Play (verb)
To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
“They played long and hard.”
Play (verb)
To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
“He plays on three teams.”
“Who’s playing now?”
“play football;”
“play sports;”
“play games”
Play (verb)
To compete against, in a game.
“We’re playing one of the top teams in the next round.”
Play (verb)
To take part in amorous activity; to make love, fornicate; to have sex.
Play (verb)
To act as the indicated role, especially in a performance.
“He plays the King, and she’s the Queen.”
“No part of the brain plays the role of permanent memory.”
Play (verb)
To produce music or theatre.
Play (verb)
(in the scoring of games and sports) To be the opposing score to.
“Look at the score now … 23 plays 8!”
Play (verb)
To produce music.
Play (verb)
To produce music using a musical instrument.
“I’ve practiced the piano off and on, but I still can’t play very well.”
Play (verb)
To produce music (or a specified song or musical style) using (a specified musical instrument).
“I’ll play the piano and you sing.”
“Can you play an instrument?”
“We especially like to play jazz together.”
“Play a song for me.”
“Do you know how to play Für Elise?”
“My son thinks he can play music.”
Play (verb)
To use a device to watch or listen to the indicated recording.
“You can play the DVD now.”
Play (verb)
To be performed; to be shown.
“His latest film is playing in the local theatre tomorrow.”
Play (verb)
To perform in or at; to give performances in or at.
Play (verb)
To behave in a particular way.
Play (verb)
To act or perform (a play).
“to play a comedy”
Play (verb)
Contrary to fact, to give an appearance of being.
Play (verb)
To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.
Play (verb)
To act; to behave; to practice deception.
Play (verb)
To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate.
“The fountain plays.”
“He played the torch beam around the room.”
Play (verb)
To move gaily; to disport.
Play (verb)
To put in action or motion.
“to play cannon upon a fortification;”
“to play a trump in a card game”
Play (verb)
To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.
Play (verb)
To manipulate, deceive, or swindle someone.
“You played me!”
Play (noun)
Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
“Children learn through play.”
Play (noun)
Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
“This kind of play helps the young lion cubs develop their hunting skills.”
Play (noun)
“Repeated, incompletely functional behavior differing from more serious versions …, and initiated voluntarily when … in a low-stress setting.”
Play (noun)
The conduct, or course, of a game.
“Play was very slow in the first half.”
“After the rain break, play resumed at 3 o’clock.”
Play (noun)
An individual’s performance in a sport or game.
“His play has improved a lot this season.”
Play (noun)
A short sequence of action within a game.
“That was a great play by the Mudchester Rovers forward.”
Play (noun)
An action carried out when it is one’s turn to play.
“move”
Play (noun)
A literary composition, intended to be represented by actors impersonating the characters and speaking the dialogue.
“This book contains all of Shakespeare’s plays.”
Play (noun)
A theatrical performance featuring actors.
“We saw a two-act play in the theatre.”
Play (noun)
A major move by a business or investor.
“ABC Widgets makes a play in the bicycle market with its bid to take over Acme Sprockets.”
Play (noun)
A geological formation that contains an accumulation or prospect of hydrocarbons or other resources.
Play (noun)
The extent to which a part of a mechanism can move freely.
“No wonder the fanbelt is slipping: there’s too much play in it.”
“Too much play in a steering wheel may be dangerous.”
Play (noun)
Sexual activity or sexual role-playing.
Play (noun)
A button that, when pressed, causes media to be played.
Play (noun)
Activity relating to martial combat or fighting.
“handplay}}, {{m|en|swordplay”
Musical (adjective)
Of, belonging or relating to music, or to its performance or notation.
“musical proportion; musical instruments”
Musical (adjective)
Pleasing to the ear; sounding agreeably; having the qualities of music; melodious; harmonious.
“She had a musical voice.”
Musical (adjective)
Fond of music; discriminating with regard to music; gifted or skilled in music.
“the child is musical; having a musical ear”
Musical (adjective)
Pertaining to a class of games in which players move while music plays, but have to take a fixed position when it stops; by extension, any situation where people repeatedly change positions.
Musical (noun)
A stage performance, show or film that involves singing, dancing and musical numbers performed by the cast as well as acting.
Musical (noun)
A meeting or a party for a musical entertainment; a musicale.