the mone, loke thou rekne wel hir cours houre by houre. a1500 (a1460) (1897–1973) 130 (MED) Bot I play a fals cast, Trust me no more. 1562 Jack Juggler in W. C. Hazlitt (1874) II. 138 I know that he playeth you many a like prank. 1596 T. Lodge sig. I iiij Let him but looke into a vawting house, he shall play his tricks without charges. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. ii. 124 Man..Plaies such phantastique tricks before high heauen, As makes the Angels weepe. View more context for this quotation 1660 F. Brooke tr. V. Le Blanc 17 For fear he should play me some trick, I dissembled. 1711 J. Addison No. 117. ¶5 The Cat is reported..to have played several Pranks above the Capacity of an ordinary Cat. 1782 W. Cowper 134 Thus all through merry Islington These gambols he did play. 1815 W. H. Ireland 190 (note) The hoax played off some years back, by the late commentator Steevens. 1836 C. Dickens 10 Aug. (1965) I. 162 I really begin to grow alarmed lest Braham think we are playing him some nonsense. 1890 ‘W. A. Wallace’ 201 Only something very important would have made you play this game. 1941 R. Warner i. 21 He would play the most absurd and often cruel practical jokes on perfect strangers. 1966 B. Dylan Visions of Johanna (song) in (1993) 333 Ain't it just like the night to play tricks when you're tryin' to be so quiet? 1995 G. Kamani (1996) 77 I could not believe what was being said in front of me. My mind was playing tricks on me. the world > movement > move [verb (intransitive)] > move without impediment c1426 J. Audelay (1931) 173 Þe p[lu]mys þai mad a hedus bere, When þai began to play. 1581 R. Norman 9 Whervpon the needle maie hang leuell, & plaie at his pleasure. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. iv. 132 Warme life playes in that infants veines. View more context for this quotation 1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre ii. ii. 18 in II You should get this chayre let out o' the sides, for me, that my hips might play. 1664 H. Power i. 24 You may see their heart play, and beat very orderly for a long time together. 1669 S. Sturmy vii. x. 16 [Hold] the Instrument..Horizontally as neer as you can, that the Needle may have liberty to play to and fro. 1715 J. T. Desaguliers tr. N. Gauger 130 Two Iron Eyes for the ends of Axis to play in. 1741 A. Monro (ed. 3) 151 The Condyles..play in the Cavity. 1781 B. Dearborn Descr. Pump-engine in (1785) 1 522 The conductor has a hollow cut round the bolt on the inside.., as large as the circle of holes in the brass, round which hollow on the face of the conductor, a leather is nailed which plays on the margin of the brass plate, when the conductor turns. 1825 ‘J. Nicholson’ 670 The engines..have a cogged wheel, playing in a rack, which is laid as one of the rails of the road. 1881 27 294 The molars..play vertically on each other like a pair of scissors. 1897 R. Kipling 17 The schooner, with a triangular riding-sail on the mainmast, played easily at anchor. 1908 H. G. Wells ii. §8 There is something,..that is thinking here and using me and you to play against each other in that thinking just as my finger and thumb play against each other as I hold this pen with which I write. 1932 N. Hodgins 97 My companion was glistening with sweat; and on his bare arms powerful muscles played. 1978 B. Chapman (ed. 2) viii. 333 The culture will play within the stable technocomplex region until it can no longer achieve an equilibrious outcome therein. 7. the world > movement > motion in specific manner > alternating or reciprocating motion > move to and fro or up and down [verb (intransitive)] 1513 E. Howard Let. in H. Ellis (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 217 Barges..to play up and down betwen Dover & Caleys. 1590 J. White in R. Hakluyt (1600) III. 289 The 2 of May our Admirall and our Pinnesse departed from Dominica leauing the Iohn our Viceadmirall playing off and on about Dominica. 1716 B. Church i. 23 The other Canoo play'd off to see the event, and to carry tydings if the Indians should prove false. the world > movement > motion in specific manner > move in specific manner [verb (intransitive)] > move lightly or briskly the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > move irregularly or be agitated [verb (intransitive)] > flutter or flicker the world > matter > colour > variegation > iridescence > be iridescent [verb (intransitive)] 1590 E. Spenser i. i. sig. A7v Thereby a christall streame did gently play, Which from a sacred fountaine welled forth alway. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. v. 18 As playes the Sunne vpon the glassie streames, Twinkling another counterfetted beame. View more context for this quotation 1638 F. Junius 18 The inward Imaginations that doe continually stirre and play in our mindes. 1664 H. Power Pref. sig. B4v The Magnetical Atoms continually playing about them. 1698 J. Fryer 214 A Rose Diamond that is very thick, it's good to set it close upon the Ivory, and it will play very well. 1726 G. Shelvocke xiv. 418 You'll see in the night a sort of faint light'ning, flashing and playing..in that part of the Horizon. 1749 J. Cleland II. 32 His floating locks play'd o'er a neck and shoulders whose whiteness they delightfully set off. 1797 A. Radcliffe I. i. 19 Her fine hair was negligently bound up in a silk net, and some tresses that had escaped it, played on her neck. 1827 N. P. Willis 33 The breaking waves play'd low upon the beach. 1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in 82 A splendid silk.., Where like a shoaling sea the lovely blue Play'd into green. 1871 W. H. Ainsworth i. v No smile ever played upon her thin lips. 1915 F. M. Hueffer iii. ii. 150 Over her throat there played the reflection from a little pool of water. 1981 W. Boyd 166 He tilted his head towards the window and let the breeze play across his face. 1992 20 Apr. 43/3 Lights played on their toothy faces. the mind > emotion > pride > ostentation > splendour, magnificence, or pomp > exhibit or appear in splendour or magnificence to [verb (transitive)] > display with brilliant effect a1716 R. South (1744) X. 357 When the allurement of any sinful pleasure or profit plays itself before him. 1743 E. Young 52 Tho Fortune too (our third and final Theme) As an Accomplice plaid her gaudy Plumes. 1746–7 J. Hervey (1818) 127 She plays her lovely changes, not to enkindle dissolute affections, but to display her Creator's glory. 1812 R. H. in 25 May 329/1 The lines are played over the forms with..freedom and taste. 1843 E. Jones 54 Should prudes blame my dress, oh! all beautiful braid, Yellow, crimson, and green over it shall be play'd. 1892 16 Sept. 285/2 The search-light began to play a dazzling ripple along their line from end to end. 1974 L. Gould i. 4 Someone might just..play the single white baby spot across the otherwise darkened stage. 1990 A. Steele 149 McCoy played the light over an ordinary door behind the desk. 8. society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > operate artillery [verb (intransitive)] > be discharged society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > operate artillery [verb (intransitive)] > discharge artillery 1591 T. Digges (rev. ed.) 181 The Inclination or Declination of any markes from the plaine Horizontall of that Platforme where the Peeces playe. 1601 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero 40 They neuer cease playing with their munition, till they haue laid all leuell with the ground. a1627 J. Hayward (1840) 55 The artillerie plaied and the footemen skirmished most part of the daie. 1633 T. Stafford i. ix. 64 The next day, when wee looked that the cannon should begin to play, [etc.]. a1665 K. Digby (1868) 23 All this while the fortes played vpon the boates and our shippes. 1709 T. Hearne 11 Nov. (O.H.S.) II. 306 He..playd particularly [in his sermon]..upon the Bp. of Sarum. 1748 in G. Sheldon (1895) I. 564 I played away with our cannon and small arms for an hour and ¾. 1777 R. Watson II. xxiv. 377 His cannon had hardly begun to play upon it, when Vidossan, the governor, retired with the garrison into the castle. 1813 R. Wilson 11 Oct. (1861) I. App. II. 498 Fourteen guns played advantageously on them for some time. 1885 July 448/2 The battery..could play upon the broken bridge and ford, and upon every part of the uncultivated field. 1894 Ld. Wolseley II. 181 Another battery..which Marlborough erected to play upon the south-eastern bastion. 1922 J. Joyce ii. xv. [Circe] 457 Camel swivel guns played on his lines with telling effect. society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > operate (artillery) [verb (transitive)] > discharge (artillery) a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. i. 385 Their battering Canon charged to the mouthes... I'de play incessantly vpon these Iades. View more context for this quotation 1670 C. Cotton tr. G. Girard i. iv. 156 [He] plai'd so many Cannon~shot into the Town, that not a man durst appear. 1682 J. Bunyan 307 The Gate from the top of which the Captains did play their slings at the enemies. View more context for this quotation 1688 J. Evelyn (1955) IV. 591 This night were the fire-works plaied, which were prepar'd for the Queenes up-sitting. 1713 J. Addison in 4 Sept. 2/1 She played upon him so many Smiles and Glances, that she quite weakened and disarmed him. 1740 G. Smith tr. (ed. 2) App. p. l Avoid..a damp, foggy, rainy or windy night, to play your rockets. 1759 Chron. in 62/2 Playing their hand-grenades and swivels to excellent purpose. 1804 W. Nicholl in Marquess Wellesley (1877) 530 They opened a battery..which they continued playing until 3 o'clock. 1881 W. C. Russell I. iv. 154 We kept playing the enemy with round-shot. 9. the world > the earth > water > fountain > of fountain: to play [verb (intransitive)] the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of squirting or issuing in a jet > squirt or issue in a jet [verb (intransitive)] > water the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (intransitive)] > be emitted > emit in a jet 1666 R. Boyle in (Royal Soc.) 1 233 The Cock would play altogether on that side. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot i. 9 A great many Fountains, where the Water-works, playing very high, render the place altogether delightful. 1711 J. Addison No. 5. ¶3 There are several Engines filled with Water, and ready to play at a Minute's Warning. 1798 J. M. Mason 393 When you trod on a particular spot, the water played upon you. 1855 T. B. Macaulay III. xii. 166 The fountains played in his honour. 1889 Apr. 929 The firemen were not permitted to play on the flames. 1935 G. Greene i. 39 An emerald fountain played into a wide shallow emerald pool. 1985 A. Brookner xi. 140 The gardener's hosepipe is playing on the tubs of orange-trees. the world > the earth > water > fountain > cause fountain to play [verb (transitive)] 1653 No. 6. 47 His Highness..gave directions how the Engineeers should play their Water works, even to the admiration of all that beheld him. 1712 J. James tr. A.-J. Dézallier d'Argenville 197 To play a Spout still bigger,..there must be a large Pipe. 1772 S. Johnson 27 Nov. (1992) I. 411 They complimented me with playing the fountains, and opening the cascade. 1889 22 Aug. The waters..were to be used in forming cascades and playing fountains for the delight of the lucky dwellers in this federal elysium. 1890 26 June The privilege of playing a fountain of pure, native, sparkling wine. 1933 H. L. Mencken 2 Aug. (1989) 59 For four or five days and nights they played the hose on him. 1993 (new ed.) ii. 45/1 Starting at the top of the wall, play a hose gently on to the masonry while you scrub it with a stiff-bristle brush. 1718 A. Ramsay iii. 27 He..like a Fail, Play'd dad, and dang the Bark, Aff's Shins that Day. 1787 R. Burns Death & Dr. Hornbook xvi, in (1968) I. 82 It [sc. a dart] just play'd dirl on the bane, But did nae mair. 1798 D. Crawford 98 Till's crutch amang the stanes play'd rattle. 1826 J. Wilson Noctes Ambrosianae xxv, in Apr. 502 See ane [tiger] play spang upon you..and gar ye play tapsalteery ower a precipice. 1853 W. Watson 80 I flew in, the door play'd clink, An' that made nae debatin' o't. 1894 J. B. Salmond (rev. ed.) i. 13 Aye the hent feet o' him played skelp on the boddom o' the cairt. 1931 6 June The best o' their sermons play baff aff my head, like a blether fu' o' wind. II. Senses relating to recreation, pleasure, and enjoyment. 11. society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (intransitive)] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > take part in a game [verb (intransitive)] eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory (Hatton) (1871) l. 391 We eac wiernað urum cildum urra peninga mid to plegianne. eOE tr. Orosius (BL Add.) (1980) iv. i. 83 Tarentine þæt folc plegedon binnan Tarentan heora byrg æt heora þreata [read þeatra]. OE (Northumbrian) xi. 17 Cecinimus uobis et non saltastis : we sungun Iuh & ne plægde ge. a1225 (?OE) MS Lamb. in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 7 (MED) Þa children ploȝeden in þere strete, heriende ure drihten. c1300 St. Michael (Laud) 254 in C. Horstmann (1887) 307 (MED) Grete compaygnie men i-seoth of heom [sc. elves] boþe hoppie and pleiȝe. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) 11197 (MED) Þe bailif hii bede ofte to graunti hor solas, To pleie. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 12275 (MED) Iesus went him for [v.r. forth] to plai Wit childir on an halidai. ?a1400 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Petyt) (1996) i. 3815 Elidour þoru a wode suld wend ffor to play be a riuere. 1493 (de Worde) v. sig. Avv/1 A louynge moder, that listeth to play with her souking childe. 1561 T. Norton & T. Sackville v. ii Children..play in the streetes and fieldes. 1590 ‘Pasquil’ sig. B4v To beguile mine appetite as women do their children..when they giue them a bable to play withall. 1611 Zech. viii. 5 And the streets of the citie shall be full of boyes and girles playing in the streets thereof. View more context for this quotation 1645 J. Milton L'Allegro in 34 And young and old com forth to play On a Sunshine Holyday. 1714 S. Sewall 28 July (1973) II. 764 A fine Boy..was playing with other children about a pile of Stick'd boards, which fell down upon him. 1747 T. Gray 6 Regardless of their Doom, The little Victims play! 1789 W. Blake Nurses Song in No no let us play, for it is yet day And we cannot go to sleep. 1840 J. H. Newman (1842) V. iii. 35 To make professions is to play with edge tools. 1856 J. A. Froude (1858) I. ii. 151 The gardens of the Alhambra, where she had played as a child. 1927 S. T. Warner 30 He was playing with his friends. 1960 A. S. Neill i. 64 If my boy plays all day, how will he ever learn anything; how will he ever pass exams? 1990 D. McIntosh 3 When she was helping to stow baggage, her sweater was like a blanket with two active puppies playing under it. the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > engage in sexual activity [verb (intransitive)] > have sexual intercourse the mind > emotion > love > action of caressing > caress or make a show of affection [verb (intransitive)] > sport amorously OE 2 Ic seah wyhte wrætlice twa undearnunga ute plegan hæmedlaces. ?a1300 Dame Sirith 438 in G. H. McKnight (1913) 20 (MED) Þou most gange awai Wile ich and hoe shulen plaie. c1330 (?a1300) (1886) l. 2617 Tristrem wiþ ysonde lay..And wok And plaiden ay bitvene. c1390 G. Chaucer 1571 ‘Namoore,’ quod she, ‘by god, ye haue ynough!’ And wantownely agayn with hym she pleyde. a1450 (1969) l. 1577 Goo ageyn, þe deuelys mat, And pleye þe a whyle wyth Sare and Sysse. ?c1450 in G. Müller (1929) 138 (MED) Whanne sche hath slep, let hir pleyen with hir housbond. 1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry (1971) lxii. 87 Whiche for a lytel syluer made her to synne and playe with a pryour. 1489 (a1380) J. Barbour (Adv.) v. 544 Throw wemen that he wyth wald play. a1500 (?a1450) (Harl. 7333) (1879) 313 (MED) Dame..it is long sith I lovid you; go we nowe þidir and lat me play with the. a1513 W. Dunbar (1998) I. 245 Ane tod wes with ane lame And with hir playit... And wald haif riddin hir lyk ane rame. 1593 W. Shakespeare sig. Biijv Be bold to play, our sport is not in sight. View more context for this quotation 1667 J. Milton ix. 1027 Now let us play..For never did thy Beautie..so enflame my sense With ardor to enjoy thee. View more context for this quotation the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > be joyful or delighted [verb (intransitive)] the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > rejoicing or exultation > rejoice or exult [verb (intransitive)] c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) 606 Ah schulen ai bifore þe pleien in heuene. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) 14995 Sweines þer ploȝeden; blisse wes mid þeinen. a1300 in C. Brown (1932) 72 (MED) Alle heo schule wyþ engles pleye, some & sauhte in heouene lyhte. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. xvi. 256 I loked on his lappe, a lazar lay þere-Inne Among patriarkes and profetes pleyande togyderes. c1450 (c1375) G. Chaucer 321 For now I pleyne and now I pleye. a1475 (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) 10650 (MED) Þe body..shal rote away Þat was wonte to game and play. society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (reflexive)] c1300 St. Kenelm (Laud) 148 in C. Horstmann (1887) 349 (MED) Þis child scholde wende An hontingue to pleiȝen him. c1330 (?a1300) (Auch.) (1973) 2450 (MED) He..went to plaien him on þe plain. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 3025 (MED) Þir breþer þam plaijd samen. a1450 (?c1421) J. Lydgate (Arun.) (1911) 2411 (MED) She preied hym abyde..In the castel to pley hym and disporte. c1450 tr. G. Deguileville (Cambr.) (1869) 181 (MED) A crooked staf me lakketh..and a bal to pleye me with. c1450 (a1375) (Calig.) (1979) 211 (MED) The emperour..drew [read threw] þat hedde wyth lowryng chere Into þe lady barm, And seyde: ‘Pley þe wyth þat ball.’ a1533 Ld. Berners tr. (?1560) xvi. sig. Bviv Arthur..humbly requyred both hys fadre and moder..to giue hym licence to go play hym a season out of that countrey. 1563 D. Fergusson f. 24v Ye had rather play you with your myrrie conceats. 1646 E. Fisher (ed. 2) 171 We may go play us then, and work no working at all. 1651 R. Baxter 182 When you have plaid your self with your own absurd fictions. 1819 W. Scott (1934) VI. 67 When work is scarce, and we offer pay for them playing themselves, we should have choice of men. 1864 W. D. Latto xxix I sent Archie awa to play himsel' for the day. 1884 J. Fothergill iv I reckon lads is playin' theirsels a bit. 1915 A. S. Neill xviii. 217 Ma father says that we just play ourselves at this school. 1939 P. Gallagher 92 Go, now, children, and play yourselves. 1985 M. Munro 54 Here Ah'm knockin ma pan in an youse are just playin yersels. society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (transitive)] a1450 (Westm. Sch. 3) (1967) 25 He ȝyueþ vs þat we desyre—as laikande vs to stille—of þis worldis good to pleye vs wiþ, þat we þoruȝ þe comfort þat we fynde in hem louen hym al þe bettir. 1570 in J. Raine (1845) 192 Some of the leves of the said bookes the said wyffes toke away with them, to play their children withall. society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (transitive)] > bring into some condition by 1642 T. Fuller iv. xix. 337 He playeth himself into Learning before he is aware of it. 1691 J. Wilson i. iii. 10 There's your Art, to get him play himself into the Nooze, and be proud of't too. 12. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > duping, making a fool of > make a fool of [verb (intransitive)] OE Ælfric (Claud.) xxi. 9 Sarra beheold hu Agares sunu wið Isaac plegode. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) 8261 Þet [perh. read Let] þine hired-childeren pleien [c1300 Otho pleoye] mid þissen hunde, scotien mid heore flan. a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. lvii. 4 Vp on whom pleyeden [a1425 L.V. scorneden; L. lusistis] ȝee? ?a1425 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius iii. pr. xii. 204 I ne scorne the nat, ne pleie, ne disceyve the. c1475 (1969) 440 Wyll ȝe of wyth hys hede! Yt ys a schreude charme!..Ȝe pley; in nomine patris, choppe! 1490 (1962) xxiii. 75 But iapeth & playeth her self of theym that ben amerouse. a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara (1546) sig. Kk.viijv All ye togyther there present played, and gested on me. a1557 J. Cheke tr. (1843) ii. 16 Then Herood seing yt he was plaied withal bi ye wiseards. c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxxix. 104 in (1998) II. 134 Of all his haters none, But boasts his wrack and at his sorrow plaieth. 1611 C. Tourneur (new ed.) i. sig. B3v That same heartlesse thing, That Cowards will be bold to play vpon. a1744 A. Pope Let. in (1871–89) V. 266 I would make use of it rather to play upon those I despised, than to trifle with those I loved. 1844 E. B. Browning i. vi In a sternness quoth she, ‘As thou play'st at the ball art thou playing with me?’ society > leisure > entertainment > mere amusement > do for mere amusement [verb (intransitive)] OE Ælfric Homily (Corpus Cambr. 178) in J. C. Pope (1968) II. 766 He cwæð þa mid wope, Me þincð þæt ðu plegast and þu mine yrmðe naht ne gefredst. a1382 (Bodl. 959) (1959) Gen. xix. 14 And he was seeyn to hem as pleying [L. quasi ludens] to speke. a1382 (Bodl. 959) Prov. xxvi. 19 Þe man þat gylyngly noȝeþ to hys frend, & whan he were caȝt shal sey, ‘pleiynge [v.r. Pleiende; L. Ludens] I dide.’ 1484 W. Caxton tr. v. xv Loke hyther, callest thow this a playe..now I shalle shewe to the how thow oughtest not to playe so with thy lord. 1545 R. Ascham i. f. 46 The lacke of teachynge to shoote in Englande, causeth very manye men, to playe with the kynges Actes. c1580 ( tr. (1921) II. ii. 618 Take nocht in crabitnes For na thing that my brother sayis..For amouris..Garris him sumquhyle bourd and play. 1597 W. Shakespeare ii. i. 84 Can sicke men play so nicely with their names? View more context for this quotation a1614 J. Melville (1842) 50 He lerned mair of Mr. Andro Melvill craking and playing..nor be all his comentares. 1842 F. Marryat I. x. 120 ‘I'd recommend you not to play with post captains,’ said Captain Bridgeman. 1978 T. Murphy i. 13 Only playing was he? Now for ye! Disturbing the equilibrium, on'y playing! 1985 G. Story 53 By then George had smacked her a couple of times. Not hard; he said he was only playing. the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > deride, ridicule, or mock [verb (transitive)] 1891 E. Kinglake 117 Those who pass their lives in the bush generally have their heart in the right place, though they do love to play a new chum. 13. society > leisure > sport > [verb (transitive)] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > play (a game) [verb (transitive)] eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) xxxvi. 108 Ða cild ridað on hiora stafum & manigfealde plegan plegiað ðær hi hyriað ealdum monnum. c1230 (?a1200) (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 221 Þe ancre ne hire meiden ne plohien worldliche gomenes ed te þurle. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 1214 Ysmael pleide hard gamen. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) 16623 (MED) Wit him [sc. Jesus] þai plaid sitisott [Trin. Cambr. pleiden a bobet] and badd þat suld rede Quilk o þaim him gaf þe dint. c1450 ( G. Chaucer 618 Fals Fortune hath pleyd a game Atte ches with me, allas! a1500 in T. Wright (1847) 91 (MED) Some cane pley check mat with owr syere. 1532 (c1385) Usk's Test. Loue in i. f. cccxxviii I haue not playde raket, nettyl in, docke out, and with the wethercocke waued. 1576 A. Fleming tr. Erasmus in 350 The common games plaide and practised at Olympus. 1602 T. Dekker sig. E2v Shee'll sit vp till you come, because shee'll haue you play a game at Noddie. 1635 T. Jackson viii. xxxi. §7 As the proverb is, by-standers sometimes see more than they who play the game. 1679 6 The After~game they had to play..was to be managed with..Skill. 1715 D. Ryder 14 Dec. (1939) (modernized text) 148 When his father was dead he immediately began to play his game with his brother Thomas. 1727 J. Arbuthnot John Bull Postscr. in J. Swift et al. II. 212 How Lewis Baboon attempted to play a Game Solo in Clubs. 1796 Chron. in 33/1 Next morning the match was played out. 1838 A. De Morgan 111 We are entitled to conclude that..the games played were each not less than 3 to 2 in favour of the bank. a1865 E. C. Gaskell (1866) I. xiii. 152 He taught young ladies to play billiards on a wet day. 1885 (Weekly ed.) 13 Feb. 16/4 The young men played fives against the tower. 1916 K. Burke Let. 11 Sept. in (1988) 29 You could bring your sneakers along, and perhaps we could play some tennis. 1957 F. Hoyle (1960) 89 He played an excellent game of darts, although he left the business of scoring to others. 1980 O. Clark 29 June (1998) 102 The children disappeared for hours playing space invaders. 2002 18 Nov. 29/4 He played five matches, losing just one of them. c1390 G. Chaucer 1423 Or elles that we pleye A [v.r. pleie On] pilgrymage or goon out of the weye. 1718 C. Molloy ii. 42 They play the whole Game upon you, Sir, for they have it all in their own Hands. 1724 ‘C. Johnson’ xiii. 283 It was commonly among the Footmen in the Lobby of the House of Commons, where he used to play the whole Game, (as they term it,) that is, cheat all he could. 1784 J. Hartley 260 His adversary played fair, and he played the whole game. 1839 Dec. 534 At cards, they play the whole game; and if they are discovered, will shoot the loser, to prove that they have not cheated. society > leisure > entertainment > mere amusement > do for mere amusement [verb (transitive)] > represent or imitate for amusement 1821 C. Lamb in May 495/1 The noises of children, playing their own fancies. 1875 J. R. Lowell Spenser in (1890) IV. 324 Children who play that everything is something else. 1890 Oct. 1007 We played that we were gypsies. 1906 R. Kipling 231 A rainy afternoon drove Dan and Una over to play pirates in the Little Mill. 1941 B. Schulberg ix. 230 Barefoot boys..playing pirate. 1969 W. H. Auden in 27 Mar. 3/4 My guess is that at the back of his mind, lay a daydream of an innocent Eden where children play ‘Doctor’. 1992 May 45 The kind of righteous indignation that views an eight-year-old boy playing cops and robbers with a cap pistol as a preview of the life of a serial killer. society > morality > virtue > honourableness > act honourably [verb (intransitive)] 1823 W. Scott II. v. 122 The rules of piquet were insisted on by all but boys and women; and for his part, he had rather not play at all than not play the game. 1889 G. Drage I. vii. 60 I really think he is..not playing the game. 1898 R. Kipling 279 ‘Play the game—don't talk’, the Maltese Cat whickered. 1926 J. Devanny xxv. 308 If you won't let me go away, you must do your ‘bit’ for the kiddies' sake. You must play the game. 1959 H. Pinter (1960) iii. 77 All my life I've said the same. Play up, play up, and play the game. 1992 K. Follett (BNC) 25 ‘Ellis wants you to bring the mechanism to Room 41 at the Hotel Lancaster in the rue de Berri.’ There was another pause. Play the game, Jane, thought Ellis. society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > self-interest > seek or look after one's own interest [verb (intransitive)] 1860 W. Phillips 15 We do not play politics; antislavery is no half-jest with us. 1907 13 May 6 Mr. Balfour has seized the opportunity to play politics, and has apparently come out squarely in favor of trade preference. 1962 15 Nov. 798/1 It has been fashionable to claim that Mr Gaitskell..was deliberately playing politics with the Common Market issue. 1976 16 June 1070/2 There are a few people who find it disturbing that we are now the most heavily indebted nation in the industrial world—but as the Government would wish me to point out, they are just playing politics. 1992 D. Morgan iii. xxii. 440 Billy, in Phoenix, was personable, energetic, and quotable, and he understood and enjoyed playing politics and sparring with the media. 1862 H. E. B. Stowe ii. xi. 253 Oh, pshaw, Mara, you don't know these fellows; they are only playing games with us. 1900 E. S. Brooks x. 137 I've never deserted my colors,..nor played games with my nationality. 1935 E. S. Payne xi. 147 ‘Flirting is play, my dear girl. Sort of a game—' 'Not my kind of play', she said... ‘I'm afraid I haven't much time to—play games with you.’ 1939 23 Sept. 45/1 And you, too, you damned old battle-ax... I'm tired of playing games with you. 1961 R. Magidoff tr. A. Sukhovo-Kobylin i. xiii. 31 Now you say stay! Are you playing games with me? First, you say go; now—don't go. 1965 ‘W. Haggard’ iii. 37 The police were playing a game with him..some obscene policeman's pantomime. 1984 D. Koontz i. i. 57 She had the unsettling feeling that the critter..was just toying with her, playing games, teasing. 2003 25 Jan. (Mag.) 11/2 I don't think she's playing games with him and trying to mess with his mind. She genuinely loves him. the world > action or operation > doing > activity or occupation > occupy or engage (a person) [verb (transitive)] > have to do with or be involved in or with 1928 R. Fisher i. 13 This boogy..thinks he's bad. Come slippin' me 'bout my family. He knows I don't play nuthin' like that. 1964 in R. D. Abrahams ii. v. 208 ‘The girls are gone, but we got George upstairs.’ ‘I don't play that motherfucking shit.’ a1967 L. Hughes Joy to my Soul i, in (2002) V. 421 Too-Tight..Go ahead, call old Rotation a dirty name... Rotation (Drawing a knife) I don't play that! 1989 T. McMillan 1 The prettier they are, the more they want. Well, I don't play that shit no more. 2001 M. Reid 19 I keep condoms everywhere in the house. I don't play that baby mama thing. society > travel > air or space travel > action of flying (in) aircraft > fly (in) an aircraft [verb (intransitive)] > so as to avoid detection or gunfire 1942 30 I wondered if he was playing pussy and intending to jink away. 1942 1 Sept. 14/1 Waiting in the air..he ‘snakes about’ or ‘plays pussy’ in the clouds. 1948 E. Partridge et al. 143 Play pussy, to speed from one cloud to another in order to escape detection or to pounce upon a shadowed enemy aircraft. society > leisure > social event > festive occasion > specific festivities > [verb (intransitive)] > others 1965 7 Mar. 6 A band of hooligans playing mas', completely smashed the glass panes. 1973 3 Feb. 4 Those costumes must be too heavy to be worn for any length of time, much less to dance and play mas' in. 1988 E. Lovelace ii. 43 With rent to pay and all my expenses..I can't afford to play mas'. 2000 R. Antoni in N. Hopkinson 216 When I reached at the door now I found this man dressed up like he was playing mas in Carnival. 14. society > leisure > sport > [verb (intransitive)] OE tr. (1958) xiii. 20 Ða agan se cyngc plegan wið his geferan mid þoðere. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1963) 4056 Summen pleoden on tæuelbrede. c1300 (c1250) (Cambr.) (1966) l. 346 Whane þescheker is forþ ibroȝt, Biþute panes ne plei þu noȝt. c1330 (?a1300) (1886) l. 310 (MED) A cheker he fond bi a cheire; He asked who wold play. a1400 (c1250) (Egerton) (1966) 694 (MED) Þow shalt answere alþerfirst, Lenger to play þe ne lyst. 1484 W. Caxton tr. xxi The euylle..whiche doo no thynge but playe with dees and cardes. 1548 f. xliv The Dolphyn..sent to hym [sc. Henry V] a tunne of tennis balles to plaie with. 1555 J. Heywood sig. D.iiiiv He pleyth best that wyns. 1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot i. 34 Though they play for nothing, yet they take great pleasure at play. 1727 (West Sussex Rec. Office: Goodwood 1884) The Duke of Richmonds Umpire shall pitch the Wickets when they Play in Sussex. 1750 Ld. Chesterfield 5 Feb. (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1503 A man may play with decency; but if he games he is disgraced. 1866 355 The batsman must play with additional care. 1884 H. C. Bunner in Jan. 305/1 Well played, sir! 1892 17 Oct. 5/1 [He] played for Scotland, and did the place-kicking at the early age of sixteen. 1933 D. L. Sayers x. 177 ‘Do you play cricket?’ ‘Well, I used to play for—’ Mr. Brown..had been about to say, ‘for Oxford.’ 1956 H. L. Mencken 135 College football would be much more interesting if the faculty played instead of the students. 1997 C. Brookmyre (2001) vii. 173 You used tae play in goals, didn't you? 2001 Mar. 25/2 Wome..was 16 when he first played for the Indomitable Lions. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > play games of chance [verb (intransitive)] 1340 (1866) 45 (MED) Þe tende boȝ of auarice byeþ kueade gemenes, ase byeþ þe gemenes of des and of tables..huer me playþ uor pans. c1390 (?c1350) St. Bernard 753 in C. Horstmann (1878) 53 (MED) Þis mon went aboute faste to pleye And lost faste his moneye. 1511 (Pynson) E vij They that make, sell, bye..the dyce, the cardes, the tables... They that serue the players..they yt lende them money for to play. 1551 T. Wilson sig. Biij Those whiche play with false dice, and would make other beleue that they are true. 1600 W. Shakespeare iii. vi. 113 When cruelty and lenitie play for a Kingdome, The gentlest gamester is the sooner winner. 1608 T. Dekker sig. D2 They that sit downe to play, are at first calld Leaders. They that loose, are the Forlorne Hope. 1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi 25 The Admirall lost some monies..and then playing on ticket, lost twenty thousand crownes. 1722 D. Defoe 320 I sat down and see the Box and Dice go round a pace; then I said to my Comrade, the Gentlemen play too high for us, come let us go. 1789 C. Smith I. i. 15 He has had the character of playing monstrous deep. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage III. vii. xii. 159 Playing for his last stake. a1832 J. Bentham (1834) II. ii. 125 Every gamester who plays upon equal terms, plays to a disadvantage. 1931 22 May 18/1 They played first for stakes of a sixpence..increasing..later to ten shillings. 1991 Jan. 98/1 Should anyone be playing for high stakes I would strongly advise them to stick to the strong no-trump, as the weak no-trump can sometimes lead to a disastrous penalty. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > betting > [noun] > type of bet 1679 T. Shadwell i. 7 We'll play or pay to morrow at ten.] 1738 J. Cheny 92 The Match was for 50 Guineas a side, play or pay. 1742 H. Fielding I. i. xv. 108 ‘If you have a mind for a Bett,’ cries the Coachman, ‘I will match my spotted Dog with your white Bitch for a hundred, play or pay .’ View more context for this quotation 1795 5 218/2 The latter [sc. the stake-holder], declaring the engagement for play or pay, gave the Two Hundred Pounds to Johnson, as the winner. 1821 9 55 A man gammons himself most truly, if he makes play or pay bets. 1877 H. Smart viii I got a letter to say that the regiment had been wild enough to back me, run or not—play or pay, as it is termed, which means that they will have to pay their money even if I don't run. 1970 J. Didion (1971) lxiii. 163 You've been around a long time, you know what it is, it's play-or-pay. 1992 18 Oct. i. 26/3 During the New Hampshire primary campaign early this year, Mr. Clinton was seen as a supporter of ‘play or pay’ proposals, under which employers must ‘play’, by providing health insurance, or pay a tax to enroll their workers in a public program. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > bowling > [interjection] > call to batsman by bowler 1752 Game at Cricket in Nov. 582/2 When both umpires call play three times, ’tis at the peril of giving the game from them that refuses to play. 1774 (Ridley) 16 When the Umpires shall call Play,..the Party refusing to play shall lose the Match. 1830 M. R. Mitford IV. 25 The umpires called ‘Play!’ and the game began. 1836 C. Dickens (1837) vii. 69 ‘Play,’ suddenly cried the bowler. 1866 G. F. Pardon 8 The bowler is usually allowed a trial ball..; he then cries ‘Play!’ and bowls the ball to the batsman. 1927 G. A. Terrill iv. 60 The umpire had said, ‘Play’. Everything was very silent now. 1976 C. Brackenridge iii. 26 Be ready to sprint as soon as you hear the word ‘Play’. 2004 (Nexis) 20 Jan. 8 The knock-up finished, the umpire called ‘play’, and..the Belgian barely broke sweat in strolling into the second round. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > cricket ground > [verb (intransitive)] > effect of pitch on play 1866 June 355 The ground will afterwards play as differently as possible. 1881 9 July 2 The wicket did not seem to play particularly well. 1903 A. C. MacLaren in H. G. Hutchinson ix. 254 The wicket played well right up to the finish. 1963 13 June 5/5 There had been a heavy shower an hour before play restarted yesterday and the ground was playing dead. 1990 (Diocese of Oxf. Reporter) Oct. 4 (advt.) Bergo is a unique maintenance free [tennis] court system which plays with moderate pace and is soft and comfortable wet and dry. 2002 (Nexis) 30 Dec. 27 The pitch was playing beautifully, but the bowlers stuck to their task. society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > co-operate [verb (intransitive)] 1937 M. Allingham viii. 59 ‘Mr. Whippet,’ she began breathlessly, ‘he's gone! The body's gone! What shall we do?’..I was glad to see she wasn't playing, either. ‘The body's gone,’ she repeated. 1947 ‘N. Blake’ x. 223 Charles comes here to fetch Alice. He tells her Nita won't play. They decide to put their plan into operation. 1961 E. Waugh iii. i. 218 The Air Force aren't playing until they know what's going on over there. 1967 ‘F. Clifford’ i. ii. 30 ‘I've had another word with the Minister.’ ‘Will he play?’ ‘He's promised to do everything he can.’ 1995 25 Sept. 33/2 There was the tug that had to tow us into Exmouth harbour when our engine refused to play. society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > fornication, adultery, or incest > commit fornication, adultery, or incest [verb (intransitive)] > commit adultery 1987 28 Jan. 9/4 In parts of London they [sc. British Telecom] are launching a new system of detailed telephone bill... A nightmare for those playing away from home. 1988 (Nexis) 4 Sept. Middle-aged men who keep a mistress are playing a deadly game... Heart specialists have found that 8 percent of deaths during sex happen to men ‘playing away from home’. 1989 in R. Graef xiii. 380 That is a major reason for playing away. I could say to the wife, ‘I've got to work tomorrow,’ and it can't be questioned. 1997 J. Owen 66 This isn't the first time he's played away from home then? 2001 M. Blake xxv. 287 Shirl knows I wasn't playing away—she's just making her point. society > leisure > [verb (intransitive)] > keep or take holiday a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1871) III. 281 (MED) Hit is homeliche oþerwhile to a wise man for to pleie..to refresche hym self and to make hym more strong to dedes of vertues. c1400 (a1376) W. Langland (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. Prol. 20 (MED) Summe putte hem to plouȝ, pleiȝede [v.rr. playȝid, plydyn] ful selde. a1439 J. Lydgate (Bodl. 263) i. 3668 (MED) Ech sholde regne a yeer, The tother, absent, go pleie & come no neer. 1552 R. Record (rev. ed.) i. ii. sig. Y.jv Wherfore..17 is the true numbre of dais, that the mason plaied..then it foloweth, that he wroughte 23 daies. 1569 R. Grafton II. 889 They neuer gaue their enemies one day to rest or play by the space of .xx. dayes. 1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe 132 b Surely where nothyng is blameworthy their Pardon may goe play. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iv. i. 11 Master Slender is let the Boyes leaue to play . View more context for this quotation 1800 24 May 4/2 The men will often play on a Monday. 1806 C. Hutton (ed. 5) I. 139 A workman was hired for 20 days, at 3s. per day, for every day he worked; but with this condition, that for every day he played, he should forfeit 1s. 1867 6th Rep. Children's Employment Comm. 83/2 in XVI. 67 They have often, to use a Norfolk phrase, ‘to play’, that is, to remain unemployed on wet days. 1892 16 Apr. 529/1 This Yorkshire idiom means to cease work from any cause whatever. A man ill with rheumatism told me that he had been ‘playing’ eight weeks. 1906 A. Bennett ii. 93 My son's pleeing (playing—not working) three days a wik,—and four childer! 1930 L. Cooper i. 33 Rube was playing this morning and that threw me, having him about the 'ouse. 1971 D. Lees viii. 119 ‘I've been playing this week with my lumbago and I've nowt else to do but look out o' t' window.’.. I remembered that ‘playing’ meant being off work. 16. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > gamble at a game [verb (transitive)] > stake something in game ?a1425 tr. Catherine of Siena (Harl.) (1966) 278 (MED) Aftir tyme þei han þus played wiþ her soul in cursid lyuyng and so put it to þe feendis hondis, þanne þei pleye þe temperal goodis..of holy chirche. 1483 W. Caxton tr. B iv b A player [at dice] demaunded of hym [sc. St Bernard] yf he wolde playe his hors ageynst his sowle. 1575 in (1885) App. v. 441 Neither shall he plaie his said maisters goodes at tables, dyce, tennies, or any other unlawfull games. 1589 ‘M. Marprelate’ A iij b Our brother Westchester had as liue playe twentie nobles in a night, at Priemeero on the cards. 1605 G. Chapman et al. iv. sig. G4v My Prentise..would play his 100. pound at Gresco, or Primero, as familiarly..as any bright peice of Crimson on 'hem all. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) ii. v. 183 Shall I play my freedome at tray-trip, and becom thy bondslaue? View more context for this quotation 1779 Duchess of Devonshire I. xix. 210 I could no longer avoid playing their stake. 1870 J. H. Burton V. liii. 235 It gave the ruler of Scotland a stake which he might play against the English Government. 1880 R. Browning 93 Your high-flown gamesters hardly take Umbrage at a factor's elbow if the factor plays his stake. 1921 20 Oct. 2/5 A gentleman played his stake and accepted with equanimity the issue. 1939 9 May 6/1 Stollmeyer was bowled before he had started to play his stake. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > betting > bet on [verb (transitive)] society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > games of chance > gamble at a game [verb (transitive)] 1858 De W. C. Peters 354 He'd bin playin' the papers (meaning gambling) and had lost everything. 1902 G. H. Lorimer 115 When he chooses a father-in-law who plays the bucket shops, he needn't be surprised if his own son plays the races. 1925 E. Wallace vi. 21 We never say ‘played the races’ here; we say ‘go racing’. 1934 1887/1 Play a hunch, to act in, or as in, gambling, upon a hunch. 1941 H. MacInnes xxii. 220 This was what Henry called playing a hunch; well, he was going to play it as hard as he could. 1958 R. P. Blesh & H. Janis iii. 61 With ten to twenty a night in tips, a piano-player had more than he could spend so long as he didn't gamble or play the ponies. 1973 ‘R. MacLeod’ iv. 73 He plays the stock market. 1991 J. Sayles xviii. 160 I'm boxing a six-dollar triangle. With that you can play your hunches, but everything isn't riding on one dog. 1995 Feb. 6/3 ELG told us that around 1,000 people a day are signing up to play foreign lotteries through them. 17. figurative. With complement. a. intransitive. With adverb or adjective as complement: to act, behave, conduct oneself in a specified way. Also transitive: to treat (a person) in a specified way. society > morality > virtue > honourableness > act honourably [verb (intransitive)] a1450 (1885) 268 (MED) Playes faire in feere. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. i. 142 Heauen shield my Mother plaid my Father faire. View more context for this quotation 1637 S. Rutherford (1863) I. 207 I find it to be hard wrestling to play fair with Christ and to keep good quarters with Him. ?1684 A. Behn sig. H8 The sly Gamester, who ne'er plays me fair. 1763 C. Johnstone (new ed.) I. 153 They will imagine that you do not play fair. 1775 ‘Connoisseur’ xiii. 201 All the rest depends upon chance, that is, if the game is played fair. a1865 E. C. Gaskell (1866) I. vi. 70 He'll get a..fellowship if they play him fair. 1881 20 July Boys who did not play fair..would keep reaching over the line in order to get nearer the marbles. 1914 J. Joyce 162 He's fond of his glass of grog and he's a bit of a rake, perhaps, and he's a good sportsman. Damn it, can't we Irish play fair? 1995 C. Bateman xxiii. 197 I've paid you twenty quid and I think you should play fair by me. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > cheat, swindle [phrase] society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > undutifulness > unfaithfulness > be unfaithful [verb (intransitive)] the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > deceive [phrase] 1576 G. Pettie 186 Pasiphae indeede played false with one Taurus. 1578 J. Lyly f. 34 Venus played false. 1680 T. Otway iv. 42 I fear the Priest has plaid us false. 1702 R. Steele i. 10 This Wench I know has play'd me False, And Horn'd me in my Gallants. 1775 R. B. Sheridan ii. ii You play false with us, madam. 1825 A. W. Fonblanque in 4 402 Sheridan played false to his political friends on this occasion. 1893 8th Ser. 4 534/1 If my memory does not play me false, I have also seen the paper in the Gent. Mag. 1960 J. Barth ii. xxii. 357 'Twas the one time Slye and Scurry played me false. 1993 M. Mack i. 9 At this point, Miranda playfully complains that Ferdinand plays her false. society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > undutifulness > treachery > be a traitor to [verb (transitive)] 1584 W. Warner sig. O4 The Foxe most of all mistrusteth the Foxe, neither is the deceiuer fearelesse of deceit,..wherefore (sillie soules) plaie they, faire or play they foule seeing themselues alike suspected, they hould it but good reason to requite such open sorrowe, by the aduauntange of some priuie sollace. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. i. 3 Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Glamis, all As the weyard Women promis'd, and I feare Thou playd'st most fowly for't. View more context for this quotation 1640 ‘Ben-Arod Gad’ 41 Feare makes you foolish; and a confidence that your Wife is false, leaves you distrustfull... Can she not be absent, but she playes foule? 1706 tr. J. B. Morvan de Bellegarde 269 You are fond of Gaming, and you Play foul. 1799 Ld. Nelson 17 Oct. in (1845) IV. 60 Our Allies have..played us foul. 1843 18 Mar. A Mr. Conatty has been convicted at Toars of playing foul at cards. 1995 K. D. Fishman 362 It seemed far less stigmatizing to be told that nature has played us foul, that at times our bodies betray us. 2021 @TheKid_TS2 27 Feb. in twitter.com (accessed 4 Mar. 2021) He knew he was playing foul too bc he walked in with a smirk on his face. the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > caution > be cautious or take care [verb (intransitive)] 1555 H. Latimer (1845) II. 441 They think that other, hearing of such men's going to mass, do see or inquire of their behaviour there; and thus they play wilily, beguiling themselves.] 1601 B. Jonson iv. iii. sig. H2v If shee haue playde loose with me, Ile cut her throate. View more context for this quotation 1899 B. Harte in Nov. 358/2 I've always said that a man inside a newspaper office could hold his own agin any outsider that wanted to play rough or tried to raid the office! 1919 R. Lardner iv. 105 Its best to play safe..and see what comes off. 1941 W. S. Churchill in 31 Dec. 4/6 What is good enough for anybody is good enough for us... If anybody likes to play rough, we can play rough too. 1955 G. Greene ii. ii. 113 Pyle said ‘You'd play straight with me, Thomas, wouldn't you?’ 1976 11 Nov. 16/4 Mrs. Phillis Babey thought she was playing safe when she telephoned a hospital before leaving home to make sure there was a bed waiting for her. 1991 May 48/3 We weren't headed in the right direction. We were playing scared. 2002 Mar. 92/4 Just looking good 'n' playing cool. 1657 R. Baxter §7. 4 It is apparent that these enemies of the Ministers, are playing the Papists game. 1742 VI. 94 Our going on in the same Measures we have done for some time past, will be playing the Pretender's Game for him. 1789 Hist. Europe 119/2 It would be his interest to play the game of the dissenters against the established church. 1808 Sir J. Moore Let. to Marq. Romana 23 Dec. in J. Moore (1809) 164 It is playing the Enemy's game to draw him to attack our armies in rotation. 1849 G. Grote VI. ii. l. 380 A selfish oligarchical party, playing the game of a foreign enemy. 1893 11 May 4/8 The English Radicals did not see why they should play the Unionist game by voting for Mr. Russell's amendment. 1917 21 Apr. 568/1 We must wait patiently..to get home effectively with little risk to ourselves. To do otherwise would be to play the enemy's game. 1955 D. Eden (1959) 84 So indirectly she was playing this unknown blackmailer's despicable game to enable Prissie to obtain possession of the things she coveted. 2001 L. Despres (2002) 51 ‘Why didn't you get the rest of us to beat the shit out of him on the next play?’ Plurb asked... ‘That would be playing his game,’ said Parker. ‘I didn't want to do that.’ the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial to [verb (transitive)] > act so as to give advantage to 1663 J. Birkenhead 20 'Tis pleasant to observe how finely they play into each others hands; Marshall procures Thanks to be given to Sedgwick (for his great pains) Sedgwick obtains as much for Marshall, and so they all pimp for one another. 1690 H. Compton 18 It would be to play the Game into our Enemies Hands; who would not fail to make use of that Advantage to lead or drive away our Flocks. 1705 tr. W. Bosman iii. 32 If the Enemies themselves had not seasonably plaid an Opportunity into our Hands. 1720 W. Stukeley in W. C. Lukis (1882) I. 112 A league between a few doctors, poticarys, and surgeons, who play into one another's hands. 1753 J. Hanway II. xxvi. 160 Whatever we play into their hands, is a losing game to this country. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage III. vii. xv. 203 I suspect the clerk of the kitchen and my steward of playing into one another's hands. 1857 17 Jan. 33 Observe that the law which wholly ignores the existence of these primary meetings most ingeniously plays into their hands by a system of popular elections, so extensive and so frequent as to secure for them perpetual vitality. 1879 J. A. Froude iii. 29 The powers which he had played into the hands of the mob to obtain. 1916 E. R. Burroughs xvi. 255 It seemed that fate would play into their hands, for with the reports of the guns Jane Clayton's attention had been distracted from her unwilling assistants. 1993 T. Parker (1994) xiv. 240 The Government plays right into their hands because it can't think or won't think of any response to terrorists or terror. the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > ignobleness or baseness > become base or ignoble [verb (intransitive)] > behave basely or ignobly society > morality > moral evil > evil nature or character > lack of magnanimity or noble-mindedness > behave meanly [verb (intransitive)] the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)] > outwit, get the better of the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > trickery, playing jokes > trick, hoax [verb (transitive)] the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > exploit or take advantage of > specifically a person the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)] 1864 W. Fisk 213 I am half inclined to believe..that some of them ‘play it’ in just that way. 1868 B. Harte Luck of Roaring Camp in Aug. 187/1 It's playing it pretty low down on this yer baby to ring in fun on him that he ain't going to understand. 1871 B. Harte iii Yet he played it that day upon William And me in a way I despise. 1882 B. Harte 31 It's playing it rather low down on the old man. 1894 24 288/1 This played it on our pursuers very neatly. 1901 J. Conrad & F. M. Hueffer i. 7 ‘Oh, come’, I expostulated, ‘this is playing it rather low down. You walk a convalescent out of breath and then propound riddles to him.’ 1904 ‘M. Corelli’ xxi I always do my best not to play down on a woman. a1921 G. H. Gibson in (1964) 207 It's playin' it low on William, but perhaps he'll buckle-to. the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > caution > be cautious or take care [verb (intransitive)] the mind > emotion > calmness > self-possession or self-control > maintain self-control [verb (intransitive)] 1873 24 July 3/1 The horses attached to [the] hack which runs between this place and Wellington, one day last week concluded to ‘play it alone’. 1917 F. P. Adams 85 (heading) Playing it safe. 1921 P. Casey & T. Casey 109 Can't a bloke woik an' play it straight? 1951 17 July 15 The Republicans are playing it safe. 1955 W. C. Gault vi. 77 Most gamblers I've met would play it cooler than that. 1963 ‘J. Prescot’ x. 163 Let's wait until he's gone too far to draw back, and then we can produce our evidence and shoot him down in flames. That's how I'd like to play it. 1973 ‘D. Jordan’ i. 11 I let him play it his way. He was my boss. 1996 10 June 87/1 Look for hidden agendas at work, and play it safe when pitching ideas or making important decisions. 2004 (Nexis) 1 Oct. c4 I played it cool. I moseyed into the kitchen. 1879 10 Mar. 2/4 The South is not playing favourites this season so far as the Presidential candidates are concerned. 1895 22 Oct. 4/1 The council itself..has played favorites in the matter of bond sales. 1938 17 Jan. 4/3 (caption) Pain and sorrow...—Are seldom found playing favorites. 1973 7 July 7/2 The foreman plays favorites and only likes Blacks that act the way they want Blacks to act. 1994 Nov. 36/2 I hate to play favorites, but several of the tattooists really caught my attention. 1925 1 Apr. 7/3 Mr. Heagerty rather played to his opponent's strength. He failed to get him on the run often enough. 1967 133 362 It is entirely right that authors should..play to their strengths. 1970 L. Cuban v. 187 The three phases of this teaching strategy in the hands of an individual who has gained the respect of the youngsters will play to their strengths. 1995 12 June b2/3 The matching grant will free him from fund-raising duties, allowing him to play to his strength: solving housing problems. 2003 8 May 13 Maddin—who, by his own admission, knows diddly-squat about ballet—wisely chose to play to his own eclectic strengths. 1932 W. Faulkner xx. 461 They did their part; they played by the rules. 1966 6 Dec. 1/5 The House of Commons..has no choice but to play by the rules. 1997 I. Sinclair (1998) 340 Cook's brother Julian..brought him back to life in a parallel version: what Robin might have been if he'd gone straight, played by the rules. 18. society > leisure > sport > [verb (transitive)] > against a person ?1536 (c1443) Batayll of Egyngecourte 281 in W. C. Hazlitt (1864) II. 104 We will play them euerychone, These lordes of Englande, at the tenys. 1773 J. Burnby 17 His Grace [the Duke of Dorset]..Bravely another Challenge sent, to Play them [sc. Surrey] still the matchless game. 1838 S. Warren III. iii. 232 ‘I'll play you for a hundred pounds, Doctor!’ said Sir Henry; ‘and give you a dozen!’ 1899 8 Apr. 21/1 Charles Dawson, who has just been playing John Roberts for the championship [in billiards]. 1931 28 Apr. 11/4 The ball was centred, and the eleven men, playing a phantom team, swept down the pitch to the unguarded goal. 1969 14 June 45/2 If he were more consistent, he might be easier to play. 2004 (Nexis) 16 Oct. 19 Anti-racism messages..will be screened at Pride Park during the pre-match build-up when Derby play Watford today. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > play cricket [verb (transitive)] > employ person to play or include in team 1751 4 June The Earl of Sandwich plays..eleven gentlemen of Eton College against any other eleven Gentlemen in England which the Earl of MaGch shall chuse. 1846 W. Denison 65 He has..long been played alone for his batting. 1894 22 June 8/2 Surrey played the eleven which has done so well for them in their other matches. 1949 Sept. 92/2 Manager Eddie Dyer was trying to make up his mind whether to play Stan Musial in center field, left, or return him to first base. 1973 E. Dunphy (1976) iii. 98 Dougy, always done well for us, always does a good job. And he dropped him... He dropped Dougy and played this kid. 1991 5 Jan. 48/5 He played Devon Malcolm, who has at last found a rhythm even if it is not as devastating as that which he found in the West Indies. 1870 20 Oct. 7/4 Higham played second base and Swandell played right field. 1891 19 Dec. 3/1 Forrest played right-back in the place Brandon used to occupy last season. 1896 R. G. Knowles & M. Morton 77 Harry Athol..played left field for the Thespians in all their games. 1915 5 Oct. 6/4 He played half-back at Rugby football for Cambridge against Oxford in 1907. 1977 20 Mar. d9/1 The coach does a Frankenstein, creating Bionic Billy Joe to play quarterback. 1993 24 Oct. v. 3/2 Playing middle linebacker here is just like playing quarterback, especially with our defense. 19. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > board game > chess > [verb (transitive)] > move 1562 tr. Damiano da Odemira sig. Bivv Thou shalt playe thy Queenes Paune as farre as he may go. 1614 A. Saul i. sig. A7 Imagine that the blacke King for his first draught playeth his owne Pawne into the third house in his owne file. c1657 Let. in (1704) III. xv. 497 I have often observ'd, that a desparate game at Chess has been recover'd after the loss of the Nobility, only by playing the pawns well. 1735 J. Bertin p. v Never play your Queen, till your game is tolerably well opened. 1816 (1817) 11 Upon playing that pawn or piece you discover a check upon your adversary's king. ?1870 F. Hardy & J. R. Ware 48 To open the game well, some of the Pawns should be played out first. 1969 ‘A. Glyn’ i. 9 She..played Bishop to Knight 2. 1991 5 Nov. c18/5 Kasparov obtained the option of playing his rooks to either the b or e open files. b. the world > action or operation > advantage > be advantageous or beneficial [verb (intransitive)] > make most of resources society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] > play one's cards well the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > be disadvantageous [verb (intransitive)] > injure a person's interests > one's own 1638 L. Roberts cvii. sig. V The Portugals..have since so well played their cards..that within 30 yeares they have found themselves to be Masters and commanders. 1661 iii. 324 I began quickly to play my Cards to the best advantage. 1729 J. Morgan II. 490 This Ali Rais so well played his cards at the Porte, that Sultan Suliman readily sent his Grand Admiral. 1753 S. Foote i. 11 If Lucinda plays her Cards well, we have not much to fear from that Quarter. 1801 M. Edgeworth I. i. 24 A man of gallantry..who was known to play his cards well, and to have good luck, whenever hearts were trumps. 1848 E. C. Gaskell I. xi. 198 Thou'st played thy cards badly... At one time he were desperate fond o' thee. 1868 L. M. Alcott I. ix. 130 Mrs. M. has laid her plans, I dare say, and will play her cards well, early as it is. 1930 W. S. Maugham vii. 85 If you play your cards right you ought to marry well. 1997 May 77/1 If you play your cards right and promise to restack the piles better than you found them, generally you find just the stuff you need. 2012 (Nexis) 8 May If you play your cards right, you will transform your company into a stronger, more efficient entity. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > play a card [verb (transitive)] 1641 W. Habington 124 He could play his cards in peace: where the cunning gamester is secure at a long sitting to be the winner. 1680 C. Cotton (ed. 2) 82 That he [sc. your Partner] may either Trump them, or play the best of that suit on the Board. You ought to have a special eye to what Cards are play'd out. 1754 R. Seymour (ed. 8) 162 If A had thrown away his small Card to his Ace-suit, and that Suit had been led by his Right-hand Adversary, he must have played his Ace. 1778 T. Jones 21 You could receive no Damage by playing the King the third Round. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage III. vii. ii. 35 After this, if you do not play your cards, it is your own fault. 1879 ‘Cavendish’ 163 He played a false card. 1891 T. Hardy I. vii. 97 She ought to make her way with 'en, if she plays her trump card aright. 1949 J. S. Cowie viii. 162 The Germans, meanwhile, had played their last card, the ‘Oyster’ or pressure mine. 1969 D. Hayden (1970) i. i. 12 Do you finesse, or do you play the ace hoping the king will drop? 2005 (Nexis) 12 Feb. b. 18 Whether it is a big hand or a small hand is not the important factor. It's how we play the hand that counts. 1964 N. Squire ii. 23 The hand may play better in either Spades or no-trumps. 1977 Feb. 17 Work out how the above hand would play opposite this typical Three Diamond opening. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > [verb (transitive)] > strike ball 1756 26 489/1 From the Parthian steed, Not more unerring flew the barbed reed Than rolls the ball, with vary'd vigour play'd. 1796 F. Burney III. 157 Bambino & I have played our Ball up to the Top of the Bed, & nobody can reach it. 1816 W. Lambert 33 The Striker should move his right-foot back at the moment of hitting, playing the Ball between his left-leg and the wicket. 1838 F. T. Finch in 15 July Cricket shan't be lost while we've the hands to play a ball. 1891 W. G. Grace viii. 233 If you can keep up your wicket and play the ball hard away from you, runs will come. 1937 F. C. Allen ii. xiii. 182 Any jumper must keep his eyes fixed on the ball until it is tapped. He must always play the ball and not the other jumper. 1981 P. Quinn ii. 25 If the white is at point A it must be played into the black almost full ball. 1992 27 Apr. a21/4 Young people would be taught hockey..taught to play the puck rather than trying to knock down every opponent in sight. 1816 W. Lambert 27 [This] will direct him to play forward at the..bowling. 1833 J. Nyren 30 If he always played above such a ball, it was useless his playing at it at all. 1851 W. Clarke Pract. Hints Cricket in W. Bolland 135 It is the ball that catches him in two minds, so that he does not know whether to play forward or backward. 1891 W. G. Grace viii. 231 Playing a little too soon at the ball, which got up and hung, I met it on the shoulder of the bat, and an easy catch..followed. 1899 W. G. Grace x. 288 If a boy has once learned to play forward confidently he will soon adapt himself to playing backwards at balls that demand it. 1938 6 Sept. 23/6 When the wicket is soft this is essential when playing forward. 1963 A. Ross iii. 76 He played at nothing he didn't have to, leaving Davidson to flash the odd half-volley through the covers. 1992 (BNC) 29 Atherton might have been saved had he played forward, and yet his judgement against his previous 185 balls was almost unceasingly correct. 2000 23 July (Sports section) 7/6 At the second tee he chose a four iron, to avoid the risk of playing into the fairways bunkers. 2003 (Nexis) 16 Aug. 11 He played and missed, looked uncharacteristically indecisive, and it was no surprise when he edged Andrew Hall to Pollock at first slip for a 20-ball duck. society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > billiards, pool, or snooker > [verb (intransitive)] > actions or types of play 1857 M. Phelan (ed. 2) iv. 65 Playing for safety.—When you forego a possible advantage, in order to leave the balls in such a position that your opponent can make nothing out of them. 1873 J. Bennett & ‘Cavendish’ 386 It is, of course, a matter of judgment, when to play for a score, and when to play for safety. 1884 W. Cook 12 When a player, instead of playing to score, plays to leave some position in which his opponent will be unable to score in his next stroke, he is said to play for safety. 1930 11 July 56/3 Consequently in ‘playing for safety’ in getting the casting through the machine shop the foundryman has tended towards using softer materials which give open and sometimes porous structures in the heavier sections. 1991 (Nexis) 10 Feb. 27 The slow-drip treatment continued when Hendry, after a break of 48, played safe leaving White only a fiendishly difficult long red. 20. figurative. the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > oppose [verb (transitive)] > set in opposition > to one's own advantage 1583 A. Golding tr. J. Calvin clxxxiii. 1138 They played the madde men one against another for their vittelles. 1643 (1690) 9 They could play one Party of Protestants against another. 1700 J. Welwood 147 If he had any one fix'd Maxim of Government, it was to play one Party against another, to be thereby the more Master of both. 1732 G. Berkeley II. vi. xxiv. 86 An ingenious Free-thinker may..play one absurdity against another. 1791 tr. J.-J. Rousseau iv. v. 339 They might find some means of playing one against another. 1835 E. Bulwer-Lytton III. x. iv. 277 The folly is mine, to have played against the crafty Tribune so unequal a brain as thine. 1887 G. W. Walling 454 He must in gamblers' parlance, ‘play both ends against the middle’. 1926 Mar. 289/2 Dr. Coolidge is respected..for his skill at evading decisions, at juggling jobs to his own political profit, at beclouding issues with high-sounding words, at playing both sides against the middle. 1950 O. Nash (1951) 46 The wise child handles father and mother By playing one against the other. 1974 J. Stubbs xiv. 192 Natalie..played one against the other for a few days, and reconciled them the following weekend. 1986 D. Potter i. 36 He was playing both ends against the middle. And the middle was one hell of a mess. society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > manage or administer > unfairly or for one's own advantage the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > exploit or take advantage of 1656 A. Cowley Destinie in ii Some Wisemen, and some Fools we call, Figures, alas, of Speech, for Destiny plays us all. 1879 ‘M. Twain’ 12 Nov. (1917) I. 369 You could have played him on a stranger for an effigy. 1901 J. Conrad & F. M. Hueffer vi. 95 It seemed to me that she was playing me with all this nonsense—as if she..were fooling me to the top of her bent. 1938 8 Jan. 39/2 The ‘steamer’ (the victim) after being ‘steered’ (picked up) by one performer and ‘played’ (told the tale) by another, [etc.]. 1959 T. S. Eliot i. 27 Stay out of politics, and play both parties: What you don't get from one you may get from the other. 1991 8 Sept. 6/6 How do you handle the whites? Do you play them, mistrust them, punish them, ignore them? Why is it that even on holiday in your native Jamaica you still feel alien, rootless, disowned? the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > duping, making a fool of > befool, dupe [phrase] 1869 ‘M. Twain’ xxvii. 294 Here, now, what do you mean by such conduct as this! Playing us for Chinamen because we are strangers and trying to learn! 1879 23 July 5/2 He objects to being played for a sucker. 1892 R. Kipling (1893) 168 We've played 'em for suckers so often that when it comes to the golden truth—I'd like to try this on a London paper. 1898 8 Oct. I'm grinnin' at the handsome captain that got played for a fool by his wife. 1932 G. Lorimer & S. Lorimer 130 Life is like that... Just about the time you think you got it all doped out, it turns around and plays you for a fish. 1967 18 Mar. 50 Wise up. They're playing you for a bunch of saps! 1973 ‘D. Jordan’ xxxiv. 166 She's a fraud... She's working for the Russians... She's played me for a sucker. 1992 13 Apr. 16/1 The Americans increasingly feel they have been played for fools. 1872 16 Oct. 6/5 Hatfield..played his position for all it was worth. 1889 ‘M. Twain’ ii. 36 One thing at a time..and just play that thing for all it is worth. 1959 2 Jan. 7/2 He's a smart fellow, playing every angle to get well as fast as he can. 1978 T. O'Brien xxvi. 172 Can't drop everything for some painted-up wench who's playing every angle in sight. 1995 I. Rankin (1996) xxxvi. 316 He was a wizard at playing the system, running rings around it. III. Senses relating to the performance of instrumental music. 21. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (intransitive)] eOE (Mercian) (1965) lxvii. 24 (26) In medio iuuenum tympanistriarum : in midle iungra plægiendra timpanan [lOE Canterbury Psalter plegiendra mid timpanan]. a1250 in C. Brown (1932) 3 (MED) Murie dreameð engles biuoren þin onsene, Pleieð & sweieð & singeð bitweonen. c1300 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Otho) 10136 His harpe he wende..and gan þare to pleoye [c1275 Calig. gleowien] and moche game makie. c1390 G. Chaucer 3306 He kiste hir swete and taketh his sautrye And pleyeth faste and maketh melodye. ?a1425 (Egerton) (1889) 115 Mynstrallez playand on diuerse instrumentes of music. c1450 (c1380) G. Chaucer 1201 Ther herde I pleyen on an harpe..Orpheus ful craftely. c1484 (a1475) J. de Caritate tr. (Takamiya) (1977) 135 (MED) It is conuenient to an emperouris mageste to haue..honest personys þat can harp and lwte and pley at orgynnis qwan þat he fyindyth hym-self tedius. 1553 T. Wilson ii. f. 72 He can speake the tongues wel, he plaies of instrumentes few men better. 1578 in W. H. Stevenson (1899) IV. 177 Man that pled on the drum. 1621 R. Brathwait Ded. sig. A2 The meanest Menalchas that is able to play vpon an oaten pipe. 1649 R. Baxter (new ed.) ii. vii. §3 Sauls Melancholy Devil would be gone, when David played on the Harp. 1673 J. Ray 395 All of them cannot paint or play on music. 1743 R. Pococke I. 82 Three Mahometans sung Arab songs, beating time with their hands, and playing on a tambour. 1792 H. H. Brackenridge I. 150 It is a happiness to a man to be able to amuse himself with writing. For it is not every one that can play upon the violin, or the flute; and the fingers must be employed some way. 1816 J. Austen II. vi. 106 ‘Did you ever hear the young lady..play?’... ‘She plays charmingly.’ 1894 H. Caine iv. xiv There came the sound of a band playing at a distance. a1953 E. O'Neill (1956) iii. 89 I couldn't play with such crippled fingers, even if I wanted to. 1992 1 Aug. 25/4 The group did play with impressive discipline, virtuosity, commitment and showbiz flair. society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > sound of instruments > sound [verb (intransitive)] society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > perform music [verb (intransitive)] > be performed a1522 G. Douglas tr. Virgil (1960) xiii. ix. 180 The harpys and the githornys plays attanys. 1568 A. Scott (1896) ii. 46 Trumpettis and schalmis with a schowt Playid or the rink began. 1598 W. Shakespeare v. ii. 216 The musique playes, vouchsafe some motion to it. View more context for this quotation 1660 A. Wood (1891) I. 347 The canons and students of Ch. Ch...began to weare surplices and the organ playd. 1682 N. Grew iii. ii. vii. 138 Every Vessel became, as it were a little Wind-Pipe... A great many of these Pipes playing together, might make a kind of big or groaning noyse. 1706 A. Bedford iv. 73 In our Anthems there are frequent Intermissions of all the Voices, when the Organ Plays alone, that which we call a Retornella. 1786 iii. 21 She was roused..by the sound of a soft flute playing under her window. 1805 E. Cavanagh Let. 4 Oct. in M. Wilmot & C. Wilmot (1934) ii. 187 All sorts of Music playing as fine as five Pence! 1860 C. Dickens Uncommerc. Traveller in 10 Mar. 464/1 Hear this instrument that was going to play. 1927 L. Hart Howdy to Broadway in (1986) 87/3 Our tootsies are straying Where music is playing. We're going cabareting! 1995 28 Oct. 51/5 The Spanish guitar plays delicately on the scorched savannah somewhere in the distance. society > communication > record > recording or reproducing sound or visual material > sound recording and reproduction > [verb (intransitive)] > play (of record, tape, gramophone, or radio) 1903 Aug. 66/1 Most phonos finish the records almost as soon as one begins to enjoy them, but yours plays quite a long time. 1930 W. Faulkner 251 We heard the graphophone playing in the house. 1966 B. Dylan Visions of Johanna (song) in (1993) 333 In this room the heat pipes just cough The country music station plays soft. 1982 A. Brookner (1985) vi. 72 A radio was playing very softly. 1999 May 37/1 Stop your video playing when you answer the phone. 2002 13 May 4/3 [He] begins to speed around in his silver Audi TT sportster with U2's latest CD playing. 22. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (transitive)] > play (music) on instrument c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) 3907 Ȝhe hadde lerned of minstralcie Vpon a fiþele for to play Staumpes, notes, garibles gay. c1390 G. Chaucer 3333 In twenty manere koude he trippe and daunce..And pleyen songes on a smal rubible. 1509 S. Hawes (1845) xvi. 70 Where that Musyke, wyth all her minstralsy, Dyvers base daunces moost swetely dyd playe. 1609 W. Shakespeare cxxviii. sig. H3v When thou my musike musike playst, Vpon that blessed wood. View more context for this quotation 1676 J. Dryden ii. 15 (stage direct.) Betwixt the Acts, a Warlike Tune is plaid. 1721 J. Kelly 20 Another would play a Spring, e're you tune your Pipes. ?1790 17 I sat down and..played the tune on my flagellet. 1882 M. E. Braddon II. x. 218 Christabel played a Capriccio by Mendelssohn. 1891 150 862/2 The band played a republican air. 1915 V. Woolf iv. 61 Now she faltered and had to play the same bar twice over. 1942 E. Langley vi. 74 Blue took out the violin, and in the dark played Dvorák. 2000 S. McKay 208 A man played a medley of religious tunes on the organ. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (transitive)] > express by playing 1603 R. Knolles 830 Certaine Turkish minstrels..plaied them vp many an homely fit of mirth. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Pastorals v, in tr. Virgil 24 This tuneful Pipe; the same That play'd my Coridon's unhappy Flame. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (transitive)] > lead, dismiss, etc. the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > going or coming out > letting or sending out > let or send out [verb (transitive)] > play out (on an instrument) 1634 T. Heywood & R. Brome iii. i. sig. E4 The service enters, O well sayd Musicke, play up the meat to the Table. 1671 R. Head & F. Kirkman III. xi. sig. L5v Mine Host..causing them [sc. the ‘fidlers’] to cease their playing..said..if you have played away my Guests you shall pay their Reckoning. 1823 (1825) 354 Handel being once in a country church, asked the organist to permit him to play the people out. 1844 W. H. Maxwell II. xvii. 241 The Frasers..were played off the ground by their pipers. 1883 in 22 Mar. 3/3 The Hampshire Artillery Band will play all the Artillery past the saluting point. 1884 J. Hatton I. iii. 94 It is customary in American theatres for the orchestra to play the audience out as well as in. 1896 R. Kipling 78 So I keep 'em moving forward till they drop; So I play 'em up to water and to bed. 1899 W. Besant ii. iii. 138 The small band..played the company into the supper-room. 1902 R. Machray xiii. 196 When you go upstairs, you find more members up here playing the wee sma' 'oors away. 1988 R. Doyle (1991) 49 Brother James, would you play the girls in please? 1992 18 Apr. 3/2 The procession then moved on the Town Hall to be played in by a pianist performing the ‘Uist Tramping Song’. 24. society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (transitive)] c1550 (1979) vi. 51 Ilk ane..hed ane syndry instrament to play to the laif. 1621 R. Brathwait sig. Mv If pipes proceeded from restraint of ill, Play pipe, mount May-poule, we'le be frolick still.] 1728 E. Chambers at Flute An Instrument of Musick..playd, by blowing in it with the Mouth. 1774 (Royal Soc.) 63 271 (note) Mr. Zeidler, who plays the violincello at Covent-Garden theatre. 1857 21 Feb. 115 The man who played the bones shrieked as he rattled; the piano flung off the infirmities of age, and leaped into instrumental youth. 1885 (Weekly ed.) 14 Aug. 6/1 We have..to play the same fiddle as they played, but we..are not going to play the same tune. 1925 F. S. Fitzgerald v. 114 ‘Klipspringer plays the piano,’ said Gatsby, cutting him off. ‘Don't you, Ewing, old sport?’ 1956 S. Selvon (1995) 27 He always have this guitar with him, playing it in the road and in the tube. 1959 ‘E. McBain’ xii. 162 My kid sister plays piano. 2000 20 Mar. 12/1 Part of Jamie's appeal is that he's such a normal lad. He plays drums in a band. the mind > emotion > humility > modesty > be modest [verb (intransitive)] 1785 E. Sheridan Let. in (1986) ii. 72 Mrs Dexter..says the Goths in her neighbourhood had the impudence to think of your playing second to that Automaton Mrs Kennan. 1884 9 May 5/5 The Union will..have to play second to the Central Committee. 1992 7 July a12/3 I don't know how he would feel about playing second to this man. society > communication > record > recording or reproducing sound or visual material > sound recording and reproduction > make recording [verb (transitive)] > play record or tape 1903 Oct. 103/2 Each machine should play three records. 1925 V. Woolf 214 She had come into the room the other evening and found Mrs. Peters, who thought they were out, playing the gramophone. 1956 R. E. B. Hickman v. 124 A tape which has been in storage for some length of time should be re-spooled a short while before it is due to be played. 1990 28 Mar. 29/3 When there's nothing good on the telly, the video shop is closed and you're bored with playing all your records, what do you do? 1999 J. Raban vii. 387 They..sat in the cabs of stationary pickups, playing the radio with the windows down. 2004 (Nexis) 11 Sept. 5 An Austins Ferry man yesterday promised a magistrate he would never again play DVDs in his car while driving. the world > food and drink > farming > animal husbandry > sheep-farming > sheep-shearing > shear sheep [verb (intransitive)] > manner or technique 1933 L. G. D. Acland in 18 Nov. 15/7 Play the piano, to run the fingers over the sheeps' backs in order to find the softest and easiest to shear. 1966 S. J. Baker (ed. 2) iii. 55 An old hand at shearing can spot such a defect in a moment by what is known as playing the piano. IV. Senses relating to acting and dramatic performance. 25. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > a drama OE (Julius) 25 Aug. 188 Se wæs ærest sumes kaseres mima, þæt is leasere, ond sang beforan him scandlicu leoþ ond plegode scandlice plegan. a1393 J. Gower (Fairf.) iv. 903 (MED) Whan the grete Stiede Is stole, thanne he [sc. Negligence]..makth the stable dore fast; Thus evere he pleith an aftercast Of al that he schal seie or do. a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng (Harl.) 4642 (MED) He may yn þe cherche..Pley þe resurreccyun..And he may pleye, withoutyn plyght, howe God was bore yn ȝole nyght. a1425 J. Wyclif (1871) II. 15 Alle þer garmentis..ben atier taken of þe fend, to playe þer pagyn among men. 1468 J. Paston in (2004) I. 539 Many pagentys wer pleyid in hyr wey. 1528 W. Tyndale f. clviijv Marke what pageauntes have been played and what are yet a playenge to seperate vs from the Emperoure. 1542–3 c. 1 If ani..person..play in enterludes, sing or rime, any matter contrarie to the saide doctrine. 1589 G. Puttenham i. xvii. 29 The old comedies were plaid in the broad streets vpon wagons or carts vncouered. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) Induct. ii. 126 Mes. Your Honors Players..Are come to play a pleasant Comedie... Lady. It is a kinde of history. View more context for this quotation a1628 R. Daborne (1655) i. sig. C3 As for me, I have an other part, to play a Tragedie. 1761 tr. J. R. d'Arnay iii. 212 He never had a comedy played at supper. 1896 Feb. 234 He was alone in the world, with his life half played. 1922 (Photoplay Research Soc.) 5 Some sob-sisters have gratified their ambition to play comedy, and have played it well. 1947 J. Van Druten i. i. 34 Olive plays this scene with all the conviction possible. 1965 Summer 44/4 The result is the story of the sexual hallucinations of a young girl..played for flat-out kink. 1991 Feb. 11/3 By the end of the run I was playing it totally differently. 2002 (Nexis) 15 Nov. e13 When cheating is worked into the storyline on a sitcom.., it's often played for comic effect. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > [verb (intransitive)] > be performed society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > cinematography > film show > be shown [verb (intransitive)] 1604 W. Shakespeare iii. ii. 86 The whilst this play is playing. View more context for this quotation 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage I. ii. vii. 290 The doctor..had not the least suspicion of the farce that was playing. 1869 9 Jan. 10/2 Mr. Burnand's new Burlesque, now playing at the Haymarket, is called The Frightful Hair. 1919 J. Reed viii. 195 Even the moving-picture shows..played to crowded houses. 1929 8 Nov. 388/2 Typhoon plays for about an hour. 1947 M. Lowry i. 30 The cinema was dark, as though no picture were playing tonight. 2004 (Nexis) 11 July ii. 5 A startling docudrama..that is currently playing in the West End in London. 1912 W. B. Yeats (ed. 7) 47 I have made many revisions and now it plays well enough to give me pleasure. 1956 2 Apr. (back cover) (advt.) Sometimes we have to shoot one scene over and over till it plays just right. 1984 10 Nov. 25/2 The fighting Fritz theme, which the Democrats consciously developed..could have been expected to play very well in America. 1995 17 Apr. 31/2 Armey and Senator Bob Packwood..journeyed just outside Washington.., seeking to learn how the flat tax might play among voters. 2003 (Midwest ed.) 13 June ii. 5/4 In its current 108-minute form, ‘Decade’ feels a tad truncated and yet, so general it plays like a talkumentary of floating heads. 26. society > communication > indication > gesturing or gesture > make gestures [verb (intransitive)] c1330 (?a1300) (Auch.) (1973) 6578 (MED) Merlin þo toforn hem pleyd And cleped vp king Arthour and Ban And her feren fram Leodegan. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (intransitive)] a1450 (1969) 1 Mankyndeis bed schal be vndyr þe castel and þer schal þe sowle lye vndyr þe bed tyl he schal ryse and pleye. 1580 in W. H. Turner (1880) 408 No Mayor..shall geve leave to any players to playe within the guilde hall. 1603 W. Shakespeare iii. ii. 95 Ham. My lord, you playd in the Vniuersitie. Cor. That I did my L: and I was counted a good actor. 1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Palamon & Arcite iii, in 81 Ev'n Kings but play; and when their Part is done, Some other, worse or better, mount the Throne. 1822 23 Mar. 3/4 Mr. Cooper, with whose uncommon talents, the dramatic public are familiar, has been playing to houses which testify the estimation in which he is held here. 1839 C. Dickens xxiii. 221 Did you ever play at Canterbury? 1880 J. McCarthy IV. lxiv. 434 He showed that he was resolved to play on a vaster stage. 1943 J. Agate Diary 17 Feb. in (1976) 165 When she played in La Belle Hélène her abominable French set the audience on a roar. 1982 T. Barr iv. xxvi. 183 Frequently..it becomes necessary for an actor to play so close to another actor as to feel uncomfortable at first. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > act better than 1895 G. B. Shaw 9 Mar. (1965) I. 494 Our actor managers have a not unnatural reluctance to be played off their own stages by their leading ladies. 1905 M. Beerbohm (1924) II. 144 He played all the other people off the stage, figuratively. Literally, they remained there, I regret to say. 1920 G. B. Shaw Let. 22 Dec. in (1952) 216 You played Hackett off the stage, and made only a few blunders. 1979 P. Mason xi. 78 Perron was rather surly, a peasant..who is being played off the stage by a man with style. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > a part or character c1390 G. Chaucer 3384 Som tyme to shewe his lightnesse and maistrye He [sc. Absolon] pleyeth Herodes vpon a scaffold hye. a1450 (1969) 1 He þat schal pley belyal loke þat he haue gunnepowdyr brennyn[ge] In pypys in hys handys and in hys erys and in hys ars whanne he gothe to batay[l]. a1535 T. More Hist. Richard III in (1557) 66/2 In a stage play all the people know right wel, that he that playeth the sowdayne is percase a sowter. 1591 (?a1425) Moses & the Law (Huntington) in R. M. Lumiansky & D. Mill (1974) I. 97 (MED) Three kinges, as yee shall played see, honored at his nativitye Christe. 1600 W. Shakespeare i. ii. 24 Yet, my chiefe humour is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely. View more context for this quotation a1631 J. Donne To Sir H. Wootton in (1654) 146 Courts are Theaters, where some men play Princes, some slaves. 1755 J. Hill xxv. 253 He played Othello often. 1780 T. Holcroft II. xx. 41 I have played Hamlet, and am shortly to appear in Macbeth. a1832 J. Bentham Fragm. on Govt. Pref. to ed. 2, in (1843) I. 253/1 The part of Hogarth's enraged musician was played by her noble and learned father. a1845 R. H. Barham Marie Mignot in (1847) 3rd Ser. 344 Miss Kelly plays Marie. 1935 G. Greene in 9 Aug. 222/2 With the help of a telephone girl, played in her best silly boy-crazy way by Miss Una Merkel, he sets out to solve the mystery. 1967 M. Drabble (1969) iii. 53 Remarked several times during the course of the film that the heroine looked like she ought to be playing the horse. 1997 7 June (Granada Region ed.) 20 (heading) Playing demon duster Mrs Doyle in Father Ted seems to be having an effect on Pauline McLynn. 28. the world > action or operation > behaviour > follow (a course of behaviour) [verb (transitive)] > assume (behaviour or a part) a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer (1987) ii. 1240 Ye han played the tirant [v.r. pleyed tyraunt] neigh to longe. c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) iii. 1950 (MED) Hector on hem..pleyeth þe lyon. a1500 (?c1440) J. Lydgate Horse, Goose & Sheep (Lansd.) 52 in (1934) ii. 541 (MED) [Hector's] hors was callid whilom Galathe, Vpon whos bak he pleyed the leoun. 1550 R. Crowley sig. Aviiiv Wi extreme crueltie ye haue plaied the lordes ouer them. a1586 Sir P. Sidney (1595) sig. B2 Will they now play the Hedghog, that..draue out his host? a1627 T. Middleton (1630) 18 Thou'lt make me play the woman and weepe too. 1662 Bp. E. Hopkins (1685) 93 Chess-men that on the board play the King and Queen, but in the bag are of the same materials, and rank with others. 1749 H. Fielding III. vii. i. 7 Eminent Characters have..played the Fool. View more context for this quotation 1788 H. L. Piozzi Diary 1 Aug. in (1942) II. 719 Quere whether this is not the Character alluded to in the vulgar Saying I played ye old Soldier upon him &c. 1810 S. Green II. ix. 5 She played the tyrant over her infatuated lover. 1896 May 5 It was gall to me to play jackal to Dan, or to any one else. 1908 R. Brooke in 29 427/1 And I Was happy, and forgot to play the lover, And laughed, and did no longer wish to die. 1940 D. Hardy tr. A. Koestler i. xiv. 94 If you play the hero, and insist on giving the impression that there is nothing to be done with you, you will be finished off. 1996 I. Donnachie et al. 111 Hogg..seems to have found a certain security in playing the innocent or clown. 1823 J. G. Lockhart III. viii. i. 217 But we must not play sad now, my dear, I hope you will be happy here. 1837 3 105/1 I disliked study excessively. I ‘played truant’, or played sick, as my fancy dictated. 1861 28 Oct. One of them was shot dead and the other,..concluding discretion was the better part of valor, played dead. 1889 4 Mar. 2/4 The fellow is an actor from away back, and can play sick in such a way that almost anybody would be fooled. 1901 18 Jan. 3/2 She hit upon the crazy notion of playing deaf and dumb. 1967 21 Oct. 1022/2 The characteristics of the response are..reminiscent of the opossum which, when threatened, plays dead. 1992 P. Auster (1993) i. 3 I did my best to play dumb for them, to give away as little as I could. 2000 29 May 35/1 No one expects Britain to roll over and play dead with the undermining of the moral and legal high ground it has sought to occupy. the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > discourtesy > be discourteous [verb (intransitive)] > not be affable 1929 17 Mar. Lois didn't play hard-to-get. 1959 P. Capon 194 To be blunt, you sort of strike me as playing hard to get. 2009 26 June 30/2 She plays hard to get, and lands herself in an almighty spot of bother. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 165 King Herodis part thai playit in-to Scotland. 1540 J. Palsgrave tr. G. Gnapheus iii. i. sig. Nivv He..playeth his parte stoutely or lyke a man. 1605 F. Bacon ii. sig. Aaa4v As if hee were consciente to himselfe that he had played his parte wel. View more context for this quotation 1655 N. Culpeper et al. tr. L. Rivière Printer to Rdr. The friends of the Sick must play their part, or all will not be well. 1711 J. Addison No. 89. ¶4 She ought to play her Part in haste, when she considers that she is suddenly to quit the Stage. 1785 15 For what our gutchers did for us We scarce dare ca' our ain, Unless their fitsteps we fill up, An' play their part again. 1855 T. B. Macaulay IV. xix. 310 The parts which she was in the habit of playing, and..the epilogues which it was her especial business to recite. 1881 S. R. Gardiner & J. B. Mullinger i. xi. 195 In the final struggle..England played her part well. 1917 Aug. 144/2 The low-flying contact machines..play their part of mothering the infantry. 1971 11 Apr. 3/2 The Ambassador advised the students to study hard and return home after graduating to play their part in nation-building. 2001 14 Aug. 9/2 Such proteins may also play a role in other degenerative brain disorders. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > performer > perform [verb (transitive)] > perform at or in specific place 1886 9 May 12/3 Our receipts in one night towns must be at least three times as much as they would each night in playing a town one week. 1890 3 Dec. We were playing small towns in Wisconsin and Minnesota. 1936 N. Coward Red Peppers in I. 103 ‘I'll see you don't play this date any more.’..‘I'd sooner play Ryde Pier in November.’ 1965 18 Nov. 801/1 The trouble with Freud and his theory of economy of psychic endeavour is that Freud never played Glasgow Empire second house on a Friday night, and I have. 1990 (Brit. Airways) Sept. 37/2 One show alone..is making an annual profit of nearly £2 million in the West End, while playing 30 other cities to an international gross of just over £600 million in ten years. 2000 A. Calcutt 116/2 Madness learnt their chops playing Camden venues such as the Dublin Castle. 1968 H. Ellison 353 I could [not] use it as story material. It wouldn't play; it was too much a tear-jerker. 1975 C. A. Tripp i. 2 There are indications aplenty that sharp relaxations in the mores..do not really ‘play in Peoria’. 1979 D. Thoreau xxxii. 283 That isn't going to play, honey. 1996 17 Jan. 52/3 Both Marx and Machiavelli still play. †V. Senses relating to fencing, sword-fighting, etc. 32. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > jousting or tilting > joust or tilt [verb (intransitive)] society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > fencing > fence [verb (intransitive)] eOE (Parker) 52 Þæs hi on wælfelda wiþ Eadweardes afaran plegodan. OE Prognostics (Tiber.) in (1910) 125 56 Gladium ferre & de ipso ludere, anxietatem significat : swurd beran & be him plegean unheaðnysse g[etacnaþ]. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1963) 4062 Þeos tweien cnihtes bi-gunnen mid sceldes to scurmen; ærst heo pleoweden [c1300 Otho pleoiden] and seoððe pliht makeden. c1300 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Otho) 4052 And pleoiden in þan feldes mid sceaftes and mid scealdes. c1300 (?c1225) (Laud) (1901) 186 (MED) Vs he dude lede In to a galeie, Wiþ þe se to pleie. a1375 (c1350) (1867) 1195 (MED) William..so wiȝtliche pleide, þat he slow six of þe grettes[t]. ?a1425 (?a1350) T. Castleford (1940) 21417 (MED) Sum plaide on horse and sum on fote. a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng (Lamb.) (1887) i. 11838 Wonder were elles, or art me failles, But þey playe wyþ repentailles. c1450 (a1400) (Calig. A.ii) (1969) 1557 (MED) My lord, wyth sper and scheld, Comeþ wyth yow to play. 1553 T. Wilson i. f. 7v I maie commende hym for plaiyng at weapons. 1604 W. Shakespeare v. ii. 154 + 4 He sends to know if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes. 1687 W. Hope vi. 137 Whither you be to play with Blunts, or Sharps, endeavour..to play Calmly. 1792 in R. Southey (1844) I. 440 The officers..passed the whole day in the Sun, playing at long bullets. 1809 J. Roland ii. i. 145 To make an assault, or as it is sometimes called ‘to play loose’, is the imitation of two adversaries..which the moderns term ‘fencing’. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > fencing > fence [verb (transitive)] c1380 (1879) 2251 (MED) ‘Now rest,’ quaþ Naymes, ‘þou proute syre; þou playest a sory play.’ c1425 J. Lydgate (Augustus A.iv) iv. 2735 (MED) Þis manly knyȝt..Pleyeth his pley amonge Mirundones. 1485 (Caxton) viii. xxxix. sig. t.vi Goo thou to yonder pauelione and arme the of the best thou fyndest there, and I shalle playe a merueillous playe with the. 1562 Jack Juggler in W. C. Hazlitt (1874) II. 114 I care not much At the bucklers to play with thee one fair touch. 1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence Heautontimoroumenos ii. iii, in 215 See that you play no wild touch [L. Vide sis, ne quid imprudens ruas]. Phrasal verbs PV1. With adverbs in specialized senses. to play about society > leisure > entertainment > frolicking or romping > frolic [verb (intransitive)] 1638 A. Cowley i. sig. B2 May none of your young lambes become a prey To the rude Wolfe, but play about securely. 1796 T. Morton (ed. 3) i. ii. 6 Another Apartment in the Castle, Apathy discovered asleep with Books at his feet, the Children playing about. 1802 J. Baillie Second Marriage i. i, in II. 366 When I look upon her poor children playing about, I feel as tho' they were my own flesh and blood. 1872 S. Coolidge vii. 100 ‘What are you going to do Katy?’ ‘Oh, I don't know; play about and have first rate fun.’ 1932 S. Zuckerman xii. 206 I have seen Chacma baboons playing about and foraging in the midst of a flock of Persian sheep. 1976 Sept.–Oct. 24/1 As a parent I am very wary of allowing a child not considered competent at fixing an electric plug to be playing about with tin snips. 1996 C. Bateman v. 42 The hair, well, once I'd played about with it a bit, I managed to persuade her it was the latest fashion. the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (transitive)] > bring to bank 1921 24 Sept. 3/3 He fought with them [sc. the sharks] for more than two hours, playing them along. 1939 10 Oct. 14/6 Week after week House begged the British to do this. They played him along. 1965 D. Francis ii. 23 I smiled at him, and he guessed that I'd been playing him along. 1993 T. Barnes (BNC) 80 A constable came up and was so rude Dexter decided to play him along. society > society and the community > social relations > co-operation > co-operate [verb (intransitive)] 1929 D. Hammett xi. 112 If the dick would play along, the hole in Tim's head from his own gun..would smooth everything over pretty. 1935 S. Lewis xix. 231 All we desire is for you to play along with us in your paper. 1965 23 Apr. 638/1 Although the Tory leadership there [sc. the House of Lords] is still playing along, defeats of government business inflicted by gangs of Tory backwoodsmen could amount to a deliberate policy of obstruction. 1990 H. Hamilton in D. Bolger (1994) 416 Just play along with her. Don't worry. Just play along. 2000 P. Beatty vii. 86 With a gracious smile he played along. colloquial (originally U.S.). society > leisure > entertainment > [verb (intransitive)] the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > be idle or unoccupied [verb (intransitive)] > potter or waste time in trifling activity society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > unchastity > [verb (intransitive)] > be promiscuous 1929 D. Hammett xi. 109 Max was up there with a girl he used to play around with. 1934 J. O'Hara ii. 46 He played around a little, but Al knew Helene was the only one he really cared for, and Helene really cared for him. 1963 D. Gray xv. 83 And if I found you were playing around, I'd give you a damned good hiding. 1992 R. Anaya xi. 132 He thought he was immune, burned out by the quickies of people who got caught playing around. the mind > possession > relinquishing > squandering or prodigality > squander [verb (transitive)] society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > financial loss > lose money [verb (transitive)] > in gambling society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > betting > bet on [verb (transitive)] > lose 1562 Jack Juggler in W. C. Hazlitt (1874) II. 115 He hath no money but what he doth steal, And that he doth play away every deal. 1612 W. Strachey Lawes in P. Force (1844) III. 25 No man shall sell, giue, imbezell, or play away his Armes, or any part thereof, vpon paine of death. 1647 N. Ward 63 They will play away..Knights, Rooks,..and all. 1717 R. L'Estrange & J. Ozell tr. A. de Castillo Solorzano 10 He played away every thing he could lay Hands on. 1758 D. Garrick iii. 41 More money..two hundred pieces more will serve my turn: in the mean time, I will play away my coat, and some superfluous things about me. 1845 June 560/1 With the last deal all was at an end; he had again played away all the gold he had brought to the spot. 1879 E. Dowden iv. 112 Southey could not afford to play away his health at hazard. 1895 Oct. 216/1 I can't go home to my wife and tell her I've played away her board and clothes in this cursed hole of a place. 1975 P. C. Harrison Death of Boogie Woogie in (1985) No. 24. 385 You hung out all night and played away your pay. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (intransitive)] > types of batting 1816 W. Lambert 32 If..the Striker intends to play back he should step with in [sic] 17 inches of the wicket..playing well on the Ball. 1897 K. S. Ranjitsinhji iv. 169 In playing back to a fast bowler, the thing to remember is, that there is very little time to make the stroke, the margin of error being exceedingly small. 1955 17 June 12/4 He played back to a well-flighted off-break..which rapped him on the pads. 1977 19 Dec. 8/2 Boycott..played back to a ball which pitched on the middle stump and hit the off. 2004 (Nexis) 20 May 54 Uthup went on to pass 50 before playing back to a ball which kept low. society > communication > record > recording or reproducing sound or visual material > sound recording and reproduction > make recording [verb (transitive)] > play back 1932 1 Oct. 372/4 The record was ‘played back’ to him, and an expression of amazement dawned on his face. 1934 419 The ability to play-back a wax before processing is of great assistance in making records of running commentaries. 1958 4 Dec. 921/1 Having read what history books have to say about this person..he can play back as much of it as suits him as The Confessions of—for example—Judas Maccabaeus. 1973 ‘H. Howard’ xiii. 150 I've said no already. If you like I'll put it on tape and you can play it back to yourself. 1994 2 May 64/1 When you hear a song inside your head, are you playing back a mental tape you made when you first heard the song? 2005 (Nexis) 15 Feb. Programs, documents, images, music and even entire TV episodes or movies..can be played back on a computer. the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > misjudge [verb (transitive)] > underestimate or undervalue 1869 Apr. 617 ‘If I only knew who it was I'd let him set his own price to keep it quiet, and play it down, too,’ mused Mr. Livingstone. 1934 J. O'Hara x. 295 I heard the boss tell you to play down the story. 1958 18 Sept. 428/2 This impression is much diluted in the Arts Council's exhibition, a timid selection which tends to play down the more extreme and remarkable developments of Bomberg's art. 1991 20 July a8/5 YMCA officials seemed to be playing down the incident. Cricket. society > leisure > sport > types of play, actions, or postures > [verb (reflexive)] the world > action or operation > behaviour > customary or habitual mode of behaviour > do habitually [verb (reflexive)] > accustom oneself society > leisure > sport > player or sportsperson > [verb (reflexive)] > get into form for 1894 10 July 11/2 Mr. Jackson came in with Dr. Grace, and, although a little uncomfortable at starting, soon played himself in. 1900 W. J. Ford xii. 144 If he would only play himself in quietly..he would get ‘lashings’ of runs. 1928 A. Philips i. i. 13 The cricket was slow to begin with; while the batsmen ‘played themselves in’ carefully. 1937 J. Agate Diary 5 May in (1976) 62 These women do not play themselves in; they come on and there is your character, as sharp as if Rebecca West had described her. 1971 D. Ayerst xxx. 461 He was tied to the Manchester office and given little opportunity to play himself in as a public figure. 1988 Oct. 41/1 Feeling a bit rusty after a long lay-off, the driver spent the first half of the rally playing himself back in. 1992 (BNC) Mar. 42 He was a fine allrounder who, once he had played himself in, was a delightful strokemaker. the world > food and drink > drink > drinking > [verb (transitive)] > drink intoxicating liquor > drink up or drain 1598 W. Shakespeare ii. v. 16 When you breath in your watering they cry hem, and bid you play it off . View more context for this quotation 1607 T. Dekker & G. Wilkins sig. H3v He requested them to play off the sacke and begon. 1645 H. Bold Adventure in (1664) 136 Play off your Canns (you Rogues) your Case I'le warrant, If Fidle's good. the mind > possession > relinquishing > squandering or prodigality > squander [verb (transitive)] society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > financial loss > lose money [verb (transitive)] > in gambling society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > betting > bet on [verb (transitive)] > lose 1693 N. Luttrell Diary in (1857) III. 5 The King..at night..plaid off 200 guineas, according to custome. 1721 A. Ramsay 52 Some lords and lairds sell'd riggs and castles, And play'd them aff with tricky rascals. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > duping, making a fool of > befool, cheat, dupe [verb (transitive)] 1712 R. Steele No. 497. ⁋3 His whole Delight was in finding out new Fools, and, as our Phrase is, playing them off, and making them shew themselves to advantage. 1713 J. Addison in 2 June 1/2 He would now and then play them off and expose them a little unmercifully. 1864 C. M. Yonge I. ix. 163 She knew that he was playing the widow off, and that, when most smooth and bland in look and tone, he was inwardly chuckling. the world > matter > light > firework > [verb (intransitive)] > of a firework: go off 1721 G. Roussillon tr. R. A. de Vertot 83 There should be fireworks ready to be play'd off. 1762 O. Goldsmith I. 221 Yet it [sc. a farce] played off, and bounced, and cracked, and made more sport than a fire work. 1790 25 If any Scholar..shall make bonfires..or play off fireworks. 1814 M. Edgeworth III. xxvi. 7 She prepared to play off, on this decisive evening, all her artillery to complete her conquest. 1847 J. K. Paulding ii. i. 33 The sly boots laughed heartily, and I suspect has some joke to play off on the occasion. the world > action or operation > difficulty > opposition > oppose [verb (transitive)] > set in opposition > to one's own advantage 1736 14 Oct. 1/2 It [may] become necessary again to play off the Porte against the Emperor, in order to make a Diversion in any future War. 1766 I. xxi. 174 She played them off, one against the other. 1807 4/2 He played off France against the world, and the world against France. 1885 6 Aug. 5/1 The Sultan likes to play off one Power against another. 1938 E. Waugh ii. iv. 211 The President kept his end up pretty well—played one company off against the other for months. 1965 10 June 852/1 Their deep African fear of a relapse into subordination makes them play off Eastern and Western contributors. 1996 P. Pullman xxi. 373 It suits the Magisterium to allow all kinds of different agencies to flourish. They can play them off against one another. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)] > dispose of fraudulently 1768 H. Walpole 99 Her preparing the way for her nephew, by first playing off and feeling the ground by a counterfeit. 1867 R. Giffen in Nov. 620 The trick of playing off Jacobite effusions as the national literature of Scotland had already been found out. 1967 ‘Iceberg Slim’ viii. 155 I played you off as my punk nephew from Kansas City. 1783 in (Libr. of Congr.) (1922) XXV. 886 She [sc. Virginia]..was notwithstanding endeavouring to play off from further contributions. 1836 H. R. Howard 140 I stay mostly in the neighbourhood of commerce at present, and sometimes work, to prevent being suspected. I play off occasionally. 1864 9 Jan. 314 Dr. Curran had marked the fellow before, and knew he was ‘playing off’. 1867 S. Lanier iii. ii. 244 I did cum it on 'em awhile, tho', a-playing off sick on 'em! 1902 R. H. Barbour 180 ‘Yes; that is,’ explained Neil, ‘play off a bit, but not enough for any of the fellows to suspect.’ 1945 in B. A. Botkin 72 She would think you just playing off from work. 1954 3 Feb. 3/2 Buddy Richardson counting graph paper. Betty Church playing off sick. 1970 in (2002) IV. 207/2 [Illinois] Playing off sick. the world > relative properties > relationship > imitation > imitate [verb (transitive)] > show off by imitation 1789 F. Burney 21 Jan. (1842) IV. 387 He took up a fan..and began playing off various imitative airs with it. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage III. vii. vii. 103 Phenicia..was playing off the amiable and unaffected simpleton. 1821 Ld. Byron (1979) IX. 44 There was poor old Vice Leach the lawyer..attempting to play off the fine gentleman. 9. the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > trickery, playing jokes > trick, hoax [verb (transitive)] 1821 W. M. Praed i. 191 You think I'm playing off a sham. 1834 W. A. Caruthers I. v. 72 She is now engaged in playing off on him something of the same caprice which she formerly exercised upon me. 1866 W. Collins I. ii. v. 213 Cleverer tricks than this trick of mine are played off on the public by swindlers, and are recorded in the newspapers every week. 1879 H. J. Byron ii. 24 As you say, sir, it was a poor sort of joke to play off on an old servant. 1922 C. S. Clancy (film script) (Electronic text) xli. 63 Could that girl have been playing off any of her co-quettish tricks? 1937 M. Barton & O. Sitwell xix. 342 What trick can they have imagined was being played off on them? the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > duping, making a fool of > make a fool of [verb (intransitive)] 1863 O. W. Norton (1903) 135 I fancy..I could play off on the doctors and get it [sc. a discharge]. 1865 O. L. Jackson (1922) 194 I did not enlighten her that some fellow has played off on them. 1889 E. Custer 173 I was playin' off on him, just to get a big drink of whisky. 1925 J. T. Moore 84 In her old aige ter be played off on by er lot ob counterfeits on humanity an' imported dorgs wuz too much. 1967 in (2002) IV. 207/2 [Iowa] Playing off on you. 10. Sport. 1870 C. MacArthur 118 On the tie being played off, Sir Robert and Mr. Anderson again tied. 1880 7 June 6/2 The tie game of yesterday was played off to-day. 1937 29 Apr. 16/6 The two teams will meet again Thursday..to play off the tie game of three weeks ago. 1997 (Nexis) 8 Mar. b2 Teams who are playing off a tie for the title must play four games in five days. society > leisure > sport > match or competition > take part in match or competition [verb (intransitive)] > engage in match or competition > types of 1901 Jan. 570/1 We're going to play off for the Wolcott cup. 1947 ‘A. P. Gaskell’ 12 He spoke for a while about the traditions of the [Rugby] club and then about the honour of playing off for the championship. 1973 1 Mar. 13/2 The six rinks who have qualified for the finals of the 1973 Scottish curling championships will play-off, on a league basis, for the right to represent Scotland at the world championship. 2000 28 Apr. 38/5 10 teams are playing home and away, with the top four qualifying directly for the 2002 World Cup finals while the fifth-placed side plays-off against a team from Oceania. Cricket. society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > cricket > batting > bat [verb (intransitive)] > of batsman: play ball onto his own wicket 1858 26 Sept. 7/4 Mr M'Dougall and Grundy caused a total of 20, when the latter ‘played on’. 1882 19 May When only half-a-dozen had been scored, Butler played on, and he had to make way for Barnes. 1894 10 July 11/2 Mr. Mordaunt was out in [Brockwell's] first over, for, after cutting and driving the ball for four, he played on. 1932 11 Mar. 15/2 He tried to hook it and he played on. 1992 (BNC) Mar. 9 Both openers played on, and with Border collecting his second duck of the series, the home side slumped to 81 for 6. 1. transitive. the world > action or operation > completing > complete (an action or piece of work) [verb (transitive)] > perform or experience completely the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > come to an end [verb (reflexive)] 1598 W. Shakespeare ii. v. 489 Out ye rogue, play out the play. View more context for this quotation 1669 J. Dryden 79 The Wilde Gallant has quite played out his game; He's marry'd now, and that will make him tame. 1726 3 Sept. 2/3 The Chinkford Men refus'd to play out the Game. 1854 S. Austin 344 The great heroic tragedy which was now being played out on the world's stage. 1867 H. Conybeare in Nov. 513 The classical and pointed styles each ran their course from prime to decadence—in fact, ‘played themselves out’ completely. a1882 J. P. Quincy (1884) 21 This burlesque..gradually played itself out, and came to an end. 1932 W. Faulkner iii. 67 As though, Byron thought, the entire affair had been a lot of people performing a play and that now and at last they had all played out the parts which had been allotted them and now they could live quietly with one another. 1977 25 Aug. 17/4 Their last pair playing out four overs to avoid defeat. 1992 23 Nov. 20/2 The temptation in the West will be to procrastinate until the Serbian power struggle plays itself out. 1847 J. J. Oswandel (1885) xi. 590 They refused to act, saying that they are now in the United States, and they consider the guard duty is played out. 1870 B. Harte i Is our civilization a failure? Or is the Caucasian played out? 1887 June 272 About twelve or fifteen years ago he was decidedly of opinion that Mr. Gladstone was played out. 1888 J. A. Lees & W. J. Clutterbuck (1892) xxix. 325 Today they had made forty miles over this awful trail, and their horses were not unnaturally quite played out. 1924 D. H. Lawrence in M. Magnus Introd. 19 It seemed to me M— would get very irritable and nervous,..yellow round the eyes and played out. 1989 A. Walker iv. 264 The people were so jaded, so played out spiritually. the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > non-use > remain unused [verb (intransitive)] > fall into disuse or become obsolete the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > be at an end [verb (intransitive)] > come to an end, terminate, or expire 1835 R. Browning iv. 156 As though it matter'd how the farce plays out, So it be quickly play'd. 1872 79 The old native fruit of our country is about playing out, as the saying is. 1885 W. D. Howells ii. 46 Gentlemaning as a profession has got to play out in a generation or two. 1924 R. J. Flaherty iii. ii. 93 The dogs almost played out before we reached the crest. 1964 Mrs. L. B. Johnson 15 July (1970) 178 A little past one my enthusiasm played out and I put my head in the pillow. 1983 P. Benford ii. i. 43 He found himself in a gorge that played out into an alluvial fan of pebbles and ice chunks. 1869 Oct. 639 Their players had strict injunctions to ‘play time out’. 1897 21 May 6/7 Bray and De Zoete played out time. 1983 (Nexis) 25 Sept. 22 The innings ‘was a bit of a hollow achievement’ against the long hops and full tosses delivered by two stand-in bowlers as the two teams played out time. 2004 (Nexis) 27 Sept. Pool played out time like pros and defensively they were excellent. 1896 16 Apr. 11/3 It was barnstorming with a vengeance, but Foutz is a man of courage, and he played out the string, to quote his own remarks. 1898 H. M. Blossom 170 Well, I've had my hard luck, and ‘played out the string’. 1943 33 309 By Germany the system was used..for the dual purpose of achieving greater self-sufficiency and of rebuilding her armaments. By the time the present war broke out..she had about played out this string. 1965 N. Mailer (1966) iv. 103 Buddy, you played out your string... Now beat it. 2003 (Nexis) 8 Nov. d3 Despite a passionate effort..hope of qualifying for a bowl game was gone. Now what? Will the Nittany Lions just play out the string? Or will they have enough motivation to lay a foundation for next season? 1987 (Nexis) 24 Feb. d7 ‘I like playing out, but it's got to be something creative’, Whitehill said. ‘I don't like playing the same leads night after night.’ 1992 (BNC) Dec. 68 Despite major record labels making the customary silly noises, for the moment Raw Stylus are doing it their way, playing out with a full eight-piece line-up. 2000 D. Adebayo (2001) iv. 69 The SE16 railway arches, where Phoenix, a local reggae sound, was playing out. Golf (originally U.S.). society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > ball game > golf > play golf [verb (intransitive)] > pass other players 1951 29 Dec. 50/1 (cartoon caption) Mind if I play through? 1967 M. Green x. 110 The general rule of etiquette in Coarse Golf seems to be that solo players have right of way over all matches. It is not normally necessary for them to ask permission to play through—they simply pound on round the course. 1973 A. MacVicar viii. 89 The strangers came and putted... Duncan told them we were in no hurry and suggested they should play through. 1996 21 May 4/3 There has been golf rage (assaults on players who won't let others play through) and trolley rage (pushing and shoving at the supermarket checkout). society > leisure > the arts > music > performing music > playing instruments > play instrument [verb (transitive)] > play (music) on instrument 1750 I. 260 The Musician plays up the same Tune. 1776 IV. 110 He may soon, like another Orpheus, play up a second dance. 1789 29/2 Play up the reel o'bogie. 1797 A. Radcliffe ii. vi. 177 I will play up such a tune in the Inquisition as is not heard there every day. I will jingle all the bells on their fool's caps, and tell them a little honest truth. 1829 3 Dec. 3/5 Copey began to play up a tune upon his saw. a1839 W. M. Praed (1888) 118 We give a shrug when pipe and drum Play up a favourite air. 1855 A. Trollope xvii. 280 He played up such a tune as never before had graced the chambers of any attorney-general. 1911 K. Tynan 35 Now, pipers, play up smartly the tune of tunes the best. 3. the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > be annoyed or vexed by [verb (transitive)] > annoy or vex 1803 G. Colman ii. iii. 30 (Voices behind.) Bur. They are playing up old Harry below; I'll run and see what's the matter. 1924 J. Galsworthy ii. iv. 151 Did she choose that he should go away, thinking that she had ‘played him up’ just out of vanity? 1931 16 Oct. 9/1 (advt.) My Nerves used to play me up terribly. 1964 A. Christie xxii. 223 That's the sort of thing you feel like when your husband's playing you up and you're terribly fond of him. 1995 E. Toman i. 43 The lumbago had been playing him up all day and the bottle was as good as empty. the mind > emotion > excitement > riotous excitement > behave with riotous excitement [verb (intransitive)] 1849 C. Brontë II. xii. 301 They war playing up queerly, but I think I've quietened 'em. 1866 J. E. Brogden 151 He came home beery, and playing-up, broke the dolly. 1886 R. E. G. Cole 112 This pony does not play up at the trams as the other did. 1888 ‘R. Boldrewood’ II. iii. 42 He could do more with a horse than any man I ever saw. They never seemed to play up with him. 1931 L. A. G. Strong 41 Paddy was always resentful of strangers, and played up with a redoubled vigour if he saw that they were afraid of him. 1976 J. Snow 66 Back in England, before he had time to bid for a place against Australia, his left elbow started playing up and he was ordered to rest. 1995 Spring 27 The dishwasher's playing up.., but it should be all right by the time we open. society > communication > journalism > [verb (transitive)] > exploit in journalism 1814 14 Sept. 3/1 He labours to play up the minor scenes. 1899 4 May 6/4 We had that story a week ago, and now you are playing it up for an exclusive. 1926 22 May 1687/1 Let us play up the habits, the appearance, the likes and dislikes, let us sell authors to our public. 1961 4 Aug. iii. 4 The West Berlin crisis is being played up artificially because it is needed by the United States to justify its arms drive. 1992 24 Feb. 16/5 National differences between Scots, Irish, northern and southern English are also played up. the mind > emotion > courage > manliness > behave manfully [verb (intransitive)] ?1888 (National Football Mus., Preston) (caption) Play up [Sunderland] Albion. 1897 H. Newbolt Vitaï Lampada in 21 Play up! play up! and play the game! 1899 E. Wharton viii. 249 I was in fact the only one of the three who did n't instantly ‘play up’; but such virtuosity was inspiring, and by the time Vard had thrown off his coat and dropped into a senatorial pose, I was ready to pitch into my work. 1924 G. H. L. Mallory Let. 27 May in E. F. Norton et al. (1925) ii. 236 I look back on tremendous effort and exhaustion... And yet there have been a good many things to set on the other side. The party has played up wonderfully. 1966 B. Kimenye 42 The other members played up nicely by expressing themselves as completely horrified. 1979 D. Gurr vii. 42 I had to sound sensible. Adult... To hide the secret voice of the schoolboy yelling from the side lines to play up, play up. 1932 4 Feb. 68/3 Messrs. Hill make a computation of the years it takes to ‘play up’ an instrument. PV2. With prepositions in specialized senses. to play at —— society > leisure > sport > [verb (intransitive)] society > leisure > sport > [verb (transitive)] c1300 (c1250) (Cambr.) (1966) l. 344 Þenne he wule..bidde þe pleie at þe escheker. c1325 (c1300) (Calig.) 3965 (MED) Wiþ pleyn de [a1400 Trin. Cambr. pleiȝinge] atte tables oþer atte chekere. a1400 tr. Lanfranc (Ashm.) (1894) 247 (MED) I lokide to him, & wiþinne a monþe he miȝt se to pleie at þe tabler. (Harl. 221) 404 Pleyyn at the bal, pililudo. a1475 (?a1430) J. Lydgate tr. G. Deguileville (Vitell.) 11192 (MED) I wyl nat spare To..pleyn at the merellys. 1548 f. lxxxxviiiv On saterday the kyng & the Emperor playd at tennice at the Bayne. 1560 J. Daus tr. J. Sleidane f. ccxc To passe away the time, the Lantgraue playeth at the cardes. 1597 J. Gerard i. 123 It hath been called Frittillaria, of the table or boord vpon which men plaie at chesse. 1600 W. Shakespeare ii. i. 32 If Hercules and Lychas play at dice Which is the better man. View more context for this quotation 1613 S. Purchas 742 Our men plaied at foot-ball with them of the Iland. 1675 W. Wycherley ii. 30 Yes sure, what he is good enough to play at Cards, Blind-mans buff, or the fool with sometimes. 1728 J. Morgan I. ii. 232 His Majesty..really never appeared better pleased than when playing at Loggerheads, provided there was a Prospect of his being a Gainer. 1766 O. Goldsmith (ed. 2) II. viii. 118 Their only employment was quarrelling among each other, playing at cribbage, and cutting tobacco stoppers. 1794 1 Jan. (single sheet) Some other Lad, with science plays at tag. 1814 J. Austen I. xiii. 265 Using the Billiard room for the space of a week without playing at Billiards in it. View more context for this quotation 1884 Christmas No. 22/1 ‘I'm afraid, doctor, we are playing at cross questions and crooked answers’, said Fred. 1915 W. Cather iii. i. 252 He liked to play at a rough game of banter with her. 1992 Feb. 73/2 He worked as a hungry dog ate, and yet he could play at croquet or cards with the self-forgetful exuberance of a little boy. society > leisure > entertainment > mere amusement > do for mere amusement [verb (transitive)] > represent or imitate for amusement 1840 T. B. Macaulay Ld. Clive in (1887) 527 There is still a Mogul, who is permitted to play at holding courts and receiving petitions. 1849 T. B. Macaulay I. v. 613 In their childhood, they were accustomed to play on the moor at the fight between King James's men and King Monmouth's men. 1895 ‘G. Paston’ vii Though she had often played at sentiment, no man had ever touched her heart. 1939 ‘M. Innes’ ii. v. 285 Modish enough to play at anthropologising an unknown culture. 1976 30 Jan. 3/3 He was always playing at being the Six Million Dollar Man. 1991 G. Carey xv. 119 You can also see why we cannot play at being Christians. 1997 ‘Q’ 259 They loved to play at being cowboys. Originally Theatre. the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > degrading or debasement > degrade oneself or stoop [verb (reflexive)] > lower one's standards to society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > act in specific manner 1880 Dec. 316/2 He is an actor of great emotional and even tragic power, but he certainly plays down to the coarser apprehensions of the common people. 1889 G. B. Shaw in 18 Oct. 4/1 When a theatre has been playing down as nearly as possible to the music-hall level. 1906 M. Beerbohm (1924) II. 215 No dramatist, moreover, ever yet achieved popularity by deliberately ‘playing down to’ the public. a1936 R. Kipling (1937) viii. 218 Never play down to your public. 1983 1 Dec. 16/7 He achieved that without playing down to his audiences. 1855 9 June 442/1 Combinations of feelings and circumstances are previsionally arranged and deliberately ‘played for’, as if a love affair were a game of chess. 1898 16 July He was playing for sympathy. 1913 D. H. Lawrence ii. 35 She hated her husband because..he whined and played for sympathy. 1992 15 Nov. e4/1 Was he simply taking advantage of his illness and his enormous popularity to play for sympathy? the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > delay or postponement > delay [verb (intransitive)] > play for time 1883 Nov. 710/2 The leaders who saw what was coming were simply playing for time and waiting until they could get a President in whom they could confide. 1906 R. Kipling 212 The habit of playing for time sticks to a man! 1944 ‘G. Graham’ (1945) 134 All she could do was to go on playing for time, trying to keep Marc from finding out what her family really thought of him, until, after a while, they thought a little better. 1992 30 July 10/7 I um'd and ah'd and played for time. society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (intransitive)] > in specific manner society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > act in specific manner 1900 8 Jan. 7/1 I see the tragic muse condemned to farce-comedy, Hamlets with specialties, Leah playing for a laugh, and Othello in ‘Uncle Tom's Cabin’. 1906 M. Beerbohm (1924) II. 256 Mr. Shaw was not merely ‘playing for a laugh’. He was trying to reproduce a thing that exists in life. 1963 14 Mar. 468/1 Joan Littlewood sensibly lets this plot look after itself. Her concern is to play for laughs. 2004 (Nexis) 18 Sept. m15 The movie lacks any sense of menace, and seems to be playing for laughs rather than thrills. the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > common sense > be witty with words [verb (intransitive)] eOE tr. Bede (Tanner) ii. iv. 96 Ða gyt he ahsode hwæt heora cyning haten wære: & him mon ondswarade..þætte he Æll haten wære. Ond þa plegode [OE Cambr. Univ. Libr. pleogede] he mid his wordum to þæm noman & cwæð: Alleluia, þæt gedafenað, þætte Godes lof usses scyppendes in þæm dælum sungen sy. c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon (Calig.) (1978) 8652 Þus þe vnwise king plaȝede [c1300 Otho pleoyde] mid worden. a1225 (c1200) (1888) 135 Ne lat hie [sc. Honestas] nawht ðe hande pleiȝende mid stikke. 1340 (1866) 179 (MED) Huanne he [sc. a cat] heþ mid hire [sc. a mouse] longe yplayd, þanne he his eth. the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > common sense > be witty with words [verb (intransitive)] 1600 W. Shakespeare iii. v. 41 How euery foole can play vpon the word. View more context for this quotation 1683 D. A. 125 They play often upon words. 1734 T. Cooke i. iv. 95 (note) Our Poet often plays upon Words; and this Sort of Wit we find in the 23d Verse of the Prologue. 1861 T. Wright II. xxiii. 231 The wit or ingenuity of our Anglo-Saxon forefathers was chiefly exerted in playing upon words. 1876 G. O. Trevelyan I. iii. 134 He did not play upon words as a habit. 1978 P. Barolsky iv. 97 On giving the cardinalate to the very young Innocenzo Cibo, Pope Leo, who himself was made a cardinal at an early age by Pope Innocent VIII, played on words when he remarked, ‘What I received from Innocent, I repay to Innocent.’ 2004 (Nexis) 6 June ‘The member from Bolpur will not get much chance to speak,’ Vajpayee remarked in his inimitable style playing on the word ‘Bol-pur’. the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > exploit or take advantage of 1603 W. Shakespeare iii. ii. 352 You would play vpon mee, You would search the very inward part of my hart. 1603 W. Shakespeare iii. ii. 358 Zownds do you thinke Iam [sic] easier to be pla'yd On, then a pipe? 1695 J. Collier 70 To flatter the Vanity, and play upon the Weakness of those in Power. 1775 R. B. Sheridan ii. i. 31 You rely upon the mildness of my temper—you do, you Dog! you play upon the weakness of my disposition! 1794 W. Godwin I. ix. 194 Mr. Tyrrel proceeded..to play upon the fears of his prisoner. 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage II. v. i. 296 We fancied that he meant to play upon our fears. 1825 J. Neal 120 In short, I have been willing to see, if such a man as you, could be played upon, so grossly; week after week; without learning the truth; by a—you are not angry, I hope? 1870 J. E. T. Rogers 2nd Ser. 116 It is..natural that shrewd politicians should play on the credulity of their dupes. 1989 ‘C. Roman’ ii. 14 Now I know his weakness and will learn to play on it. 1605 W. Camden ii. 14 Giraldus Cambrensis..played vpon these verses. 1646 Sir T. Browne i. ix. 35 Playing much upon the simile [printed smile], or illustrative argumentation. View more context for this quotation slang (originally Theatre). the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > approval or sanction > commendation or praise > flattery or flattering > servile flattery or currying favour > flatter servilely or curry favour with [verb (transitive)] society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > support or assist another actor 1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage II. vi. i. 423 You want two good actors to play up to you. 1826 B. Disraeli I. ii. xvi. 237 There is your Playing-up Toadey, who, unconscious to its feeder, is always playing up to its feeder's weaknesses. 1894 5 Mar. 14/1 The windows here are designed, like the others, to play up to the mosaics, and are not intended to be too visible in profile. 1927 G. K. Chesterton i. 40 There was something downright creepy about that little goblin with the yellow hair, that seemed to play up to the impression. 1972 J. Mosedale x. 142 While the pros proved that wasn't literally true, Trippi played up to the spirit of the comment. 1992 W. Greider Introd. 17 They have to talk to a bunch of Rotarians and play up to local leaders who are just dumb as stumps. the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > be unimportant [verb (intransitive)] > attach little importance to > treat frivolously society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > have complete control over c1230 (?a1200) (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 41 Ȝe þe pleieð wið þe world nule ich ow nawt iheren. c1300 (Laud) (1868) 951 (MED) It ne was non so litel knaue..Þat he ne wode with him pleye. c1400 (?a1300) (Laud) (1952) 1574 (MED) Noyse is gret wiþ tabour and pype; Damoysels playen wiþ peren ripe. c1475 (c1450) P. Idley (Cambr.) (1935) ii. B. 950 (MED) Into a corner preuely woll he reche And talke with maydenes and mennes wyffis, Pleye with her purces, keyes, and knyves. 1529 T. More Dialogue Heresyes i, in 161/1 Than will he call it no scripture, as he plaith with the pystle of sainct Iames. 1605 B. Jonson v. sig. M3 Kick vp thy heeles in ayre, teare off thy roabe, Play with thy beard, and nostrils. View more context for this quotation 1635 T. Heywood 295 Even the Horse,..When the most curb'd, and playing with the bit,..snowes the ground. 1650 R. Baxter (1651) iii. v. §5 95 As children, we play with our meat when we should eat it. 1713 R. Steele No. 146. ⁋5 He [sc. a young lion] did some mischief by pawing and playing with people. 1754 No. 7. ⁋2 During our conversation he was..piddling with her fingers, tapping her cheek, or playing with her hair. 1782 W. Cowper Table Talk in 505 I play with syllables, and sport in song. 1827 H. Hallam I. x. 120 It required a dexterous management to play with the army. 1834 7 June 178/3 Angelica fidgetted upon her seat, and played with her fan. 1870 J. H. Newman ii. viii. 304 Montaigne..could thus afford to play with life, and the abysses into which it leads us. 1945 (Air Ministry) 5 52 This will give you a little to play with and allow for a drop in barometric pressure. 1965 V. Canning iii. 33 I like a girl who doesn't play with her food or drink. 1976 V. J. Scott & D. Koski (1977) xxxiii. 237 He was sweating now, all right. And is he playing with me? he wondered. Is the bastard playing with me? 1978 Sept. 76/3 How could they possibly build docks when they had merely £60,000 to play with. 1993 Oct. 56/2 Their freedom to play with ‘the facts’ of history may dismay some scholars. the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > masturbation > masturbate [verb (reflexive)] the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > other types of sexual activity or intercourse > engage in other types of sexual activity or intercourse [verb (transitive)] > stimulate genitals of (a person) the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual activity > other types of sexual activity or intercourse > engage in other types of sexual activity or intercourse [verb (transitive)] > stimulate genitals of (a person) > stimulate (genitals) 1879 1 127 There was an Archbishop of Rheims, Who played with himself in his dreams; On his night-shirt in front, He painted a cunt, Which made his spend gush forth in streams. 1882 H. N. Guernsey v. 87 And is it true that some young ladies, the sweetest and fairest of our race, play with one another in an immodest and indecent way, teaching immorality to the pure and innocent? 1922 J. Joyce ii. xv. [Circe] 527 You can apply your eye to the keyhole and play with yourself while I just go through her a few times. 1966 L. H. Farber iii. 58 This opening scene of a faceless woman silently playing with herself..sets the tone. 1971 ‘V. X. Scott’ 54 He played with me. And little by little..I played with him. 1996 8 July 8/5 If your arms aren't broken or bound, play with her clit while you bang away; encourage her to play with herself when you're fucking. Compounds C1. the world > people > ethnicities > division of mankind by physical characteristics > black person > [noun] > light-skinned 1952 Aug. 6 These ‘Colourpeans’, as they have been dubbed, can never hope to fool their own people. They are easily recognised for what they are, but most Coloureds are not malicious and allow these ‘Playwhites’ to have things their own way. 1956 A. Sampson xv. 205 Harry was only one of thousands of ‘play-whites’, as they call the light-skinned Coloureds who ‘pass for white’ and break away from the Coloured world. 1988 3 July (Extra) 2/8 The play-whites of Cape Town nonchalantly sauntered through the turnstiles in style... That was apartheid's finest hour. 1958 20 22/1 Since the machine starts and stops almost instantly, all you have to do is press the play and stop buttons when you turn from your lecture to the recording. 1976 K. Bonfiglioli x. 123 He..rewound the tape..and pressed the ‘play’ key. 1978 S. Brett xv. 138 With..these cheap cassette players it's difficult to press the Play button and Record at exactly the same time. 1999 S. Rushdie (2000) xvi. 506 The video camera has an internal-playback capability. I put my eye to the eyepiece and hit the Play button. The tape begins to run. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online June 2022). <  n.eOE v.eOE |
