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To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the
sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. |
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To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be
careless. |
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To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence,
to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. |
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To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. |
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To act; to behave; to practice deception. |
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To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with
alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain
plays. |
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To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. |
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To act on the stage; to personate a character. |
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To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a
fortification; to play a trump. |
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To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ. |
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To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to
play a waltz on the violin. |
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To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in
action; to execute; as, to play tricks. |
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To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action;
as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by
acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the
woman. |
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To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for
amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball. |
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To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. |
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Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. |
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Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or
diversion; a game. |
• |
The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or
a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune
in play. |
• |
Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play;
sword play; a play of wit. |
• |
A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in
which characters are represented by dialogue and action. |
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The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as,
he attends ever play. |
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Performance on an instrument of music. |
• |
Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a
wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. |
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Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display;
scope; as, to give full play to mirth. |