play : Idioms & Phrases

• the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning.

Webster 1913

• noun (baseball) a play executed by a baseball team
  

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• noun a play executed by a basketball team
  

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• childish amusements; anything trifling.

Webster 1913

• adjective satellite preoccupied with the pursuit of pleasure and especially games of chance
  dissipated; sporting; betting.
  
  • led a dissipated life
  • a betting man
  • a card-playing son of a bitch
  • a gambling fool
  • sporting gents and their ladies

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• noun playing a set of bells that are (usually) hung in a tower
  carillon; bell ringing.
  

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• noun any undertaking that is easy to do
  picnic; walkover; duck soup; piece of cake; breeze; cinch; snap; pushover.
  
  • marketing this product will be no picnic
• noun activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules
  play.
  
  • Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child

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• light work; a trifling contest.

Webster 1913

• a fight or sportive contest with cudgels.

Webster 1913

• noun the act of getting two players out on one play
  

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• (Baseball), a play by which two players are put out at the same time.

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• noun a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
  drama; play.
  
  • he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway

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• noun (American football) the quarterback moves back as if to pass and then hands the ball to the fullback who is running toward the line of scrimmage
  draw.
  

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• a kind of swordplay in which backswords or cutlasses are used, and the edge, rather than the point, is employed.

Webster 1913

• (Mach.), movement endwise, or room for such movement.

Webster 1913

• equitable or impartial treatment; a fair or equal chance; justice.

Webster 1913

• noun (American football) a play by the offensive team
  

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• noun a putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches that base
  force out; force-out; force.
  
  • the shortstop got the runner at second on a force

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• noun unfair or dishonest behavior (especially involving violence)
  

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• adjective satellite of a ball
  
  • the ball is still in play

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• adjective satellite (used of records) playing at a slower speed and for a longer time than earlier records
  long-play.
  

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• adjective satellite (used of records) playing at a slower speed and for a longer time than earlier records
  long-play.
  

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• noun golf scoring by holes won
  

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• noun golf scoring by total strokes taken
  medal play.
  

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• noun a medieval play representing episodes from the life of a saint or martyr
  

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• one of the old dramatic entertainments founded on legends of saints and martyrs or (see 2d Mystery, 2) on events related in the Bible.

Webster 1913

• an allegorical play; a morality. Obs.

Webster 1913

• noun an allegorical play popular in the 15th and 16th centuries; characters personified virtues and vices
  

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• noun a medieval play representing episodes from the life of Christ
  

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• adjective satellite (of a ball) "a ball that is out of play is dead"
  

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• noun (American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
  passing; passing game; pass.
  
  • the coach sent in a passing play on third and long

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• noun a play representing the Passion of Christ
  

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• a mystery play, in which the scenes connected with the passion of our Savior are represented dramatically.

Webster 1913

• noun (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
  play; period of play.
  
  • rain stopped play in the 4th inning

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• verb subject to a playful hoax or joke
  hoax; pull someone's leg.
  
• verb deceive somebody
  flim-flam; play a joke on; fox; pull a fast one on; trick; play a trick on; fob.
  
  • We tricked the teacher into thinking that class would be cancelled next week

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• verb deceive somebody
  flim-flam; play a joke on; fox; pull a fast one on; trick; play a trick on; fob.
  
  • We tricked the teacher into thinking that class would be cancelled next week

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• an actor of dramas. Prynne.

Webster 1913

• verb cooperate or pretend to cooperate
  go along.
  
  • He decided to play along with the burglars for the moment
• verb perform an accompaniment to
  follow; accompany.
  
  • The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano

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• verb commit adultery
  fool around.
  
  • he plays around a lot
• verb work with in an amateurish manner
  dabble; smatter.
  
  • She dabbles in astronomy
  • He plays around with investments but he never makes any money

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• verb reproduce (a recording) on a recorder
  replay.
  
  • The lawyers played back the conversation to show that their client was innocent

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• a gambling debt. Arbuthnot.

Webster 1913

• verb understate the importance or quality of
  downplay; background.
  
  • he played down his royal ancestry

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• verb conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end
  lead by the nose; snow; hoodwink; pull the wool over someone's eyes; bamboozle.
  
  • He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well

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• noun a small informal nursery group meeting for half-day sessions
  playschool.
  

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• verb play truant from work or school
  bunk off.
  
  • The boy often plays hooky

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• verb decide on one's actions as one goes along, depending on the situation
  
  • She didn't know what to expect from her new job, so she played it by ear

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• noun a list of musical selections for performance or for broadcast by radio
  playlist.
  

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• prismatic variation of colors.

Webster 1913

• verb set into opposition or rivalry
  oppose; pit; match.
  
  • let them match their best athletes against ours
  • pit a chess player against the Russian champion
  • He plays his two children off against each other

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• verb deplete
  exhaust; run down; sap; tire.
  
  • exhaust one's savings
  • We quickly played out our strength
• verb perform or be performed to the end
  
  • How will the election drama be played out?
• verb play to a finish
  
  • We have got to play this game out, even thought it is clear that we have last
• verb become spent or exhausted
  
  • The champion's strength played out fast

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• idle amusement. Obs. Bacon.

Webster 1913

• verb to pretend to be dead
  

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• noun performance of a play by a group of readers
  

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• noun form of psychotherapy for children that uses play situations for diagnosis or treatment
  

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• verb deceive somebody
  flim-flam; play a joke on; fox; pull a fast one on; trick; play a trick on; fob.
  
  • We tricked the teacher into thinking that class would be cancelled next week

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• verb move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent
  foreground; spotlight; highlight.
  
  • The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics
• verb ingratiate oneself to; often with insincere behavior
  cotton up; sidle up; cozy up; shine up; suck up.
  
  • She is playing up to the chairman

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• noun an actor who travels around the country presenting plays
  playactor; barnstormer; trouper.
  

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• noun a box for a child's toys and personal things (especially at a boarding school)
  playbox.
  

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• adjective satellite drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted
  exhausted; spent; dog-tired; worn out; fagged; fatigued; worn-out; washed-out.
  
  • the day's shopping left her exhausted
  • he went to bed dog-tired
  • was fagged and sweaty
  • the trembling of his played out limbs
  • felt completely washed-out
  • only worn-out horses and cattle
  • you look worn out
• adjective satellite worn out
  
  • a played out deck of cards

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• tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• noun a piece of land prepared for playing a game
  field; athletic field; playing area.
  
  • the home crowd cheered when Princeton took the field

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• noun one of a pack of cards that are used to play card games
  

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• noun the circumstances under which competition occurs
  
  • the government's objective is to insure a genuinely level playing field for American industry and commerce in Europe
• noun a piece of land prepared for playing a game
  field; athletic field; playing area.
  
  • the home crowd cheered when Princeton took the field

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• noun (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
  play; period of play.
  
  • rain stopped play in the 4th inning

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• noun an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power
  squeeze; power play.
  
  • she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away
• noun a play in which there is a concentration of players in one location on the field of play
  
  • they used a power play to return the kickoff
• noun (ice hockey) a play in which one team has a numerical advantage over the other as a result of penalties
  
  • the team was unable to capitalize on the power play

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• noun a show in which the actors are puppets
  puppet show.
  

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• a puppet show.

Webster 1913

• noun (American football) a play in which a player attempts to carry the ball through or past the opposing team
  running; run; running game.
  
  • the defensive line braced to stop the run
  • the coach put great emphasis on running

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• noun the runner on third base waits to start home until the batter has bunted successfully
  safety squeeze.
  

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• noun an ancient Greek burlesque with a chorus of satyrs
  

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• noun a drama executed by throwing shadows on a wall
  galanty show; shadow show.
  

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• noun an aggressive attempt to compel acquiescence by the concentration or manipulation of power
  squeeze; power play.
  
  • she laughed at this sexual power play and walked away
• noun a baseball play in which a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts the pitch
  

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• noun golf scoring by total strokes taken
  medal play.
  

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• noun the runner on third base starts home as the pitcher delivers the ball
  suicide squeeze.
  

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• to bring or come into use or exercise.

Webster 1913

• (Drama), to shorten it by leaving out passages, to adapt it for the stage.

Webster 1913

• to keep under control; to dally with. Macaulay.
• to keep occupied or employed.

Webster 1913

• to prepare and arrange the scenery, furniture, etc., used in the play.

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• to take a leading or a subordinate part. Colloq.

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• with property, to throw it away heedlessly or squander it foolishly and unprofitably.

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• to play dishonestly, with an intent to lose; to allow one's adversary to win at cards at first, in order to induce him to continue playing and victimize him afterwards. Obs.

Webster 1913

• to molest extremely; to ruin. Low

Webster 1913

• to play the exposed or dummy hand in cards. The partner of the dummy plays it.

Webster 1913

• to play a game, as at cards, without stakes. "A game at piquet for love." Lamb.

Webster 1913

• to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit.

Webster 1913

• to affect; to feign; to practice artifice.
• to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks.

Webster 1913

• to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive.

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• to make no errors; to act shrewdly.

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• to be careless or trust to luck about it.

  "To play pitch and toss with the property of the country." G. Eliot.

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• to feign ignorance, indifference or inattention, with the intent to deceive; to dissemble; in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which feigns death when attacked or alarmed.

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• to play the king; to domineer. Obs.

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• to expose one's plants to rivals or foes.

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• to act the buffoon; to act a foolish part. "I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly." 1 Sam. xxvi. 21.

Webster 1913

• to cause great harm; to throw into confusion. Colloq.

Webster 1913

• to stray away; to loiter; especially, to stay out of school without leave.

Webster 1913

• . (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.

Webster 1913

• noun (American football) a play in which a defensive player is allowed to cross the line of scrimmage and then blocked off as the runner goes through the place the lineman vacated
  mousetrap.
  

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• noun the act of getting three players out on one play
  

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• the ceremonies and pastimes connected with a wake. See Wake, n., 3 (b), above. Obs.

Webster 1913

• noun playing on words or speech sounds
  

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