Meaning of play In English

• 0 When you play, especially as a child, you spend time doing an enjoyable and/or entertaining activity:

  • The children spent the afternoon playing with their new toys.

  • My daughter used to play with the kids next door.

• 1 to take part in a game or other organized activity:

  • Do you want to play cards/football (with us)?

  • Irene won't be able to play in the tennis match on Saturday.

  • Which team do you play for?

  • Luke plays centre-forward (= plays in that position within the team).

  • Who are the Giants playing next week?

  • He played the ball back to the goalkeeper.

  • A good pool player takes time deciding which shot to play.

  • She played the ace of spades.

• 2 to perform an entertainment or a particular character in a play, film, etc.:

  • Scottish Opera played to full houses every night.

  • I didn't realize that "Macbeth" was playing (= being performed) at the festival.

  • In the movie version, Branagh played the hero.

  • to play dead/dumb

  • Would you mind playing host (= entertaining the guests)?

  • She loves playing practical jokes on her friends.

  • My thanks to everyone who has played a part in saving the hospital.

• 3 to perform music on an instrument or instruments:

  • He learned to play the clarinet at the age of ten.

  • [ + two objects ] Play us a song!/Play a song for us!

  • On Radio London they play African and South American music as well as rock and pop.

  • They could hear a jazz band playing in the distance.

  • Play the last few minutes of the video again.

• 4 to direct or be directed over or onto something:

  • Firefighters played their hoses onto the base of the fire.

  • A fountain was playing (= sending out water) in the courtyard outside.

  • A smile played across/over/on his lips.

• 5 to risk money, especially on the results of races or business deals, hoping to win more money:

  • He plays the horses/the stock market.

• 6 a piece of writing that is intended to be acted in a theatre or on radio or television:

  • a radio play

  • "Did you see the play (= the performance of the play) on Thursday?" "No, I went on Wednesday night."

• 7 the activity of taking part in a sport or a game:

  • Rain stopped play during the final of the National Tennis Championship.

  • The new pitcher made a great play on that throw to first base.

  • The ball had gone out of play.

  • She managed to keep the ball in play.

• 8 activity that is not serious but done for enjoyment, especially when children enjoy themselves with toys and games:

  • The kids don't get much time for play in the evenings.

  • We watched the children at play in the park.

• 9 movement:

  • the play of moonlight across the water

  • the play of emotion across/on his face

  • Aircraft wings are designed to have a certain amount of play in them.

• 10 to spend time doing something enjoyable or amusing:

  • The children spent the afternoon playing.

• 11 to take part in a game or other organized activity:

  • [ T ] He loves playing football.

  • [ I ] What team does she play for?

  • [ T ] We’re going to the stadium to see New York play Chicago.

  • [ T ] In golf, you have to take time to decide how to play difficult shots.

• 12 to perform as a character in a play or movie, or (of a performance) to be shown:

  • [ T ] She played the part of a beautiful and brilliant scientist.

  • [ I ] What’s playing at (= being shown at) the local movie theaters?

  • [ L ] Don’t play dumb with me (= pretend you don’t know anything) – you know very well what happened!

  • [ T ] The president denied that politics played any part in his decision to appoint a woman to the Supreme Court.

  • She loves to play jokes on her friends.

• 13 to perform music on an instrument, or to cause something that produces sound or a picture to operate:

  • [ I/T ] She plays (the piano) beautifully.

  • [ T ] I was just playing my stereo.

  • I learned how toplay the guitar by ear (= by listening rather than by reading music).

• 14 to risk money, esp. on the results of races or business deals, hoping to win money:

  • He plays the stock market.

• 15 a story that is intended to be acted out before people who have come to see it:

  • She starred in many Broadway plays in her career.

• 16 If a ball or something else is in play, it is in a position where it can be used as part of the regular action in a game or sport, and if it is out of play, it is not in such a position:

  • [ U ] She put the ball in play in midfield.

  • [ C ] The school football team has been practicing new plays all week.

• 17 to have money, time, etc. available to use:

  • Swelling tax receipts have given the government more money to play with over the last two years.

• 18 to obey the rules of a particular system:

  • Workers should not be relegated to poverty if they work hard and play by the rules.

• 19 to do things in the way that you want, rather than obeying the rules of a particular system:

  • Large multinational corporations often play by their own rules.

• 20 to try to be as successful as other people, companies, etc.:

  • The firm has adapted quickly to changes in the global market, leaving its rivals to play catch up.

• 21 to take big risks in order to achieve something that you really want:

  • The Prime Minister is playing for high stakes, at the risk of alienating public opinion.

• 22 to decide not to take risks:

  • The federal government often plays it safe by funding research that is likely to succeed but may have only a slight impact.

  • The biggest companies usually play safe and hire top legal firms from London or New York.

• 23 to trade shares, bonds, etc., especially in order to make money quickly, rather than to invest over a longer period:

  • Spread betting companies offer an opportunity for private individuals to play the stock market.

• 24 to have a lot of power or influence in a particular situation:

  • His financial expertise played a major role in London City airport's development.

  • IT had a key part to play in modernizing the organization.

• 25 to use a set of rules or laws in order to get an advantage for yourself, in a way that may not be fair:

  • If you know how to play the system, there are various legal loopholes to be exploited.

• 26 to do things that you know you are good at:

  • In business, you sometimes have to follow your instincts and play to your strengths.

• 27 the act of trading shares, bonds, etc.:

  • Institutional investors remained on the sidelines, refusing to make any big plays until a definite announcement is made.

• 28 to have an influence in a situation:

  • Many issues are at play here, including the impact on the environment.

• 29 if a company or its shares are in play, they may be bought by other companies or shareholders:

  • In a corporate-driven deal environment, even "untouchable" bank stocks could be in play.

• 30 to start to use something for a particular purpose:

  • Special computer software programs were brought into play during the vote recount.

• 31 to begin to have an influence on something:

  • New federal pension laws have come into play that could affect the retirement security of many of our employees.

• 32 to try to get control of something:

  • The government has been accused of making a play for online betting tax revenues.