PLAY | English Meaning, Definition, and Pronunciation

Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’

engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose

engage in activity for recreation

• the children were playing by a pool

take part in (a sport)

take part regularly in sport

• I play squash and badminton

be cooperative

be cooperative

• he needs financial backing, but the building societies won't play

represent (a character) in a theatrical performance or a film

represent character in drama or film

• early in her career she played Ophelia

perform on (a musical instrument)

perform on musical instrument

• a man was playing a guitar

move lightly and quickly, so as to appear and disappear; flicker

move lightly and quickly

• little beams of light played over the sea

allow (a fish) to exhaust itself pulling against a line before reeling it in

allow fish to exhaust itself before reeling in

• no fisherman ever played a bonita more carefully or with greater wile

activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children

activity engaged in for recreation

• a child at play may use a stick as an aeroplane

the conducting of a sporting match

act of conducting sporting match

• rain wrecked the second day's play

a dramatic work for the stage or to be broadcast

dramatic work

• the actors put on a new play

the space in or through which a mechanism can or does move

space in which mechanism can move

• the steering rack was loose, and there was a little play

light and constantly changing movement

light and constantly changing movement

• the artist exploits the play of light across the surface