Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Play?

\Play\, v. t. {To play hob}, to play the part of a mischievous spirit; to work mischief. Plebs \Plebs\ (pl[e^]bz), n. [L. Cf. {Plebe}.] 1. The commonalty of ancient Rome who were citizens without the usual political rights; the plebeians; -- distinguished from the {patricians}. 2. Hence, the common people; the populace; -- construed as a pl.
\Play\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Played}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Playing}.] [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown origin. [root]28. Cf. {Plight}, n.] 1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. As Cannace was playing in her walk. --Chaucer. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! --Pope. And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. --Keble. 2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. ``Nay,'' quod this monk, ``I have no lust to pleye.'' --Chaucer. Men are apt to play with their healths. --Sir W. Temple. 3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. 4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. One that . . . can play well on an instrument. --Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. --Granville. 5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. His mother played false with a smith. --Shak. 6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. --Cheyne. 7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. Even as the waving sedges play with wind. --Shak. The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. --Addison. All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. --Pope. 8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. A lord will hear your play to-night. --Shak. Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne. {To play into a person's hands}, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit. {To play off}, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice. {To play upon}. (a) To make sport of; to deceive. Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. --Shak. (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words.
\Play\, v. t. 1. To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. --Herbert. 2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ. 3. To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin. 4. To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks. Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies. --Milton. 5. To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action; as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the woman. Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt. --Sir W. Scott. 6. To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball. 7. To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. {To play off}, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks. {To play one's cards}, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive. {Played out}, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.]
\Play\, n. 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. 2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. John naturally loved rough play. --Arbuthnot. 3. The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play. 4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. ``The next who comes in play.'' --Dryden. 5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action. A play ought to be a just image of human nature. --Dryden. 6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play. 7. Performance on an instrument of music. 8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. ``To give them play, front and rear.'' --Milton. The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them. --Moxon. 9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. {Play actor}, an actor of dramas. --Prynne. {Play debt}, a gambling debt. --Arbuthnot. {Play pleasure}, idle amusement. [Obs.] --Bacon. {A play upon words}, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning. {Play of colors}, prismatic variation of colors. {To bring into play}, {To come into play}, to bring or come into use or exercise. {To hold in play}, to keep occupied or employed. I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. --Macaulay.