play

II. play² S1 W2 BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑play, ↑interplay, ↑replay, ↑player, ↑playfulness; verb: ↑play, ↑outplay, ↑replay; adjective: ↑playful, ↑playable; adverb: ↑playfully]
[Language: Old English; Origin: plega]
1. THEATRE [countable] a story that is written to be performed by actors, especially in a theatre:
a play by Chekhov
This is a major theme of Miller’s plays.
play about
Edward Bond’s play about class war
2. AMUSEMENT [uncountable] things that people, especially children, do for amusement rather than as work:
Play is very important to a child’s development.
a play area
through play
The program aims to teach road safety through play.
at play
the happy shouts of children at play
3. EFFECT [uncountable] the effect or influence of something:
the free play of competition in the building industry
at play
There are a number of factors at play (=having an effect) in the current recession.
bring/put something into play (=use something or make it have an effect)
A complex system of muscles is brought into play for each body movement.
Political considerations do come into play (=have an effect) when making policy.
4. ACTION IN A GAME OR SPORT
a) [uncountable] the actions of the people who are playing a game or sport:
Rain stopped play after only an hour.
b) [countable] one particular action or set of actions during a game:
On the next play, Johnson ran 15 yards for a touchdown.
5. in play/out of play if a ball is in play or out of play, it is inside or outside the area in which the rules of the game allow you to hit, kick, catch etc the ball:
He kicked the ball out of play.
6. play on words a use of a word that is interesting or amusing because it can be understood as having two very different meanings SYN pun
7. play of light patterns made by light as it moves over a surface:
the play of light on the water
8. make a play for something to make an attempt to gain something:
He made a play for the leadership last year.
9. make a play for somebody to try to begin a romantic or sexual relationship with someone:
It’s obvious he was making a play for her.
10. LOOSENESS [uncountable] if there is some play in something, it is loose and can be moved:
There’s too much play in the rope.
⇨ ↑fair play, ↑foul play

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

noun

CHILDREN
1. uncountable things that people, especially children, do for pleasure rather than as work
• the happy sounds of children at play
• the importance of learning through play

• a play area

IN THEATRE

2. countable a piece of writing performed by actors in a theatre or on television or radio
• to put on (= perform) a play
• a play by Shakespeare
• a radio play

see also morality play, mystery play, Passion play

IN SPORT

3. uncountable the playing of a game
• Rain stopped play.
• There was some excellent play in yesterday's match.
• The spectators were asked to be quiet during play.

see also fair play, foul play

4. countable (NAmE) an action or move in a game

• a defensive play

IN ROPE

5. uncountable the possibility of free and easy movement

• We need more play in the rope.

ACTIVITY/INFLUENCE

6. uncountable the activity or operation of sth; the influence of sth on sth else
• the free play of market forces
• The financial crisis has brought new factors into play.

• Personal feelings should not come into play when you are making business decisions.

OF LIGHT/A SMILE

7. uncountable (literary) a light, quick movement that keeps changing
• the play of sunlight on water
more at call sth into play at call _v., child's play at child, the state of play at state _n., all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy) at work _n.
Word Origin:
Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Thesaurus:
play noun
1. U
• the happy sounds of children at play
fun • • amusement • • entertainment • • pleasure • • recreation • • relaxation •
do sth for fun/amusement/entertainment/pleasure/recreation/relaxation
2. C
• a play by Shakespeare
drama • • comedy • • tragedy • • farce • • sketch •
a play/drama/comedy/tragedy/farce/sketch about sth
perform a play/drama/sketch
see a play/drama/comedy/sketch
Example Bank:
• At close of play he had scored 38 not out.
• Children spend hours at play.
• He kicked the ball out of play.
• He made several nice defensive plays.
• He was sent off for foul play.
• I only said it in play.
• Rain stopped play 40 minutes into the match.
• The ball is still in play.
• The children always perform a nativity play every Christmas.
• The local council runs some good play schemes.
• The offensive coordinator has called 60 running plays and 44 passes.
• The play is reviewed in most of today's papers.
• There were ten double plays completed.
• They ran 10 plays inside the 30 in the fourth quarter.
• a play about teenage runaways
• the final play of the first half
• the team's ability to execute a play
• Kate's class decided to put on a play for the school.
• The theatre was refused permission to stage the play.
• They are performing a play by Pinter.
• a children's play area

• the happy sounds of children at play

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

play / pleɪ / noun [ C ] (ACTING)

A2 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."

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

play

[ple͟ɪ]
♦
plays, playing, played
1) VERB When children, animals, or perhaps adults play, they spend time doing enjoyable things, such as using toys and taking part in games.
  ...invite the children round to play...
  They played in the little garden...
  [V with n] Polly was playing with her teddy bear.
N-UNCOUNT
Play is also a noun. ...a few hours of play until the baby-sitter takes them off to bed.
2) V-RECIP When you play a sport, game, or match, you take part in it.
  [pl-n V n] While the twins played cards, Francis sat reading...
  [V n with n] Alain was playing cards with his friends...
  [V n (non-recip)] I used to play basketball...
  [V for n (non-recip)] I want to play for my country...
  [V (non-recip)] He captained the team but he didn't actually play.
N-UNCOUNT
Play is also a noun. Both sides adopted the Continental style of play.
3) VERB When one person or team plays another or plays against them, they compete against them in a sport or game.
  [V n] Northern Ireland will play Latvia...
  [V against n] I've played against him a few times.
N-UNCOUNT
Play is also a noun. Fischer won after 5 hours and 41 minutes of play.
4) VERB When you play the ball or play a shot in a game or sport, you kick or hit the ball.
  [V n] Think first before playing the ball...
  [V n] Sikander Bakht played a bad shot...
  [V n adv] I played the ball back slightly.
5) VERB If you play a joke or a trick on someone, you deceive them or give them a surprise in a way that you think is funny, but that often causes problems for them or annoys them.
  [V n on n] Someone had played a trick on her, stretched a piece of string at the top of those steps...
  [V n] I thought: `This cannot be happening, somebody must be playing a joke'.
6) VERB If you play with an object or with your hair, you keep moving it or touching it with your fingers, perhaps because you are bored or nervous.
  [V with n] She stared at the floor, idly playing with the strap of her handbag.
  Syn:
  toy
7) N-COUNT A play is a piece of writing which is performed in a theatre, on the radio, or on television.
  The company put on a play about the homeless...
  It's my favourite Shakespeare play.
8) VERB If an actor plays a role or character in a play or film, he or she performs the part of that character.
  [V n] ...Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, in which he played Hyde...
  [V n] His ambition is to play the part of Dracula.
9) V-LINK You can use play to describe how someone behaves, when they are deliberately behaving in a certain way or like a certain type of person. For example, to play the innocent, means to pretend to be innocent, and to play deaf means to pretend not to hear something.
  [V n] Hill tried to play the peacemaker...
  [V n] She was just playing the devoted mother...
  So you want to play nervous today? [Also V adj]
  Syn:
  act
10) VERB You can describe how someone deals with a situation by saying that they play it in a certain way. For example, if someone plays it cool, they keep calm and do not show much emotion, and if someone plays it straight, they behave in an honest and direct way.
  [V it adj/adv] Investors are playing it cautious, and they're playing it smart.
11) V-ERG If you play a musical instrument or play a tune on a musical instrument, or if a musical instrument plays, music is produced from it.
  [V n] Nina had been playing the piano...
  [V n] Two people played jazz on a piano...
  [V for n] He played for me...
  [V n n] Place your baby in her seat and play her a lullaby...
  The guitars played. [Also V n for n]
12) V-ERG If you play a record, a compact disc, or a tape, you put it into a machine and sound is produced. If a record or tape is playing, sound is being produced from it.
  [V n] She played her records too loudly...
  [V n] Every evening in those days the BBC played `God Save The King'...
  [V n] The records were played on the radio...
  There is classical music playing in the background. [Also V n n]
13) VERB If a musician or group of musicians plays or plays a concert, they perform music for people to listen or dance to.
  A band was playing...
  [V n] He will play concerts in Amsterdam and Paris.
  Syn:
  perform
14) VERB When light plays somewhere, it moves about on a surface in an unsteady way. [LITERARY]
  [V prep] The sun played on the frosty roofs.
15) PHRASE: V inflects (feelings) If you ask what someone is playing at, you are angry because you think they are doing something stupid or wrong. [INFORMAL]
  What the hell are you playing at?.
16) PHRASE: V inflects When something comes into play or is brought into play, it begins to be used or to have an effect.
  The real existence of a military option will come into play...
  Breathing brings many muscles into play.
17) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR in n If something or someone plays a part or plays a role in a situation, they are involved in it and have an effect on it.
  They played a part in the life of their community...
  The UN would play a major role in monitoring a ceasefire.
  ...the role played by diet in disease.
18) to play ball → see ball
to play your cards right → see card
to play it by ear → see ear
to play fair → see fair
to play fast and loose → see fast
to play second fiddle → see fiddle
to play the field → see field
to play with fire → see fire
to play the fool → see fool
to play to the gallery → see gallery
to play into someone's hands → see hand
to play hard to get → see hard
to play havoc → see havoc
to play host → see host
to play safe → see safe
to play for time → see time
to play truant → see truant
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - play along
  - play at
  - play around
  - play back
  - play down
  - play off against
  - play on
  - play out
  - play up
  - play upon

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

play

²play noun, pl plays
1 [count] : a piece of writing that tells a story through the actions and words of characters and that is performed on a stage
• The play is based on a real-life event.
• He wrote, directed, and starred in the play.
• plays by Shakespeare
• His fifth grade class is putting on a play about the first Thanksgiving.
• I've gone to all of my daughter's school plays.
• She's currently adapting a stage play [=a play that is written to be performed on a stage] for the big screen.
- see also mystery play, passion play, screenplay
2 [noncount] : activities that are done especially by children for fun or enjoyment
• The book discusses the role of play in a child's development.
• imaginative play
• As the saying goes, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
• a safe play area
• the sounds of children at play [=the sounds of children playing]
- see also child's play
3 a [noncount] : the action that happens during a game
• Please, no talking during play.
• Rain held up play for an hour.
• The chess match finally ended after three hours of play.
• The two golfers were tied at the start of play yesterday.
• We were surprised with/by the other team's level/quality of play.
b : the time when a person playing a game is supposed to do something

[count]

• It's your play. [=(more commonly) turn]

[noncount]

• Roll the dice to determine the order of play. [=to decide who plays first, second, etc.]
4 [count] US : a particular action or set of actions that happens during a game: such as
a American football : a planned attempt to move the ball forward or to stop an opponent from moving the ball forward
• The quarterback called out the play to his teammates.
• He ran 50 yards on that last play.
• running/passing plays
• a defensive/offensive play
b baseball : an action that is done to try to get a player out
• He was called safe on a close play at first base.
- often used with make
• The shortstop made a great play to end the inning.
• She had a chance to catch the ball, but she failed to make the play.
- see also double play, triple play
c : the act of moving a piece in a game like chess or checkers
• the first/opening play [=move] of the game
5 [noncount] : the state of being active or having an effect
• the play of market forces
• She promotes the free play of ideas in her classroom.
• Several issues are at play [=are involved] in determining the price of gasoline.
• The students' creativity was brought/called/put into play on this last assignment. [=the students had to use their creativity]
• Two important factors come into play. [=are involved]
6 [noncount]
a : time when a musical recording is played by a radio station : airplay
• The song has been getting heavy radio play. [=radio stations have been playing the song frequently]
b US : attention in newspapers, on television, etc.
• The story has so far received little play in the press. [=has not gotten much attention in the press]
7 [count] : a humorous or clever way of using a word or phrase so that more than one meaning is suggested - + on
• The title of the article makes a play on the prime minister's last name.
• a play on the word's original meaning
• a clever play on words [=pun]
- see also wordplay
8 [noncount]
a : a function of a machine that causes recorded sounds or pictures to be heard or seen
• Press “Play” to start the movie.
b : time when a machine is being used to hear or see recorded sounds or pictures
• The CD player's batteries only provided three to four hours of play.
9 [singular] : the irregular or lively movement of something
• Look at the dazzling play of colors in this diamond.
• a play of shadow and light
10 [noncount] : loose and free movement of something (such as part of a machine)
• There's too much play in the car's steering wheel.
in/into play of a ball : in or into the area where players must stay in sports
• She tried to keep the ball in play, but it bounced out of bounds.
• He put the ball back into play.
make a play for : to try to get (someone or something)
• He made a play for her. [=he tried to start a romantic or sexual relationship with her]
• She made a play for the job, but she didn't get it.
out of play of a ball : outside the area where players must stay in sports
• The ball is out of play [=dead] if it crosses these lines.