<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>A dramatic composition or piece; drama.</li><li>A dramatic performance, as on the stage.</li><li>Synonyms: show</li><li>Exercise or activity for amusement or recreation.</li><li>Synonyms: pastime, diversion</li><li>Antonyms: work</li><li>Fun or jest, as opposed to seriousness: I said it merely in play.</li><li>A pun: On this article about encroaching grizzlies, the headline “Bear with us” is a play on the word “bear.”</li><li>The playing, action, or conduct of a game: The pitcher was replaced in the fourth inning of play.</li><li>The manner or style of playing or of doing something: We admired his fine play throughout the game.</li><li>An act or instance of playing or of doing something: a stupid play that cost us the match.</li><li>One's turn to play: Whose play is it?</li><li>A playing for stakes; gambling.</li><li>An attempt to accomplish something, often in a manner showing craft or calculation; maneuver: They tried to buy up the stock in a takeover play.</li><li>An enterprise or venture; deal: an oil and drilling play.</li><li>Action, conduct, or dealing of a specified kind: fair play; foul play.</li><li>Action, activity, or operation: the play of fancy.</li><li>Brisk, light, or changing movement or action: a fountain with a leaping play of water.</li><li>Elusive change or movement, as of light or colors: the play of a searchlight against the night sky.</li><li>A space in which something, as a part of a mechanism, can move.</li><li>Freedom of movement within a space, as of a part of a mechanism.</li><li>Synonyms: freedom</li><li>Freedom for action, or scope for activity: full play of the mind.</li><li>Synonyms: freedom</li><li>Attention in the press or other media; coverage; dissemination as news: The birth of the panda got a big play in the papers.</li><li>An act or instance of being broadcast: The governor's speech got two plays on our local station.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used with object)</strong></p><ul><li>To act the part of (a person or character) in a dramatic performance; portray: to play Lady Macbeth.</li><li>To perform (a drama, pantomime, etc.) on or as if on the stage.</li><li>Synonyms: enact</li><li>To act or sustain (a part) in a dramatic performance or in real life: to play the role of benefactor.</li><li>To act the part or character of in real life: to play the fool; to play God.</li><li>Synonyms: impersonate, personate</li><li>To give performances in, as a theatrical company does: to play the larger cities.</li><li>To engage in (a game, pastime, etc.).</li><li>To contend against in a game.</li><li>To function or perform as (a specified player) in a game or competition: He usually plays left field.</li><li>To employ (a piece of equipment, a player, etc.) in a game: I played my highest card.</li><li>Synonyms: use</li><li>To use as if in playing a game, as for one's own advantage: He played his brothers against each other.</li><li>To stake or wager, as in a game.</li><li>Synonyms: bet</li><li>To lay a wager or wagers on (something).</li><li>Synonyms: back</li><li>To represent or imitate, as for recreation or in jest: to play pirates.</li><li>To perform on (a musical instrument).</li><li>To perform (music) on an instrument.</li><li>To cause (a phonograph, radio, recording, etc.) to produce sound or pictures: Do you mind if I play the radio?</li><li>Stop playing YouTube videos and get to work!</li><li>To do or perform: You shouldn't play tricks.</li><li>Compromise plays an important part in marriage.</li><li>To carry or put into operation; act upon: to play a hunch.</li><li>To cause to move or change lightly or quickly: to play colored lights on a fountain.</li><li>To operate or cause to operate, especially continuously or with repeated action: to play a hose on a fire.</li><li>To allow (a hooked fish) to exhaust itself by pulling on the line.</li><li>To display or feature (a news story, photograph, etc.), especially prominently: Play the flood photos on page one.</li><li>To exploit or trade in (an investment, business opportunity, stock, etc.).</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>To exercise or employ oneself in diversion, amusement, or recreation.</li><li>Synonyms: revel, romp, frolic, sport</li><li>To do something in sport that is not to be taken seriously.</li><li>To amuse oneself; toy; trifle (often followed by with).</li><li>Synonyms: dally</li><li>To take part or engage in a game.</li><li>To take part in a game for stakes; gamble.</li><li>To conduct oneself or act in a specified way: to play fair.</li><li>To act on or as if on the stage; perform.</li><li>To perform on a musical instrument.</li><li>(Of an instrument or music) to sound in performance: The strings are playing well this evening.</li><li>(Of a phonograph, radio, recording, etc.) to give forth sound: The radio played all night.</li><li>To be performed or shown: What's playing at the movie theater around the corner?</li><li>To be capable of or suitable for performance, as a television or dramatic script: We hope this scene will play well.</li><li>Informal. To be accepted or effective; fare: How will the senator's proposal play with the public?</li><li>To move freely within a space, as a part of a mechanism.</li><li>To move about lightly or quickly: The water of the fountain played in the air.</li><li>To present the effect of such motion, as light or the changing colors of an iridescent substance: The lights played strangely over the faces of the actors.</li><li>To operate continuously or with repeated action.</li><li>Informal. To comply or cooperate: They wanted her to tell them what she knew about the plans, but she refused to play.</li></ul><p><strong>Verb Phrase</strong></p><ul><li>To cooperate or concur; go along.</li><li>To pretend to cooperate or concur.</li><li>To pretend interest in: It's obvious that you're just playing at fishing for my sake.</li><li>To do something without seriousness: He is merely playing at being a student.</li><li>Sports. To play an extra game or round in order to settle a tie.</li><li>Sports. To engage in an elimination game or games after the regular season is over in order to determine the champion.</li><li>To set (one person or thing) against another, usually for one's own gain or advantage: The children could usually get what they wanted by playing one parent off against the other.</li><li>Informal. To behave in a playful or frivolous manner; fool around.</li><li>To be sexually promiscuous.</li><li>To be sexually unfaithful.</li><li>To exploit, as the feelings or weaknesses of another; take selfish advantage of: She would never think of playing on the good nature of others.</li><li>To evolve or progress toward a conclusion; unfold; turn out: Right now it’s too early to tell how all this will play out.</li><li>To come or bring to an end; finish: The full consequences of the decision have yet to be played out.</li><li>To play to the end of (something): When the camera started rolling, I knew exactly how much time I had to play out the full scene.</li><li>To use up or be used up; exhaust or be exhausted: Mining towns quickly sprouted, and just as quickly disappeared once the coal supply played out.</li><li>And when that groundwater supply is played out, then what?</li><li>To reel or pay out, as a rope, line, etc.: By the time he reached the bottom of the cavern, his friends on the surface had played out 150 feet of rope.</li><li>To treat as of little importance; minimize: He has consistently played down his own part in the successful enterprise.</li><li>To emphasize the importance of; highlight or publicize: The schools are playing up their science programs.</li><li>To play (a recording, especially one newly made): Play it back and let's hear how I sound.</li></ul>