Playing

Playing
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. pflegen; of unknown origin. [root]28. Cf. {Plight}, n.] 1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. [1913 Webster]

As Cannace was playing in her walk. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! --Pope. [1913 Webster]

And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. [1913 Webster]

``Nay,'' quod this monk, ``I have no lust to pleye.'' --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Men are apt to play with their healths. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster]

3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. [1913 Webster]

4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. [1913 Webster]

One that . . . can play well on an instrument. --Ezek. xxxiii. 32. [1913 Webster]

Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. --Granville. [1913 Webster]

5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. [1913 Webster]

His mother played false with a smith. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. [1913 Webster]

The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. --Cheyne. [1913 Webster]

7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. [1913 Webster]

Even as the waving sedges play with wind. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. [1913 Webster]

A lord will hear your play to-night. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne. [1913 Webster]

{To play into a person's hands}, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit.

{To play off}, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice.

{To play upon}. (a) To make sport of; to deceive. [1913 Webster]

Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Playing — Play ing, a. & vb. n. of {Play}. [1913 Webster] {Playing cards}. See under {Card}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • playing — noun Playing is used before these nouns: ↑card, ↑career, ↑day, ↑field, ↑partner, ↑style, ↑time Playing is used after these nouns: ↑card …   Collocations dictionary

  • playing — n. clean; dirty playing * * * [ pleɪɪŋ] dirty playing clean …   Combinatory dictionary

  • playing — Synonyms and related words: acting, aflicker, aping, betting, bickering, blinking, buffoonery, business, cardsharping, casting lots, characterization, coquetry, dabbling, dalliance, dallying, dancing, dumb show, embodiment, enacting, enactment,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • playing — noun 1. the act of playing a musical instrument (Freq. 11) • Derivationally related forms: ↑play • Hypernyms: ↑musical performance • Hyponyms: ↑bowing, ↑piping, ↑st …   Useful english dictionary

  • Playing the Angel — Álbum de Depeche Mode Publicación 17 de octubre de 2005 en Inglaterra 18 de octubre en Estados Unidos Grabación Varios lugares durante 2005 Género(s) …   Wikipedia Español

  • Playing the Angel — Playing the Angel …   Википедия

  • Playing with Fire (Kevin Federline album) — Playing with Fire Studio album by Kevin Federline Released October 31, 2006 (2006 10 31 …   Wikipedia

  • Playing the Angel (álbum) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Esta página ha sido borrada. El registro de borrado y traslados de la página se proveen debajo para más detalle. 18:05 22 nov 2009 Humberto (discusión | contribuciones) borró «Playing the Angel (álbum)» ‎ (borrado… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Playing in the Shadows — Studio album by Example Released 4 September 2011 ( …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”