play moneyn.
/ˈpleɪ ˌmʌni/, U.S. /ˈpleɪ ˌməni/ 1. † a. Funds set aside or used for gambling. Obsolete.
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society > trade and finance > management of money > income, revenue, or profit > [noun] > personal income or acquired wealth > derived from gaming or betting
stake1540
play money1700
winnings1716
win1891
pay-off1905
1700 Case Dutchess of Norfolk 4 Two mean Servants, the one turned out of her Place for keeping company with Foot Souldiers, and the other leaving his Place in disgust, because he could not have the Play Money.
1705 Characters of Royal Family (ed. 2) 5 The Duke of Berry..compassionates the condition of the Distressed, and spares not his own Play-Money to relieve them.
1730 A. Bedford Serious Remonstrance in behalf of Christian Relig. 325 We are told that Play-Money is a Sacred Thing, and not to be profaned. It is consecrated to Pleasure, and it will be Sacrilege to apply it otherwise.
1792 M. Hunter Fitzroy I. 67 I find very few scruple about sinking a little play money when they can.
b. Money used to speculate in business, or in stocks and shares.
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1981 Washington Post (Nexis) 8 Apr. b5 Her father gave her the money he'd saved for her tuition to use as investment funds. To this pool of ‘play money’ she added earnings from odd jobs.
2001 N.Y. Times 21 Jan. iii. 11/3 Mrs. Carbone also put what she called some play money into China.com, an Internet portal.
2004 Forbes (Nexis) 4 Oct. 122 His partners don't care that he uses their profits as play money.
2. Imitation money used in playing games, etc.; toy money. Hence: actual money considered of little value.
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society > leisure > entertainment > toy or plaything > other toys > [noun] > others
spurc1450
cock1608
turnel1621
corala1625
house of cardsa1625
Jack-in-the-box1659
(Prince) Rupert's Drops1662
sucker1681
whirligig1686
playbook1694
card house1733
snapper1788
card castle1792
Aaron's bells?1795
Noah's Ark1807
Jacob's ladder1820
cat-stairs1825
daisy chain1841
beanbag1861
playboat1865
piñata1868
teething ring1872
weet-weet1878
tumble-over1883
water cracker1887
jumping-bean1889
play money1894
serpentin1894
comforter1898
pacifier1901
dummy1903
bubble water1904
yo-yo1915
paper airplane1921
snowstorm1926
titty1927
teaser1935
Slinky1948
teether1949
Mr Potato Head1952
squeeze toy1954
Frisbee1957
mobile1957
chew toy1959
water-rocket1961
Crazy Foam1965
playshop1967
war toy1973
waterball1974
pull-along1976
transformer1984
Aerobie1985
1894 Daily Gaz. & Bull. (Williamsport, Pa.) 19 Jan. 3/3 They are jebbels, as we call them, and are collected by our children to use as play money.
1912 Lima (Ohio) News 20 Feb. 1/4 The little lass..distributed it among her..school companions, thinking it was ‘play’ money.
1942 Amer. Math. Monthly 49 60 The question of play-money is easily answered. Sheets of thin green and gold paper may be purchased..and then cut to the appropriate currency size.
1972 M. Spillane Erection Set iv. 56 When it came to finance, he couldn't even make sense out of British money, far less a French franc. If it wasn't the American dollar it was all play money.
1977 Washington Post (Nexis) 18 July b1 It's ridiculous... It's play money to them.
1990 S. Morgan Homeboy xxxviii. 233 Kitty upended her purse,..dumping out all its beaner play money.
2004 Sunday Independent (Ireland) (Nexis) 10 Oct. Hoisting a giant winner's check for US $15,140..—equal to the amount of play money in a Monopoly set.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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