play
To act in a manner such that one has funTo act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
» Do you play a musical instrument?
Spielst du ein Musikinstrument? — MUIRIEL
Вы играете на каком-нибудь музыкальном инструменте? — leyla
Ты играешь на каком-нибудь музыкальном инструменте? — marafon
Чи ви граєте на якомусь музичному інструменті? — leyla
Ти граєш на якомусь музичному інструменті? — deniko
Ви граєте на якомусь музичному інструменті? — deniko
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
32 senses(intransitive)To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
The children played in the park.
2003, Anne-Nelly Perret-Clermont et al. (eds.), Joining Society: Social Interaction and Learning in Adolescence and Youth, Cambridge Univ. Press, p.52:
spielen, schpile (als)
игра́тьigrátʹ, поигра́тьpoigrátʹ, игратьсяigratʹsja
гра́тиhráty, гра́тисяhrátysja, ба́витисяbávytysja
(especially, intransitive)To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.
Don't play with your food!
He's just playing with her affections.
(intransitive, transitive)To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
He plays on three teams.
Who's playing now?
participate in games or sport
To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
(intransitive, transitive)Specifying a particular sporting role or position.
He plays left back for Mudchester Rovers
(intransitive, transitive)To compete against, in a game.
We're playing one of the top teams in the next round.
contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
(intransitive, transitive)To be the opposing score to.
Look at the score now ... 23 plays 8!
(intransitive)To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-death combats; to engage in martial games; to joust; to fence
(copulative, intransitive)To act or behave in a stated way.
to play safe, to play fair, to play dirty
behave in a certain way
To act or behave in a stated way.
(copulative, intransitive)To give a false appearance of being; to pretend to be.
He plays dumb, but actually he's very clever.
Don't play the innocent with us.
(transitive)To act as (the indicated role).
Stop playing the fool.
No part of the brain plays the role of permanent memory.
play a role or part
To act as (the indicated role).
(transitive)To portray (a character) in (a film or theatre).
Who played Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind'?
To produce sound (especially music), moving pictures, or theatrical performance.
(especially, intransitive, transitive)To produce music using a musical instrument.
I'll play the piano and you sing.
Can you play an instrument?
spielen, spielen, abspielen
игра́тьigrátʹ, игра́тьigrátʹ, поигра́тьpoigrátʹ
гра́тиhráty
perform music on (a musical instrument)
Examples
9271 sentencesDo you play a musical instrument?
Чи ви граєте на якомусь музичному інструменті? — leyla
ruВы играете на каком-нибудь музыкальном инструменте? — leyla
deSpielst du ein Musikinstrument? — MUIRIEL
May I go out to play?
Можна я піду погуляю? — deniko
ruМожно я пойду погуляю? — shanghainese
deKann ich raus zum Spielen gehen? — Fingerhut
It's too dark to play outside.
Занадто темно, щоб гратися надворі. — deniko
ruСлишком темно, чтобы играть на улице. — sharptoothed
It is fun to play baseball.
Грати у бейсбол — це весело. — deniko
ruВ бейсбол играть весело. — marafon
deBaseball spielen macht Spaß. — Wolf
How long have you played soccer?
Скільки ти вже граєш у футбол? — deniko
ruДавно играешь в футбол? — Lathean
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
By meaning 5
Origin
From Middle English pleyen (verb) and Middle English pleye (noun), from Old English plegiaFrom Middle English pleyen (verb) and Middle English pleye (noun), from Old English plegian and plegan, plagian (“to play, exercise, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *plehan (“to care about, be concerned with”) and Proto-West Germanic *plegōn (“to engage, move”), of uncertain origin.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plays, playing, played, playedPhrasal verbs
15 phrasal verbs- play upвитягти, витягатиUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, up.
- play offвідповідати, зійтисяTo portray (something) (as unimportant); to dismiss or make light of (a factor in a situation, or one's embarrassment about it); to pretend not to be embarrassed, upset, impressed, or otherwise affected by (it).
- play outнабридати, втомлюватисяTo play (a game etc.) to its conclusion.
- play downзрубати, зрубуватиTo make or attempt to make something seem less important, likely, or obvious.
- play alongслідувати, дотримуватисяTo take part in a charade, deception, or practical joke.
- play onTo exploit (a potential weakness or vulnerability) by exacerbating.
- play inUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, in.
- play backTo replay a recording.
More 7
- play awayTo be sexually unfaithful out of one's home
- play intoTo support (an idea or plan).
- play aroundTo behave in a silly, childish, or irresponsible way.
- play throughTo overtake a slower group of players ahead of one's own group, rather than waiting for them to finish the hole before proceeding.
- play aboutSynonym of play around.
- play withUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: play with.
- play toUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see play, to.
Synonyms
105 synonymsWord family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
Collocations
12 patterns- play tennis
- how to play
- play the piano
- to play the
- play the guitar
- to play tennis
- play golf
- want to play
- play chess
- play tennis with
- used to play
- play the saxophone