Play (Verb)
Meaning 1
Move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
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Meaning 2
Pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 4
Pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
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Meaning 5
Replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
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Meaning 6
Shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 7
Consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
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Hypernyms
Meaning 8
Use or move; "I had to play my queen".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 9
Bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 10
Be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Meaning 11
Stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 12
Play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
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Meaning 13
Behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Hypernyms
Meaning 14
Engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Synonyms
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Meaning 15
Participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 16
Act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 17
Play on an instrument; "The band played all night long".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
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Meaning 18
Contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
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Meaning 19
Use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 20
Perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Related Words
Meaning 21
Cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack".
Classification
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 22
Make bets; "Play the races"; "play the casinos in Trouville".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Examples
- She decided to play the lottery every week in hopes of winning the jackpot.
- Every Friday night he would meet up with friends at the casino to play the slots.
- During his summer vacation in Monte Carlo, he enjoyed visiting the casinos to play roulette.
- She made a living playing poker at various casinos across the country.
- At the horse track, fans cheering on their favorite horses were ready to play the races for a chance to win.
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Meaning 23
Exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Hypernyms
Meaning 24
Manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She played nervously with her wedding ring as she stared at the empty apartment.
- He played with the idea of running for the Senate, weighing the pros and cons.
- The child played with the buttons on her mother's jacket, trying to figure out how they worked.
- The scientist played with the data, manipulating the variables to see what patterns emerged.
- She played with the string, weaving a complex pattern between her fingers.
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Meaning 25
Engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
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Meaning 26
Perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Related Words
Meaning 27
Cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
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Meaning 28
Perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas Carol'".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
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Meaning 29
Behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
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Meaning 30
Employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base".
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Hypernyms
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Meaning 31
Be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Hyponyms
- Fool Around
- Frisk
- Fool
- Skylark
- Splash Around
- Cavort
- Arse Around
- Gambol
- Sport
- Lark About
- Lark
- Disport
- Paddle
- Romp
- Rollick
- Run Around
Related Words
Meaning 32
Emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Meaning 33
Cause to emit recorded audio or video; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "I'll play you my favorite record"; "He never tires of playing that video".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.
Synonyms
Meaning 34
Discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Meaning 35
Be performed or presented for public viewing; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years".
Classification
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing.