play
Definitions
- Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
- Dave & Buster's.
- Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
- game; sport
- The conduct, or course, of a game.
- gaming
- The sphere or circumstance in which a playing implement, such as a ball, is available to be played (see also in play, out of play).
- set
- An individual's performance in a sport or game.
- kit
- A short sequence of action within a game.
- An action carried out when it is one's turn to play.
- A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
- A theatrical performance featuring actors.
- An attempt to move forward, as in a plan or strategy, for example by a business, investor, or political party.
- A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
- Movement (of a pattern of light etc.)
- Freedom to move.
- The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely, as for example lash, backlash, or slack.
- Sexual activity or sexual role-playing.
- An instance of watching or listening to media.
- An instance or instances of causing media to be watched or heard, such as by broadcasting.
- A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
- An instance of wordplay.
- Activity relating to martial combat or fighting.
Conjugation
Browse the table or drill it — all tenses, moods, and persons of play.
Equivalents
79 more languages
Afrikaansspeel
བོད་སྐད།རྩེད་མོ་རྩེ
Suomiesiintymähuijatakenttäklappileikkileikkiänaruttaanäytelmäpelipitää hauskaasiirtosoittaatelmiätoistaatoistovälys
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻihoʻokani
Кыргызчаойноо
Lingálasana
ລາວລະຄອນ
Монголтоглох
मराठीखेळणे
Maltidaqq
नेपालीखेल्नु
Polskibawić sięfolgagragracigraszkaodtwarzaćposunięcieprzedstawieniepuścićrozgrywkaspektaklsztukaudaćudawaćzabawa
සිංහලනෙයියාඩම
Soomaaliciyaarid
Shqipluaj
Kiswahilitamthilia
Тоҷикӣбозӣ кардан
Türkmençeoýnamak
ئۇيغۇرچەئوينىماق
اردوکھیلنا
Examples
“Children learn⟳ through play⟳.”
“She was fond of all boys' plays, and greatly preferred cricket […] to dolls […]”
“1964, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure You know⟳, when I was around 7-11 years old, my favorite play⟳ would be "boys." One of us, Bridget, Maryellen, or I, would say⟳ "Let's play⟳ boys." We all had boy names, set⟳ up the pretend⟳ surroundings, and acted like⟳ boys.”
“This kind of play⟳ helps the young lion cubs develop⟳ their hunting skills.”
“Play⟳ was very slow in the first half.”
“After the rain⟳ break⟳, play⟳ resumed at 3 o'clock.”
“The game was abandoned after 20 minutes' play⟳”
“In potting the yellow ball, he's knocked the green into play⟳.”
“When a chess piece is captured, it is removed from play⟳.”
“That option has been removed from play⟳.”
“His play⟳ has improved a lot this season.”
“That was a great play⟳ by the Mudchester Rovers forward⟳.”
“AWARD is better than either WARED or WADER. However, there's an even better play⟳! If you have⟳ looked at the two-to-make-three letter list, you may have⟳ noticed the word AWA.”
“This book contains all of Shakespeare's plays.”
“We saw⟳ a two-act play⟳ in the theatre.”
“My kids are acting in the school play⟳ this Christmas.”
“ABC Widgets makes a play⟳ in the bicycle market with its bid to take⟳ over Acme Sprockets.”
“Turpin signals the Metric Party's long-term play⟳ for housing reform⟳”
“the play⟳ of light⟳ and shadow across the boy's face⟳”
“the sum of mental and physical phenomena known by the conventional name⟳ “person” or “individual” is not at all the mere play⟳ of blind chance.”
“give⟳ play⟳ to your imagination”
“No wonder⟳ the fanbelt is slipping: there’s too much play⟳ in it.”
“Too much play⟳ in a steering wheel may be dangerous.”
“petplay”
“Sexy LF novice seeks seasoned top to spice up my play⟳ life. Teach⟳ me a lesson I won't forget⟳.”
“The rarity of male domination in fantasy play⟳ is readily explained.”
“Palm Springs M seeks sane F 4 safe bdsm play⟳”
“There were none of the usual restrictions on public nudity or sexual interaction in the club environment. Still, the night was young, and as he'd made his way to the bar to order⟳ Mistress Ramona a gin and tonic, he'd seen little in the way of play⟳.”
“This type⟳ of play⟳ allows some people to relax⟳ and enjoy⟳ being given pleasure without having to think⟳ about giving pleasure back at the same time.”
“That video of my cat falling off the piano has had ten thousand plays.”
“The most-streamed artist of the year was British singer Ed Sheeran, who amassed 860 million plays with hits like⟳ “I See⟳ Fire.””
“Their single got a play⟳ on the radio.”
“The song got a lot of play⟳ in the clubs.”
“press⟳ play⟳”
“play⟳ on words”
“The name⟳ Wiktionary is a play⟳ on the words wiki and dictionary.”
“handplay, swordplay”
“Dave and Buster’s (PLAY⟳), the popular restaurant and entertainment chain, is getting into the betting business.”
CEFR level
A1
Beginner
This word is part of the CEFR A1 vocabulary — beginner level.
This word is part of the CEFR A1 vocabulary — beginner level.
Know this word better than we do? Language is a living thing — help us keep it growing. Collaborate with Babel Free