A play upon words

A play upon words
Play Play, n. 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. [1913 Webster]

2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. [1913 Webster]

John naturally loved rough play. --Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]

3. 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. [1913 Webster]

4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. ``The next who comes in play.'' --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action. [1913 Webster]

A play ought to be a just image of human nature. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play. [1913 Webster]

7. Performance on an instrument of music. [1913 Webster]

8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. ``To give them play, front and rear.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them. --Moxon. [1913 Webster]

9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. [1913 Webster]

{Play actor}, an actor of dramas. --Prynne.

{Play debt}, a gambling debt. --Arbuthnot.

{Play pleasure}, idle amusement. [Obs.] --Bacon.

{A play upon words}, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning.

{Play of colors}, prismatic variation of colors.

{To bring into play}, {To come into play}, to bring or come into use or exercise.

{To hold in play}, to keep occupied or employed. [1913 Webster]

I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • play upon words — play on words or play upon words noun A pun or other manipulation of words depending on their sound • • • Main Entry: ↑play * * * play on words or play upon words, = pun. (Cf. ↑pun) …   Useful english dictionary

  • play upon words — index distort Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • play on words — a pun or the act of punning. * * * play on words or play upon words noun A pun or other manipulation of words depending on their sound • • • Main Entry: ↑play * * * play on words or play upon words, = pun. (Cf. ↑pun) …   Useful english dictionary

  • play upon words — Punning, quibbling …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • Play On Words (game) — Infobox Game title = Play on Words image link = image caption = Game and Packaging designer = illustrator = publisher = Winning Moves players = 1 to 4 ages = 8 and up setup time = 2 minutes playing time = 2 15 minutes, depending on number of… …   Wikipedia

  • To play upon — Play Play, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Played}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Playing}.] [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Play — Play, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Played}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Playing}.] [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Play — Play, n. 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. [1913 Webster] 2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. [1913 Webster] John naturally loved rough play. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 3. The act or practice of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Play actor — Play Play, n. 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. [1913 Webster] 2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. [1913 Webster] John naturally loved rough play. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 3. The act or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Play debt — Play Play, n. 1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. [1913 Webster] 2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. [1913 Webster] John naturally loved rough play. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster] 3. The act or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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