in play

play

P0363500 (plā)v. played, play·ing, plays v.intr.1. To occupy oneself in an activity for amusement or recreation: children playing with toys.2. a. To take part in a sport or game: He's just a beginner and doesn't play well.b. To participate in betting; gamble.3. a. To behave in a teasing or joking manner; act in jest or sport: She's not angry with you; she's just playing.b. To deal or behave carelessly or indifferently, especially for one's own amusement; toy: She isn't interested in you; she's just playing with you.4. To act or conduct oneself in a specified way: play fair; an investor who plays cautiously.5. To act, especially in a dramatic production.6. Music a. To perform on an instrument: play on an accordion.b. To emit sound or be sounded in performance: The band is playing.7. To be performed, as in a theater or on television: A good movie is playing tonight.8. To be received or accepted: a speech that played poorly with the voters.9. To move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly: The breeze played on the water.10. To function or discharge uninterruptedly: The fountains played in the courtyard.11. To move or operate freely within a bounded space, as machine parts do.v.tr.1. a. To engage in (a game or sport): play hockey; play chess.b. To compete against in a game or sport: We play the Tigers today.c. To compete in a game or sport at (a location): The New York Yankees played Fenway Park last night.d. To occupy or work at (a position) in a game: Lou Gehrig played first base.e. To put (a player) at a position in a sport or in a game: Let's play her at first base.f. To use or move (a card or piece) in a game: play the ace of clubsg. To hit (a ball, shot, or stroke), as in tennis: played a strong backhand.h. To attempt to keep or gain possession or control of: No foul was called because he was playing the ball.2. a. To perform or act (a role or part) in a dramatic performance.b. To assume the role of; act as: played the peacemaker at the meeting.c. To pretend to be; mimic the activities of: played cowboy; played the star.3. a. To perform (a theatrical work or part of a work): The actors played the scene with great skill.b. To present a theatrical performance or other entertainment in (a given place): The company played Boston last week.4. a. To bet; wager: played ten dollars on the horse.b. To make bets on: play the races.5. a. To perform or put into effect, especially as a jest or deception: play a joke on a friend.b. To handle; manage: played the matter quietly.c. To use or manipulate, especially for one's own interests: played his opponents against each other.6. Music a. To perform on (an instrument): play the guitar.b. To perform (a piece) on instruments or an instrument.7. To cause (a movie, audiotape, or other recording) to be presented in audible or visible form.8. To discharge or direct in a certain direction: played the water on the burning roof.9. To cause to move rapidly, lightly, or irregularly: play lights over the dance floor.10. To exhaust (a hooked fish) by allowing it to pull on the line.n.1. a. A literary work written for performance on the stage; a drama.b. The performance of such a work.2. Activity engaged in for enjoyment or recreation.3. Fun or jesting: It was all done in play.4. a. The act or manner of engaging in a game or sport: After a time-out, play resumed. The golf tournament featured expert play.b. The act or manner of using a card, piece, or ball in a game or sport: my partner's play of the last trump; his clumsy play of the rebound.c. A move or an action in a game: It's your play. The runner was thrown out in a close play.5. Participation in betting; gambling.6. Manner of dealing with others; conduct: fair play.7. An attempt to obtain something; a bid: a play for sympathy.8. a. Action, motion, or use: the play of the imagination.b. Freedom or occasion for action; scope: give full play to an artist's talents.9. Movement or space for movement, as of mechanical parts.10. Quick, often irregular movement or action, especially of light or color: the play of color on iridescent feathers.11. A control mechanism on an audio or video player that starts or resumes the audible or visual presentation of a recording.12. A geological deposit, as of oil or natural gas, considered as a prospect for commercial extraction.Phrasal Verbs: play along Informal To cooperate or pretend to cooperate: decided to play along with the robbers for a while. play around To philander. play at1. To participate in; engage in.2. To do or take part in halfheartedly. play back To replay (a recently recorded tape, for example). play down To minimize the importance of; make little of: played down the defect to protect the troops' morale. play off1. Sports a. To establish the winner of (a tie) by playing in an additional game or series of games.b. To participate in a playoff.2. To set (one individual or party) in opposition to another so as to advance one's own interests: a parent who played off one child against another. play on (or upon) To take advantage of (another's attitudes or feelings) for one's own interests: demagogues who play on popular fears. play out To use up; exhaust: Our strength was played out early in the contest. play up To emphasize or publicize: She played up her experience during the job interview.Idioms: in play1. Sports In a position to be legally or feasibly played: The ball is now in play.2. In a position, or rumored to be in a position of possible corporate takeover: The company's stock rose in price when it was said to be in play. out of play Sports Not in a position to be legally or feasibly played. play ball Slang To cooperate: The opposing attorneys refused to play ball with us. play both ends against the middle To set opposing parties or interests against one another so as to advance one's own goals. play fast and loose To behave in a recklessly irresponsible or deceitful manner: played fast and loose with the facts. play for time To use delaying tactics; temporize. play games Slang To be evasive or deceptive: Quit playing games and tell me what you want. play hard to get To pretend to be uninterested in a romantic relationship. play in Peoria Slang To be acceptable to average constituents or consumers. play into (someone's) hands To act or behave so as to give an advantage to an opponent. play it by ear To act according to the circumstances; improvise: I don't have a set schedule, so we'll have to play it by ear. play (one's) cards Informal To use the resources or strategies at one's disposal: played her cards right and got promoted. play possum To pretend to be sleeping or dead. play the field To date more than one person at the same time. play the game Informal To behave according to the accepted customs or standards. play up to To curry favor with. play with a full deck Slang To be of sound mind: didn't seem to be playing with a full deck. play with fire To take part in a dangerous or risky undertaking. play with (oneself) Vulgar Slang To masturbate.

[Middle English playen, from Old English plegian; see dlegh- in Indo-European roots.]

play′a·bil′i·ty n.play′a·ble adj.

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.in play - of a ball; "the ball is still in play"athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competitionlive - exerting force or containing energy; "live coals"; "tossed a live cigarette out the window"; "got a shock from a live wire"; "live ore is unmined ore"; "a live bomb"; "a live ball is one in play"

Translations

play

(plei) verb1. to amuse oneself. The child is playing in the garden; He is playing with his toys; The little girl wants to play with her friends.玩2. to take part in (games etc). He plays football; He is playing in goal; Here's a pack of cards – who wants to play (with me)?; I'm playing golf with him this evening. 做游戏，参加比赛 3. to act in a play etc; to act (a character). She's playing Lady Macbeth; The company is playing in London this week.扮演4. (of a play etc) to be performed. `Oklahoma' is playing at the local theatre.上演5. to (be able to) perform on (a musical instrument). She plays the piano; Who was playing the piano this morning?; He plays (the oboe) in an orchestra.演奏6. (usually with on) to carry out or do (a trick). He played a trick on me.玩弄7. (usually with at) to compete against (someone) in a game etc. I'll play you at tennis.同...比赛8. (of light) to pass with a flickering movement. The firelight played across the ceiling.闪动9. to direct (over or towards something). The firemen played their hoses over the burning house.喷射10. to put down or produce (a playing-card) as part of a card game. He played the seven of hearts. 出（牌） noun1. recreation; amusement. A person must have time for both work and play.消遣2. an acted story; a drama. Shakespeare wrote many great plays.戏剧3. the playing of a game. At the start of today's play, England was leading India by fifteen runs. （体育）比赛 4. freedom of movement (eg in part of a machine). （机器）空转 ˈplayer noun比赛者ˈplayable adjective (negative unplayable) (of a ground, pitch etc) not good enough for a game to be played on it. Because of the rain the referee decided the ground was not playable.适于游戏的ˈplayful adjective1. happy; full of the desire to play. a playful kitten.爱玩的2. joking; not serious. a playful remark.开玩笑的ˈplayfully adverb 幽默地，开玩笑地 ˈplayfulness noun 幽默，好玩的，十分有趣的 ˈplayboy noun a rich man who spends his time and money on pleasure. 花花公子ˈplayground noun an area in which children can play in a park, outside a school etc. （运动）游戏场 ˈplaying-card noun one of a pack of cards used in card games. 扑克牌ˈplaying-field noun a field which is specially prepared and used for sport. 运动场ˈplaymate noun a childhood friend. 儿童时期玩耍的伙伴ˈplaypen noun a small wooden structure with bars on every side in which a small child can play safely. （供幼儿在内玩耍的）护栏 ˈplayschool noun an informal nursery school. （非正式）幼儿园 ˈplaything noun a toy. 玩具ˈplaytime noun a set time for children to play (at school etc). The children go outside at playtime.娱乐时间ˈplaywright noun a person who writes plays. He is a famous playwright.剧作家at play playing. children at play.在玩耍bring/come into play to (cause to) be used or exercised. The job allowed him to bring all his talents into play.发挥child's play something that is very easy. Of course you can do it – it's child's play!极易的事in play, out of play (of a ball) according to the rules of the game, (not) in a position where it can be hit, kicked etc. （球赛中的）活球，死球 play at1. to pretend to be etc. The children were playing at cowboys and Indians.假装2. used when asking angrily what someone is doing. What does he think he's playing at (=doing)? 对某人敷衍了事行为表示不满 play back to play (music, speech etc) on a record or tape after it has just been recorded (noun ˈplay-back) 播放play down to try to make (something) appear less important. He played down the fact that he had failed the exam.贬低play fair to act honestly and fairly. 公平地行动，公平竞争 play for time to delay an action, decision etc in the hope that conditions will improve. 为争取时间而拖延play havoc with to cause a lot of damage to. The storm played havoc with the farmer's crops.对...造成严重破坏play into someone's hands to do exactly what an opponent or enemy wants one to do. 为某人利益而干play off (in games) to play a final deciding game after a draw (noun ˈplay-off) 加时赛（平局后再赛以决胜负） play off against to set (one person) against (another) in order to gain an advantage. He played his father off against his mother to get more pocket money. 在...之间拨弄是非（以图从中取利） play on to make use of (someone's feelings, fears etc). He played on my sympathy until I lent him $10.利用play a/no part in (not) to be one of the people who are doing (something). He played no part in the robbery. 参与（没有参与）... play safe to take no risks. 不冒险play the game to act fairly and honestly. 行动光明正大play up to be troublesome or disobedient. The children are playing up today.令人烦恼

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