Dictionary Entry
play
play is a 4-letter English word with 76 senses as noun, transitive verb, and verb in the JumbleFix dictionary. One common meaning is: To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. Face value is 9 in Scrabble and 10 in Words With Friends. Use the entries below when you need a playable sense, a nearby word, or another arrangement of the same letters.
4 letters · Scrabble 9 · Words With Friends 10 · 76 senses
Definitions
- 1noun
To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot.
- 2noun
To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless.
- 3noun
To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.
- 4noun
To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute.
- 5noun
To act; to behave; to practice deception.
- 6noun
To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays.
- 7noun
To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.
- 8noun
To act on the stage; to personate a character.
- 9transitive verb
To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump.
- 10transitive verb
To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.
- 11transitive verb
To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin.
- 12transitive verb
To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks.
- 13transitive verb
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.
- 14transitive verb
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.
- 15transitive verb
To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.
- 16noun
Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
- 17noun
Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game.
- 18noun
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.
- 19noun
Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit.
- 20noun
A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action.
- 21noun
The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play.
- 22noun
Performance on an instrument of music.
- 23noun
Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action.
- 24noun
Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.
- 25noun
the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
Synonyms
- 26noun
the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)
"his gambling cost him a fortune"
"there was heavy play at the blackjack table"
- 27noun
activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
"Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"
- 28noun
(game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession
"it is my turn"
"it is still my play"
Synonyms
- 29noun
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
"it was all done in play"
"their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
- 30noun
a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill
"he made a great maneuver"
"the runner was out on a play by the shortstop"
- 31noun
a preset plan of action in team sports
"the coach drew up the plays for her team"
- 32noun
an attempt to get something
"they made a futile play for power"
"he made a bid to gain attention"
Synonyms
- 33noun
utilization or exercise
"the play of the imagination"
- 34noun
movement or space for movement
"there was too much play in the steering wheel"
Synonyms
- 35noun
verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously)
"he became a figure of fun"
"he said it in sport"
- 36noun
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
"he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"
Synonyms
- 37noun
a theatrical performance of a drama
"the play lasted two hours"
- 38noun
a weak and tremulous light
"the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"
"the play of light on the water"
Synonyms
- 39noun
the removal of constraints
"he gave free rein to his impulses"
"they gave full play to the artist's talent"
- 40noun
a state in which action is feasible
"the ball was still in play"
"insiders said the company's stock was in play"
- 41noun
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
"rain stopped play in the 4th inning"
- 42verb
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"
Synonyms
- 43verb
pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind
"He acted the idiot"
"She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Synonyms
- 44verb
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line
"play a hooked fish"
- 45verb
consider not very seriously
"He is trifling with her"
"She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"
- 46verb
participate in games or sport
"We played hockey all afternoon"
"play cards"
- 47verb
contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
"Princeton plays Yale this weekend"
"Charlie likes to play Mary"
- 48verb
employ in a game or in a specific position
"They played him on first base"
- 49verb
use or move
"I had to play my queen"
- 50verb
shoot or hit in a particular manner
"She played a good backhand last night"
- 51verb
bet or wager (money)
"He played $20 on the new horse"
"She plays the races"
- 52verb
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"
- 53verb
stake on the outcome of an issue
"I bet $100 on that new horse"
"She played all her money on the dark horse"
- 54verb
make bets
"Play the races"
"play the casinos in Trouville"
- 55verb
use to one's advantage
"She plays on her clients' emotions"
- 56verb
discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream
"play water from a hose"
"The fountains played all day"
- 57verb
manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination
"She played nervously with her wedding ring"
"Don't fiddle with the screws"
- 58verb
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
"I cannot work a miracle"
"wreak havoc"
- 59verb
perform on a certain location
"The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"
"She has been playing on Broadway for years"
- 60verb
be performed or presented for public viewing
"What's playing in the local movie theater?"
"`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
- 61verb
cause to emit recorded audio or video
"They ran the tapes over and over again"
"I'll play you my favorite record"
Synonyms
- 62verb
emit recorded sound
"The tape was playing for hours"
"the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
- 63verb
play a role or part
"Gielgud played Hamlet"
"She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"
- 64verb
perform on a stage or theater
"She acts in this play"
"He acted in `Julius Caesar'"
- 65verb
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity
"Let's play like I am mommy"
"Play cowboy and Indians"
- 66verb
replay (as a melody)
"Play it again, Sam"
"She played the third movement very beautifully"
Synonyms
- 67verb
play on an instrument
"The band played all night long"
- 68verb
perform music on (a musical instrument)
"He plays the flute"
"Can you play on this old recorder?"
- 69verb
move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly
"The spotlights played on the politicians"
- 70verb
cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space
"The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
- 71verb
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"
- 72verb
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion
"On weekends I play"
"The students all recreate alike"
Synonyms
- 73verb
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"
- 74verb
behave carelessly or indifferently
"Play about with a young girl's affection"
- 75verb
behave in a certain way
"play safe"
"play it safe"
- 76verb
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"
Synonyms
Anagrams
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