verb | noun
playplay1 /pleɪ/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (plays, played, playing) 1
SPORTS/GAMES a)[intransitive, transitive] to take part or compete in a game or sport: Do you want to play, Carl?play basketball/soccer/cards etc. The guys are outside playing basketball.play (against) somebody The Rockets are playing the Bulls this weekend.play something with somebody Will you play a game of cards with me?play for He played for Denver from 1995 to 1997. b)[transitive] to use a particular piece, card, person, etc. in a game or sport: She played the ace of clubs.2CHILDREN [intransitive, transitive] when children play, they do things that they enjoy, often with other people or with toys: Kendra’s in her room playing. Andy loves to play hide-and-go-seek.play with He enjoys playing with his grandchildren. Tony has a lot of toys to play with.3MUSIC/INSTRUMENT [intransitive, transitive] eng. lang. arts a)to perform a piece of music on a musical instrument: There’s a good band playing on Saturday night. She played a piece by Debussy.play in a band/orchestra Nancy plays in the school orchestra. b)to have the ability to play a musical instrument: play (the) piano/guitar/violin etc. Matt plays the drums.4RADIO/CD ETC. if a radio, stereo, etc. plays or you make it play, it produces sound, especially music: The bedside radio played softly. Do you have to play your music so loud?play a CD/tape/record I usually play my jazz CDs to relax.5IN A PLAY/MOVIE [transitive] eng. lang. arts to perform the actions and say the words of a particular character in a theater performance, movie, etc.: Who’s playing James Bond in the new movie?play a role/part/character Gibson convincingly played the part of the villain.6PLAY/MOVIE [intransitive] eng. lang. arts if a play or movie is playing at a particular theater, it is being performed or shown there: The musical is still playing on Broadway.7play a part/role in something to have an effect or an influence on something: Politics played no part in my decision.8play ball a)to throw, kick, hit, or catch a ball as a game or activity: You kids should go outside if you want to play ball. b)informal to do what someone asks you to do SYN cooperate: If they won’t play ball, we’ll have to work with another bank.9PERFORM SOMEWHERE [intransitive always + adv./prep., transitive] eng. lang. arts to perform in a particular play or place: They played small local theaters.10POSITION ON A TEAM [transitive] to have a particular position on a sports team: I played center in high school.11PRETEND [linking verb] to pretend to be a particular kind of person or to have a particular feeling or quality, when this is not typical or true: If he asks where I was, play dumb (=pretend you do not know the answer). Some snakes play dead by lying limply on the ground. Don’t play the fool (=pretend to be stupid, or behave in a silly way) with me, young man.play the teacher/the big man etc. Susan felt she had to play the good wife.12BEHAVE [transitive always + adv./prep.] to behave in a particular way in a situation in order to achieve the result or effect that you want: It’s an important meeting so let’s think how we’re going to play it. Janet wants to play it safe (=avoid taking any risks) and not put all of our money in stocks.play it carefully/cool etc. It’s always smarter to play it cool when you first meet a guy.13play it by ear to decide what to do according to the way a situation develops, without making plans before that time: I’m not sure exactly where I’ll go in the summer – I’ll play it by ear.14play a joke/trick on somebody to do something to someone as a joke or trick: The kids in the class decided to play a joke on their teacher.15play by the rules to do what is expected and agreed on: Some of the salesmen don’t play by the rules.16somebody’s mind/memory etc. plays tricks (on him/her) if your mind, memory, sight, etc. plays tricks on you, you become slightly confused so that you are not sure what is correct: My mind must be playing tricks on me – I’m sure I left my bag on the chair.17play games to behave in a silly or annoying way by not being direct or serious enough: Stop playing games and tell me what’s going on.18play politics to use a situation or relationships to gain an advantage: The president is accused of playing politics with disaster relief.19play the ball [always + adv./prep.] to hit a ball in a particular way or to a particular place in a game or sport: She played the ball low, just over the net.20play God disapproving to make very important decisions that no person has the right to make, for example whether someone should live or die21play your cards right to behave in a smart or skillful way in a situation so that you gain as much as possible from it: You’ll get a bargain if you play your cards right.22play second fiddle (to somebody) to be slightly lower in rank or less important than someone or something else23play with fire to do something that is likely to have a very dangerous or harmful result: Dating the boss’s daughter is playing with fire.24play hard to get to pretend that you are not romantically interested in someone so that he or she will become more interested in you: You should call her again – I think she’s just playing hard to get.25play the race/nationalist/equality etc. card to use a particular subject in a public situation, especially politics, in order to gain an advantage: She had often played the race card to silence her critics.26play for time to try to delay something so that you have more time to prepare for it or prevent it from happening: The U.S. strategy has been to play for time.27play (right) into somebody’s hands to do something that helps someone you are competing with or fighting against, without realizing it: Foolishly, the enemy had played right into our hands.28play the system to use the rules of a system in a smart way, to gain advantage for yourself: Accountants know how to play the tax system.29play the market to risk money on the stock market as a way of trying to earn more money30play the field to have romantic relationships with a lot of different people31play the game to do things in the way you are expected to do them or in a way that is usual in a particular situation: In business, you have to be willing to play the game.32play fast and loose with somebody/something to treat someone in a selfish careless way, or to not obey rules or the law carefully: The mayor liked to play fast and loose with the rules.33play hooky to stay away from school without permission34play somebody for a sucker/fool to show by the way that you behave toward someone that you think he or she is stupid35LIGHT [intransitive always + adv./prep.] if light plays on something, it shines on it and moves around on it: She watched the sunlight playing on the water.36SMILE [intransitive always + adv./prep.] literary if a smile plays over someone’s lips, he or she smiles quickly and only a little[Origin: Old English plegan] → see also play/keep/hold your cards close to your chest/vest at card1 (12), play withplay along phrasal verb1to pretend that you agree with someone’s ideas to gain an advantage for yourself or to avoid an argument: I wasn’t sure what he was saying was true, but I decided to play along.2to take part in a game with other people, especially by pretending to play a game you are watching on televisionplay around phrasal verb1to have a sexual relationship with someone that is not serious or not intended to last very long: play around with He wondered if his father had ever played around with other women.2to consider different ideas, try different methods, etc. to see what would be best: play around with The architect had played around with a few different ideas.3to behave in a silly way or waste time, when you should be doing something more serious SYN fool aroundplay at something phrasal verb1to do something without being very serious about it or without doing it correctly: After college, I played at being a writer for a while.2if children play at doing something or being someone, they pretend to do it or be that personplay something ↔ back phrasal verb to play something that has been recorded on a machine so that you can listen to it or watch it: I got home and played back my messages.play something ↔ down phrasal verb to try to make something seem less important, serious, or likely than it really is: The White House is trying to play down the latest scandal.play off phrasal verb1play off something to deliberately use a feeling, fact, or idea in order to get what you want, often in an unfair way: She’s smart and sly, playing off her sweet image.2play off somebody/something if two people or things play off each other, they work together in a way that makes the good qualities more noticeableplay somebody off against somebody phrasal verb to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with another, in order to get some advantage for yourselfplay on something phrasal verb to use someone’s fears, worries, or problems in order to gain an advantage for yourself: His campaign message plays on people’s fear of losing their jobs.play out phrasal verb1 play something ↔ out if a situation or event plays out, is played out, or plays itself out in a particular way, it continues or develops in that way: It’s too soon to say how the situation will play itself out.2play something ↔ out to live your life, continue your career, etc. in a particular way: The contestants on the show play out their lives in front of millions.play something ↔ up phrasal verb to emphasize something, especially in a way that makes it seem more important than it really is: The press has been playing up the racial aspects of the case.play up to somebody phrasal verb to behave in a very polite or kind way to someone because you want something from him or herplay with something phrasal verb1to keep touching something or moving it around SYN play around with: Stop playing with the remote control!2to consider the possibility of doing something, often not very seriously: I’ve been playing with the idea of traveling around the world.3play with words/language to use words in a smart or amusing way4have time/money to play with to have time or money that is available to be used: We don’t have much time to play with. verb | noun
playplay2 ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural plays) 1THEATER [countable] eng. lang. arts a story that is written to be performed by actors, especially in a theater: “Macbeth” is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.play about The play is about two men on trial for murder. We saw a play by Chekhov. The drama club puts on a play every spring (=performs a play).in a play He just got a part in a play. She writes plays and short stories.2AMUSEMENT [uncountable] things that people, especially children, do for amusement rather than as work: Play is important for children.at play She watched the children at play.3GAME/SPORT a)[countable] one particular action or set of actions during a sport or game: On the next play, Johnson ran fifteen yards for a touchdown. b)[uncountable] the action in a sport or game: Rain stopped play in the third round. c)[uncountable] the style or quality of the playing by a particular player or team in a game or sport: There was some very good play in the first quarter.4EFFECT/INFLUENCE [uncountable] the state of having an effect or influence or of being used or considered: play of We have to trust the free play of market forces.at/in play Some strange forces were at play. During the negotiations, cultural differences will certainly come into play. The situation brings a number of ethical issues into play.5in play/out of play if a ball is in play or out of play, it is still able or no longer able to be played with according to the rules of the game, especially because it is inside or outside the area allowed by the rules6a play for something an attempt to get something: Her behavior is obviously a play for attention.7a play on words eng. lang. arts a use of a word that is interesting or amusing because it can be understood as having two very different meanings SYN pun8make a play for somebody/something to try to begin a romantic relationship with someone or to try to gain something: It was obvious that she was making a play for Don.9the play of light/color/shadow etc. the way that light, color, or shadows change and make patterns in a particular situation: The photographer has captured the play of light on the lake.10in play able to be won or lost in a competition, election, etc.: Some of the Midwestern states are still very much in play.11LOOSENESS [uncountable] if there is some play in something, it is loose and can be moved: play in There’s too much play in the rope.COLLOCATIONSverbswrite a play So far, he has written three plays.go to (see) a play While we were in New York, we went to a play.see a play I’ve never seen the play.watch a play Some of the audience were talking instead of watching the play.perform a play The play was performed by the sixth graders.act/perform/appear/be in a play She acted in many plays in Los Angeles. Michael is currently in a play on Broadway.put on a play (also produce/stage a play) (=arrange for it to be performed) The school puts on a play every spring.direct a play (=tell the actors what to do) The play is directed by Paulette Randall.rehearse a play (=practice it) We spent weeks rehearsing the play.adjectives/nouns + playa stage play (=a play in a theater) I occasionally write reviews of local stage plays.a Broadway play (=a play for large audiences, in a theater in New York) He auditioned for a role in a Broadway play.a TV/radio play (=a play written to be performed on TV or radio) This horror story would make a good radio play.a school play I got a small part in the school play.