play*/*/*/

[pleɪ] verb I

1) [I/T] to take part in a sport or game

The children were playing football in the park.[/ex]

He played for AC Milan before he was transferred to Arsenal.[/ex]

2) [I/T] to compete against someone in a sport or game

She plays the winner of tomorrow's match.[/ex]

England will be playing against Brazil in the next round.[/ex]

3) [I/T] to perform music, or to use an instrument to make music

He played several organ pieces by Bach.[/ex]

Gloria plays the violin in the London Philharmonic.[/ex]

4) [I/T] to produce sounds, or to make something such as a radio or CD produce sounds

They played the CD at full volume.[/ex]

I could hear a radio playing in the flat above.[/ex]

5) [T] to have a particular part in a play or film

She played Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire.[/ex]

6) [I] if children play, they do things that they enjoy, for example using toys

The children were out playing in the garden.[/ex]

Which toys do you want to play with today?[/ex]

•

be playing with fire — to be doing something dangerous or risky that could cause lots of problems for you[/ex]

play ball (with sb) — informal to agree to do something that someone wants you to do[/ex]

play the fool — to pretend that you do not understand something[/ex]

play for time — to deliberately delay doing something, or to do something more slowly than usual, so that you have more time to decide what to do[/ex]

play game s — to behave in a silly way by not saying what you really think or by not being serious enough[/ex]

play it cool — informal to behave calmly and not show that you are worried about something[/ex]

play it cool — informal to behave calmly and not show your emotions[/ex]

play (it) safe — to avoid taking any risks[/ex]

- play about

- play around

- play at sth

- play sth back

- play sth down

- play sb off against sb

- play on sth

- play (sb) up

- play sth up

- play with sth

II

noun

play */*/*/[pleɪ]

1) [C] a piece of writing that is intended to be performed by actors in a theatre or on television or the radio

a Shakespeare/West End play[/ex]

The school's going to put on a play this Christmas.[/ex]

2) [U] activities that are done because they are enjoyable and fun, especially by children

She watched the children at play in the park.[/ex]

3) [U] the action in a sport or game

Rain stopped play again this afternoon.[/ex]

•

bring sth into play — to make something start to have an effect[/ex]

come into play — to start to happen or have an effect[/ex]

a play on words — a clever or funny use of a word that has two different meanings[/ex]

See:

foul play