American English

beauty

beau‧ty S3 W2 /ˈbjuːti/ BrE AmE noun (plural beauties)
[Word Family: noun: ↑beautician, ↑beauty; adverb: ↑beautifully; adjective: ↑beautiful]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: biauté, from bel, biau 'beautiful', from Latin bellus 'pretty']
1. APPEARANCE [uncountable] a quality that people, places, or things have that makes them very attractive to look at:
her beauty and grace
an area of outstanding natural beauty
Millions of dollars are spent each year on beauty products.
2. WOMAN [countable] a woman who is very beautiful:
She was considered a great beauty in her youth.
3. POEM/MUSIC/EMOTION ETC [uncountable] a quality that something such as a poem, song, emotion etc has that gives you pleasure or joy
beauty of
the beauty of Shakespeare’s verse
4. ADVANTAGE the beauty of something a particularly good quality that makes something especially suitable or useful:
The beauty of e-mail is its speed and ease of use.
5. [countable] spoken a very good, large etc example of something:
You should have seen the boat – a real beauty.
6. beauty is in the eye of the beholder used to say that different people have different opinions about what is beautiful
7. beauty is only skin-deep used to say that how someone looks is not as important as a good character
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ beauty the quality of being very attractive to look at - used about people, objects, and places: She was greatly admired for her beauty and intelligence. | the natural beauty of the landscape. | The Ancient Greeks created statues of outstanding beauty and dignity.
▪ sb’s good looks someone’s attractive appearance, especially their face and features: With his dark good looks, Jason could have been a film star.
▪ glamour an exciting quality which makes someone or something seem attractive and connected with wealth and success: Men loved her for her beauty and her glamour. | Add a black lace top for a touch of glamour.
▪ aesthetic adjective connected with beauty and the study of beauty: The aesthetic value of their work is easy to appreciate. | the declining aesthetic standards of our civiliization | The aesthetic qualities in a Buddhist sculpture are similar to those in any other work of art.

hospital

hos‧pi‧tal S1 W1 /ˈhɒspɪtl $ ˈhɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Medieval Latin hospitale 'place to stay at', from Latin hospitalis 'of a guest', from hospes; ⇨ ↑host¹]
a large building where sick or injured people receive medical treatment:
They are building a new hospital.
in hospital British English:
She visited him in hospital.
in the hospital American English:
Two people are in the hospital with serious burns.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go to hospital British English, go to the hospital American English The pain got worse and she had to go to the hospital.
▪ be taken/rushed/airlifted to hospital British English, be taken/rushed/airlifted to the hospital American English Three people were taken to hospital after a crash on the motorway.
▪ be admitted to hospital British English, be admitted to the hospital American English He was admitted to hospital suffering from chest pain.
▪ leave/come out of hospital British English, leave/come out of the hospital American English Her mother never left the hospital.
▪ be discharged/released from hospital British English, be discharged/released from the hospital American English (=be allowed to leave a hospital because you are better) It was several weeks before he was released from hospital.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + hospital
▪ a psychiatric hospital (also a mental hospital old-fashioned) (=for people with mental illnesses) He was admitted to a secure psychiatric hospital.
▪ a children’s hospital an important children’s hospital
▪ a maternity hospital British English (=for women having babies) Many maternity hospitals have been forced to close.
■ hospital + NOUN
▪ hospital treatment/care What do older people think of hospital care?
▪ a hospital stay (=the period someone spends in hospital) New surgical techniques mean a hospital stay of less than 48 hours.
▪ a hospital bed There is a shortage of hospital beds.
▪ a hospital ward/room nurses working on hospital wards
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ hospital a large building where sick or injured people receive medical treatment: He was taken by ambulance to the local hospital. | the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford | a mental hospital
▪ medical center American English a large hospital, which often has many different departments, including areas for research: a discovery by doctors at the New England Medical Center
▪ clinic a place, often in a hospital, where medical treatment and advice is given to people who do not need to stay in a hospital: a family-planning clinic (=which gives people help and advice about birth control) | a special clinic for people with drug and alcohol problems
▪ hospice a special hospital for people who are dying: They are hoping to raise funds to build a hospice for sick and dying children.
▪ nursing home/old people's home (also home) a place where people who are old and ill can live and be looked after, by nurses: She doesn't want to end up in a nursing home.
▪ sanatorium a place where people recovering after a long illness were sent in the past, so that they could rest and receive special care: He was sent to a sanatorium in the Swiss Alps.
■ parts of a hospital
▪ A&E/casualty British English, emergency room/ER American English the part of a hospital where people who are injured or who need urgent treatment are brought: A&E waiting times have gone down. | A 33-year-old man was brought to the emergency room in a coma.
▪ operating theatre British English, operating room American English a room in a hospital where operations are done: Mrs Barnett was in the operating theatre for 11 hours while the transplant was carried out.
▪ intensive care the part of a hospital where people who are very seriously ill or badly injured are cared for: Mr Dye is in intensive care with head injuries.
▪ unit part of a hospital where a particular kind of treatment is carried out: the burns unit | the fertility unit
▪ ward a large room in a hospital where people who need medical treatment stay: the women's ward | She works as a nurse on a busy hospital ward.

airport

air‧port S3 W3 /ˈeəpɔːt $ ˈerpɔːrt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
a place where planes take off and land, with buildings for passengers to wait in ⇨ airfield:
The plane landed at Heathrow Airport.
Her family went to see her off at the airport.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ terminal a big building where people wait to get onto planes: The airline uses terminal 4. | Smoking is prohibited inside the terminal building.
▪ runway a long hard surface on which aircraft land and take off: The plane was taxiing along the runway.
▪ the tarmac an area covered with tarmac outside airport buildings: He stepped off the plane onto the tarmac.
▪ check-in (desk) a place where you report your arrival at an airport
▪ departure lounge the place where you wait until your plane is ready to leave
▪ departure gate the place you go through to get on your plane: Will passengers for flight BA670 please go to the departure gate.
▪ baggage reclaim (also baggage claim) American English the place where you collect your cases and bags after a flight
▪ immigration the place where officials check the documents of everyone entering the country: Be prepared for long queues at immigration.
▪ customs the place where your bags are checked for illegal goods when you enter a country: We had our bags checked at customs.
 

stadium

sta‧di‧um /ˈsteɪdiəm/ BrE AmE noun (plural stadiums or stadia /-diə/) [countable]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: Greek stadion 'unit of length, racetrack']
a building for public events, especially sports and large rock music concerts, consisting of a playing field surrounded by rows of seats:
the new Olympic Stadium
• • •
THESAURUS
■ places where people do sport
▪ field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are played: A few kids were playing on the football field. | a hockey field
▪ stadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitions: The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing. | a football stadium
▪ ground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket team: I met my friends inside the ground.
▪ ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is played: Busch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.
▪ court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyball: The hotel has four tennis courts and a volleyball court.
▪ diamond the area in a baseball field that is within the shape formed by the four bases. The diamond can also be the whole field: The pitcher stands in the middle of the diamond. | There’s a playground, a picnic area, and a baseball diamond.
▪ track a circular path with lines on it, for running on: In the relay, each runner runs once around the track.
▪ gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercises: He spends an hour in the gym every day.
▪ pool/swimming pool a place where you can swim: He jumped into the deep end of the pool. | I’ll meet you outside the swimming pool.
▪ sports centre British English, sports center American English a building where you can play many types of indoor sports: Why not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?
▪ health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a member: How much does it cost to join a health club?

style

I. style¹ S2 W1 AC /staɪl/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: noun: ↑style, ↑styling, ↑stylishness, ↑stylist, ↑stylistics, ↑stylization; adjective: ↑stylish, ↑stylistic, ↑stylized; adverb: ↑stylishly, ↑stylistically; verb: ↑style]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Latin; Origin: stilus 'pointed stick, stylus, style of writing']
1. WAY OF DOING SOMETHING [uncountable and countable] a particular way of doing, designing, or producing something, especially one that is typical of a particular place, period of time, or group of people:
an attempt to use Japanese management style in a European business
style of
different styles of handwriting
Baroque-/Swedish-/country- etc style
Cuban-style black beans and rice
a Colonial-style house
The dinner will be served buffet-style.
2. SB’S WAY OF BEHAVING [countable] the particular way that someone behaves, works, or deals with other people:
Children have different styles of learning: some learn by seeing, some by hearing, some by doing.
be more sb’s style (=used to say that you prefer something)
I don’t think the parachuting weekend is for me – the art class is more my style.
I like your style (=approve of the way you do things), Simpson.
I can’t ask a man out – it’s not my style (=it is not the way I usually behave).
3. ART/LITERATURE/MUSIC [uncountable and countable] a typical way of writing, painting etc that is used by a particular person or during a particular period of time:
The paintings are in an expressionistic style.
Hemingway’s direct style
in the style of somebody/something
a play in the style of classical Greek tragedy
4. FASHION/DESIGN
a) [countable] a particular design or fashion for something such as clothes, hair, furniture etc SYN fashion:
Car styles have changed radically in the past 20 years.
traditional/modern style
The rooms are furnished in a modern style.
b) [uncountable] the quality of being fashionable:
young women interested in style rather than comfort
in/out of style
Long skirts are back in style.
5. ATTRACTIVE QUALITY [uncountable] a confident and attractive quality that makes people admire you, and that is shown in your appearance, or the way you do things ⇨ stylish:
You may not like her, but she certainly has style.
The team played with style. ⇨ ↑stylish
6. CORRECT WRITING [uncountable] a way of using words or spelling that is considered correct:
It’s not good style to use abbreviations in an essay.
7. in style done in a way that people admire, especially because it is unusual, shows great determination, or involves spending a lot of money
in great/grand/fine etc style
Nadal won the match in fine style, not losing a single game.
⇨ cramp sb’s style at ↑cramp², ⇨ ↑lifestyle

shopping

shop‧ping S2 W3 /ˈʃɒpɪŋ $ ʃɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑shop, ↑shopper, ↑shopping; verb: ↑shop]
1. the activity of going to shops and buying things:
Late-night shopping is becoming very popular.
shopping expedition/trip
She’s gone on a shopping trip to New York.
I went on a shopping spree (=went shopping and bought a lot of things) at the weekend and spent far too much money.
I’ve got to do some last-minute shopping.
the busy Christmas shopping season ⇨ ↑window-shopping
2. do the shopping to go shopping to buy food and other things you need regularly:
I hate doing the shopping at weekends.
3. British English the things that you have just bought from a shop:
Can you help me carry the shopping, please?
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ go shopping She skipped lunch in order to go shopping.
▪ do some/the/your shopping I thought you wanted to do some shopping.
■ NOUN + shopping
▪ Christmas shopping So you've done all your Christmas shopping, have you?
▪ grocery shopping She even enjoys grocery shopping.
▪ home shopping (=buying things at home, for example from a catalogue)
■ shopping + NOUN
▪ a shopping expedition/trip His shopping trip with Uncle Billy had been a thorough success.
▪ a shopping spree (=when you buy a lot of things) He admits to going on a shopping spree with someone else's credit card.
▪ a shopping list (=a list of what you need to buy, especially of food) Always take a shopping list so you are not tempted to buy things you do not need.

garbage

gar‧bage S3 /ˈɡɑːbɪdʒ $ ˈɡɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Anglo-French]
1. especially American English waste material, such as paper, empty containers, and food thrown away SYN rubbish British English:
Can you take out the garbage when you go?
2. stupid words, ideas etc SYN rubbish British English:
You’re talking garbage.
3. garbage in, garbage out used to say that if the ↑data (=information) you put into a computer is bad, the results you get back will be bad, even if the computer program you use works properly
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ rubbish especially British English things that people throw away, such as old food, dirty paper etc: People are being encouraged to recycle their household rubbish. | the rubbish bin
▪ garbage/trash American English rubbish: The garbage is collected every Tuesday. | There were piles of trash in the backyard. | a black plastic garbage bag
▪ refuse formal rubbish: The strike has disrupted refuse collection. | It’s a site which is used for domestic refuse.
▪ litter empty bottles, pieces of paper etc that people have dropped on the ground: Parents should teach children not to drop litter. | There was a lot of litter on the beach.
▪ waste rubbish, or materials that need to be dealt with after they have been used in industrial processes: nuclear waste | toxic waste | household waste | The company was fined for dumping toxic waste in the sea.

dish

I. dish¹ S2 W3 /dɪʃ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: disc, from Latin discus 'disk, plate']
1. a flat container with low sides, for serving food from or cooking food in ⇨ bowl:
a serving dish
an ovenproof dish
dish of
a large dish of spaghetti
2. the dishes all the plates, cups, bowls etc that have been used to eat a meal and need to be washed
do/wash the dishes
I’ll just do the dishes before we go.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often use the expression do the washing-up (BrE) or do the dishes (AmE), rather than wash the dishes.
3. food cooked or prepared in a particular way as a meal:
a wonderful pasta dish
The menu includes a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.
This soup is substantial enough to serve as a main dish (=the biggest part of a meal).
4. something that is shaped like a dish:
a soap dish
5. informal old-fashioned someone who is sexually attractive
⇨ ↑side dish, ↑satellite dish
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ food noun [uncountable and countable] things that people and animals eat: You can buy good fresh food in the market. | Do you like Japanese food?
▪ dish noun [countable] a type of food that is cooked in a particular way: a traditional English dish | They also offer vegetarian dishes.
▪ speciality British English, specialty American English noun [countable] a type of food that a restaurant or place is famous for: Fish dishes are a specialty of the region. | Home made pies are one of the hotel’s specialities.
▪ delicacy noun [countable] an unusual food which people in a particular place like to eat: The local delicacies include laverbread (boiled seaweed). | I was keen to try out the local delicacies.
▪ diet noun [countable] the type of food that someone usually eats: You shouldn’t have too much salt in your diet. | In the Andes, the main diet is beans, potatoes, and corn.
▪ cooking noun [uncountable] food made in a particular way, or by a particular person: Herbs are used a lot in French cooking. | I love my Mum’s home cooking.
▪ cuisine /kwɪˈziːn/ noun [countable] formal the food you can eat in a particular restaurant, country, or area: Italian cuisine | Trying the local cuisine is all part of the fun of travelling.
▪ nutrition noun [uncountable] food considered as something that is necessary for good health and growth: a book on nutrition | Many homeless people suffer from poor nutrition.
▪ nourishment /ˈnʌrɪʃmənt $ ˈnɜː-, ˈnʌ-/ noun [uncountable] goodness that you get from food, which helps your body to stay healthy: There's not much nourishment in fast food.
▪ fare noun [uncountable] formal the kind of food that is served in a place – used especially when saying how interesting it is: In China you can feast on bird’s nest soup and other exotic fare. | Dinner was pretty standard fare (=the usual kind of food).

play

I. play¹ S1 W1 /pleɪ/ BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑play, ↑interplay, ↑replay, ↑player, ↑playfulness; verb: ↑play, ↑outplay, ↑replay; adjective: ↑playful, ↑playable; adverb: ↑playfully]
[Language: Old English; Origin: plegan]
1. CHILDREN [intransitive and transitive] when children play, they do things that they enjoy, often with other people or with toys:
Kids were playing and chasing each other.
play catch/house/tag/school etc
Outside, the children were playing cowboys and Indians.
play with
Did you like to play with dolls when you were little?
Parents need to spend time just playing with their children.
2. SPORTS/GAMES
a) [intransitive and transitive] to take part or compete in a game or sport:
Karen began playing basketball when she was six.
If you feel any pain, you shouldn’t play.
Men were sitting in the park, playing cards.
play against
Bristol will play against Coventry next week.
She’s playing Helen Evans in the semi-final (=playing against her).
play for
Moxon played for England in ten test matches.
b) [transitive] to use a particular piece, card, person etc in a game or sport:
Harrison played a ten of spades.
The Regents played Eddie at center (=used him as a player in that position) in the game against Arizona.
c) [intransitive and transitive] to take a particular position on a team:
Garvey played first base for the Dodgers.
d) [transitive] to hit a ball in a particular way or to a particular place in a game or sport:
She played the ball low, just over the net.

MUSIC [intransitive and transitive]
to perform a piece of music on a musical instrument:
He’s learning to play the piano.
She played a Bach prelude.
Haden has played with many jazz greats.
A small orchestra was playing.
4. RADIO/CD ETC [intransitive and transitive] if a radio, CD etc plays, or if you play it, it produces sound, especially music:
The bedside radio played softly.
play a record/CD/tape etc
DJs playing the latest house and techno tracks
5. THEATRE/FILM
a) [transitive] to perform the actions and say the words of a particular character in a theatre performance, film etc:
Streep plays a shy, nervous woman.
play a role/part/character etc
Playing a character so different from herself was a challenge.
b) [intransitive] if a play or film is playing at a particular theatre, it is being performed or shown there:
‘Macbeth’ is playing at the Theatre Royal in York.
c) [transitive] if actors play a theatre, they perform there in a play
6. play a part/role to have an effect or influence on something
play a part/role in
A good diet and fitness play a large part in helping people live longer.
7. play ball
a) to throw, kick, hit, or catch a ball as a game or activity:
Jim and Karl were playing ball in the backyard.
b) to do what someone wants you to do:
So far, the company has refused to play ball, preferring to remain independent.
8. PRETEND [linking verb] to behave as if you are a particular kind of person or have a particular feeling or quality, even though it is not true:
the accusation that scientists are playing God
Some snakes fool predators by playing dead.
‘What do you mean?’ ‘Don’t play dumb (=pretend you do not know something).'
Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened.
play the idiot/the teacher etc
Susan felt she had to play the good wife.
He played the fool (=behaved in a silly way) at school instead of working.
9. BEHAVE [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to behave in a particular way in a situation, in order to achieve the result or effect that you want:
How do you want to play this meeting?
Play it safe (=avoid risks) and make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked.
play it carefully/cool etc
If you like him, play it cool, or you might scare him off.
10. play games to hide your real feelings or wishes in order to achieve something in a clever or secret way – used to show disapproval:
Stop playing games, Luke, and tell me what you want.
11. play something by ear
a) to decide what to do according to the way a situation develops, without making plans before that time:
We’ll see what the weather’s like and play it by ear.
b) if someone can play a musical instrument by ear, they can play a tune without looking at written music
12. play a joke/trick/prank on somebody to do something to someone as a joke or trick
13. play the game
a) to do things in the way you are expected to do them or in a way that is usual in a particular situation:
If you want a promotion, you’ve got to play the game.
b) British English to behave in a fair and honest way
14. play the race/nationalist/environmentalist etc card to use a particular subject in politics in order to gain an advantage:
a leader who is skilfully playing the nationalist card to keep power
15. play your cards right to say or do things in a situation in such a way that you gain as much as possible from it:
Who knows? If you play your cards right, maybe he’ll marry you.
16. play your cards close to your chest to keep secret what you are doing in a situation
17. play into sb’s hands to do what someone you are competing with wants you to do, without realizing it:
If we respond with violence, we’ll be playing into their hands, giving them an excuse for a fight.
18. play for time to try to delay something so that you have more time to prepare for it or prevent it from happening:
The rebels may be playing for time while they try to get more weapons.
19. play tricks (on you) if your mind, memory, sight etc plays tricks on you, you feel confused and not sure about what is happening:
It happened a long time ago, and my memory might be playing tricks on me.
20. play the market to risk money on the ↑stock market as a way of trying to earn more money
21. play the system to use the rules of a system in a clever way, to gain advantage for yourself:
Accountants know how to play the tax system.
22. play second fiddle (to somebody) to be in a lower position or rank than someone else
23. play hard to get to pretend that you are not sexually interested in someone so that they will become more interested in you
24. SMILE [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if a smile plays about someone’s lips, they smile slightly
25. play hooky American English, play truant British English to stay away from school without permission
26. play with fire to do something that could have a very dangerous or harmful result:
Dating the boss’s daughter is playing with fire.
27. play to your strengths to do what you are able to do well, rather than trying to do other things:
It is up to us to play to our strengths and try to control the game.
28. LIGHT [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if light plays on something, it shines on it and moves on it:
the sunlight playing on the water
29. WATER [intransitive] written if a ↑fountain plays, water comes from it
30. play a hose/light on something to point a ↑hose or light towards something so that water or light goes onto it
31. play the field to have sexual relationships with a lot of different people
32. play fast and loose with something to not be careful about what you do, especially by not obeying the law or a rule:
They played fast and loose with investors’ money.
33. play happy families British English to spend time with your family, doing normal things, especially so that your family appears to be happy when it is not
play around (also play about British English) phrasal verb
1. to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your usual partner
play around with
Wasn’t she playing around with another man?
It was years before I realized he’d been playing around.
2. to try doing something in different ways, to see what would be best, especially when this is fun
play around with
Play around with the ingredients if you like.
3. to behave in a silly way or waste time, when you should be doing something more serious SYN fool around:
When the teacher wasn’t looking, we used to play about a lot.
play around with something (also play about with somethingBritish English) phrasal verb
to keep moving or making changes to something in your hands SYN fiddle with:
Will you stop playing around with the remote control!
play along phrasal verb
1. to pretend to agree to do what someone wants, in order to avoid annoying them or to get an advantage:
She felt she had to play along or risk losing her job.
2. play somebody along British English to tell someone something that is not true because you need their help in some way
play at something phrasal verb
1. What is somebody playing at? British English spoken used when you do not understand what someone is doing or why they are doing it, and you are surprised or annoyed:
What do you think you’re playing at?
2. if you play at doing something, you do not do it properly or seriously
play at doing something
He’s still playing at being an artist.
3. British English if children play at doctors, soldiers etc, they pretend to be doctors, soldiers etc
play at being something
a 14-year-old playing at being a grown woman
play something ↔ back phrasal verb
to play something that has been recorded on a machine so that you can listen to it or watch it:
He played back his answering machine messages.
play something ↔ down phrasal verb
to try to make something seem less important or less likely than it really is:
Management has been playing down the possibility of job losses.
play down the importance/seriousness/significance of something
The White House spokeswoman sought to play down the significance of the event.
play off phrasal verb
1. British English if people or teams play off, they play the last game in a sports competition, in order to decide who is the winner:
The top two teams will play off at Twickenham for the county title.
2. play off somebody/something American English to deliberately use a fact, action, idea etc in order to make what you are doing better or to get an advantage:
The two musicians played off each other in a piece of inspired improvisation.
play somebody off against somebody phrasal verb
to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with another, in order to get some advantage for yourself:
The house seller may try to play one buyer off against another, to raise the price.
play on/upon something phrasal verb
to use a feeling, fact, or idea in order to get what you want, often in an unfair way:
The ad plays on our emotions, showing a doctor holding a newborn baby.
play something ↔ out phrasal verb
1. if an event or situation is played out or plays itself out, it happens:
It will be interesting to see how the election plays itself out.
2. if people play out their dreams, feelings etc, they express them by pretending that a particular situation is really happening:
The weekend gives you a chance to play out your fantasies.
play up phrasal verb
1. play something ↔ up to emphasize something, sometimes making it seem more important than it really is:
Play up your strongest arguments in the opening paragraph.
2. play (somebody) up British English informal if children play up, they behave badly:
Jordan’s been playing up in school.
I hope the kids don’t play you up.
3. play (somebody) up British English informal to hurt you or cause problems for you:
My knee’s been playing me up this week.
The car’s playing up again.
play up to somebody phrasal verb
to behave in a very polite or kind way to someone because you want something from them:
Connie always plays up to her parents when she wants money.
play with somebody/something phrasal verb
1. to keep touching something or moving it:
Stop playing with the light switch!
2. to try doing something in different ways to decide what works best:
Play with the design onscreen, moving text and pictures until you get a pleasing arrangement.
3. to consider an idea or possibility, but not always very seriouslySYN toy with:
After university, I played with the idea of teaching English in China.
4. money/time/space etc to play with money, time etc that is available to be used:
The budget is very tight, so there isn’t much money to play with.
5. play with yourself to touch your own sex organs for pleasureSYN masturbate
6. play with words/language to use words in a clever or amusing way

undressed

un‧dressed /ˌʌnˈdrest◂/ BrE AmE adjective
[Word Family: noun: ↑dress, ↑dresser, ↑dressing; adjective: ↑dressed ≠ ↑undressed, ↑dressy; verb: ↑dress ≠ ↑undress]
1. [not before noun] not wearing any clothes:
He started to get undressed (=to take his clothes off).
2. an undressed wound has not been covered to protect it
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THESAURUS
▪ naked not wearing any clothes or not covered by clothes - used especially when this seems rather shocking: a naked man | He got out of bed naked, and answered the telephone. | his naked chest
▪ have nothing on/not have anything on to not be wearing any clothes. This phrase is very commonly used in everyday English instead of saying that someone is naked: Can you wait a minute? I've got nothing on! | The little boy didn’t have anything on when he answered the door!
▪ bare used about feet, legs, arms etc that are not covered by clothes: The sand was too hot to walk on in bare feet.
▪ nude naked – used especially when talking about naked people in paintings, films etc: a nude portrait of his wife
▪ undressed [not before noun] not wearing any clothes, especially because you have just taken them off in order to go to bed, have a bath etc: Sara was undressed and ready for bed but Jenny was fully clothed. | Wearily she got undressed and stepped into the shower.
▪ topless if a woman is topless, she is not wearing any clothes on the upper part of her body, so that her breasts are not covered: a topless waitress
▪ in the nude not wearing any clothes: Men and women swam together in the nude and thought nothing of it.
▪ in your birthday suit informal humorous not wearing any clothes: He likes to sleep in his birthday suit. He says pyjamas are uncomfortable.
▪ go commando informal humorous to not wear any underwear: In summertime, he likes to go commando.
▪ in the buff informal not wearing any clothes - a very informal use: a beach where you can sunbathe in the buff