play

1. verb

1)

Aidan and Robert were playing with their toys

Syn:

amuse oneself, entertain oneself, enjoy oneself, have fun; relax, occupy oneself, divert oneself; frolic, frisk, romp, caper; informal mess around

2)

I used to play hockey

Syn:

take part in, participate in, be involved in, compete in, do

3)

St. Joseph's plays Boston on Sunday

Syn:

compete against, take on, challenge, vie with, face, go up against

4)

he was to play Macbeth

Syn:

act (the part of), take the role of, appear as, portray, depict, impersonate, represent, render, perform, enact; formal personate

5)

get your guitar and let's play

Syn:

perform, make music, jam

6)

Bryanna played a note on the flute

Syn:

make, produce, reproduce; blow, toot; plunk, bang out; sound

7)

the sunlight played on the water

Syn:

dance, flit, ripple, touch; sparkle, glint

2. noun

1)

a balance between work and play

Syn:

amusement, entertainment, relaxation, recreation, diversion, distraction, leisure; enjoyment, pleasure, fun, games, fun and games; horseplay, merrymaking, revelry; informal living it up

2)

a Shakespearean play

Syn:

drama, theatrical work; screenplay, comedy, tragedy; production, performance, show, sketch

3)

a new tool came into play

Syn:

action, activity, operation, working, function; interaction, interplay

4)

there is foul play afoot

Syn:

behavior, goings-on, activity, action, deed

5)

there was a little play in the rope

Syn:

movement, slack, give; room to maneuver, scope, latitude

•

- play around

- play at being

- play ball

- play down

- play for time

- play it by ear

- play on

- play the fool

- play the game

- play up

- play up to