Word Definitions & Examples
verb
Sense 1
"play safe"
"play it safe"
"play fair"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody something
Somebody ----s somebody with something
verb
Sense 2
be performed
"What''s playing in the local movie theater?"
"`Cats'' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
Kinds of:
debut
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Domain:
performing arts
verb
Sense 3
"The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"
"She has been playing on Broadway for years"
Type of:
perform
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Domain:
performing arts
verb
Sense 4
"play water from a hose"
"The fountains played all day"
Type of:
discharge
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 5
use to one''s advantage
"She plays on her clients'' emotions"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
verb
Sense 6
"Play the reaces"
"play the casinos in Trouville"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 7
"He is playing his cards close to his chest"
"The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"
Type of:
deploy
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 8
"The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
Derived:
looseness
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb
Sense 9
"She played a good backhand last night"
Type of:
hit
Kinds of:
hook
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 10
use or move
"I had to play my queen"
Kinds of:
promote
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 11
"They ran the tapes over and over again"
"Can you play my favorite record?"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb
Sense 12
"The tape was playing for hours"
"the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
Type of:
sound
Verb group:
run
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb
Sense 13
"The kids were playing outside all day"
"I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
Type of:
act
Verb group:
recreate
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
verb
Sense 14
"On weekends I play"
"The students all recreate alike"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
verb
Sense 15
"This factor played only a minor part in his decision"
"This development played into her hands"
"I played no role in your dismissal"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb
Sense 16
"The spotlights played on the politicians"
Derived:
shimmer
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something to somebody
verb
Sense 17
"He plays the flute"
"Can you play on this old recorder?"
Type of:
sound
Derived:
playing
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Domain:
music
verb
Sense 18
play on an instrument
"The band played all night long"
Type of:
perform
Verb group:
spiel
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Domain:
music
verb
Sense 19
"Play it again, Sam"
"She played the third movement very beautifully"
Type of:
re-create
Derived:
playing
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 20
"Let''s play like I am mommy"
"Play cowboy and Indians"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s something with something
Something ----s somebody
verb
Sense 21
"This speech didn''t play well with the American public"
"His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
verb
Sense 22
"They played him on first base"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
noun
Sense 23
"the ball was still in play"
"insiders said the company''s stock was in play"
noun
Sense 25
"it was all done in play"
"their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
noun
Sense 28
"Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"
verb
Sense 29
"They played games on their opponents"
"play the stockmarket"
"play with her feelings"
"toy with an idea"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 31
"play a hooked fish"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 32
"He played $20 on the new horse"
"She plays the races"
Type of:
gamble
Kinds of:
underplay
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 33
"We played hockey all afternoon"
"play cards"
"Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
See also:
play out
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
verb
Sense 36
"She acts in this play"
"He acted in `Julius Caesar''"
"I played in `A Christmas Carol''"
Type of:
perform
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
noun
Sense 38
"there was too much play in the steering wheel"
verb
Sense 39
"Gielgud played Hamlet"
"She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"
"She played the servant to her husband''s master"
Type of:
re-create
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s something with something
Domain:
performing arts
noun
Sense 40
"he became a figure of fun"
noun
Sense 41
"the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"
"the play of light on the water"
Derived:
shimmer
verb
Sense 42
"He acted the idiot"
"She plays deaf when the news are bad"
Derived:
act
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
noun
Sense 43
the removal of constraints
"he gave free rein to his impulses"
"they gave full play to the artist''s talent"
Type of:
freedom
verb
Sense 44
"Play about with a young girl''s affection"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something with something
verb
Sense 45
"I bet $100 on that new horse"
"She played all her money on the dark horse"
Type of:
gamble
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
noun
Sense 47
the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize)
"his gambling cost him a fortune"
"there was heavy play at the blackjack table"
verb
Sense 48
"He is trifling with her"
"She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
noun
Sense 49
"he made a great maneuver"
"the runner was out on a play by the shortstop"
Has parts:
athletic game
verb
Sense 50
"I cannot work a miracle"
"wreak havoc"
"bring comments"
"play a joke"
"The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
verb
Sense 51
"Princeton plays Yale this weekend"
"Charlie likes to play Mary"
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
verb
Sense 52
"She played nervously with her wedding ring"
"Don''t fiddle with the screws"
"He played with the idea of running for the Senate"
Type of:
manipulate
Usage Patterns:
Somebody ----s something with something
Semantic Complexity
100%
Sense Count
52
Total Synonyms
0
Total Relationships
355
Times Searched
3
Relationship Distribution
Word Relationship Graph
Synonyms
Antonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms