| • | To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. |
| • | To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. |
| • | To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. |
| • | To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. |
| • | To act; to behave; to practice deception. |
| • | To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. |
| • | To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. |
| • | To act on the stage; to personate a character. |
| • | To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. |
| • | To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ. |
| • | To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin. |
| • | To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks. |
| • | 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. |
| • | 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. |
| • | To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. |
| • | Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols. |
| • | 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. |
| • | The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play. |
| • | 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. |
| • | Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. |
