play

• play
• 1

  children

   [intransitive and transitive] when children play, they do things that they enjoy, often with other people or with toys:
• Kids were playing and chasing each other.
• play catch/house/tag/school etc
• Outside, the children were playing cowboys and Indians.
• play with
• Did you like to play with dolls when you were little?
• Parents need to spend time just playing with their children.
• 2

  sports/games

• a) [intransitive and transitive] to take part or compete in a game or sport:
• Karen began playing basketball when she was six.
• If you feel any pain, you shouldn't play.
• Men were sitting in the park, playing cards.
• play against
• Bristol will play against Coventry next week.
• She's playing Helen Evans in the semi-final. (=playing against her)
• play for
• Moxon played for England in ten test matches.
• b) [transitive] to use a particular piece, card, person etc in a game or sport:
• Harrison played a ten of spades.
• The Regents played Eddie at center (=used him as a player in that position) in the game against Arizona.
• c) [intransitive and transitive] to take a particular position on a team:
• Garvey played first base for the Dodgers.
• d) [transitive] to hit a ball in a particular way or to a particular place in a game or sport:
• She played the ball low, just over the net.
• 
• 3

  music

   [intransitive and transitive]
• to perform a piece of music on a musical instrument:
• He's learning to play the piano.
• She played a Bach prelude.
• Haden has played with many jazz greats.
• A small orchestra was playing.
• 4

  radio/cd etc

   [intransitive and transitive] if a radio, CD etc plays, or if you play it, it produces sound, especially music:
• The bedside radio played softly.
• play a record/CD/tape etc
• DJs playing the latest house and techno tracks
• 5

  theatre/film

• a) [transitive] to perform the actions and say the words of a particular character in a theatre performance, film etc:
• Streep plays a shy, nervous woman.
• play a role/part/character etc
• Playing a character so different from herself was a challenge.
• b) [intransitive] if a play or film is playing at a particular theatre, it is being performed or shown there:
• 'Macbeth' is playing at the Theatre Royal in York.
• c) [transitive] if actors play a theatre, they perform there in a play
• 6

   play a part/role

  to have an effect or influence on something
• play a part/role in
• A good diet and fitness play a large part in helping people live longer.
• 7

   play ball

• a) to throw, kick, hit, or catch a ball as a game or activity:
• Jim and Karl were playing ball in the backyard.
• b) to do what someone wants you to do:
• So far, the company has refused to play ball, preferring to remain independent.
• 8

  pretend

   [linking verb] to behave as if you are a particular kind of person or have a particular feeling or quality, even though it is not true:
• the accusation that scientists are playing God
• Some snakes fool predators by playing dead.
• 'What do you mean?' 'Don't play dumb.' (=pretend you do not know something)
• play the idiot/the teacher etc
• Susan felt she had to play the good wife.
• He played the fool (=behaved in a silly way) at school instead of working.
• 9

  behave

   [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to behave in a particular way in a situation, in order to achieve the result or effect that you want:
• How do you want to play this meeting?
• Play it safe (=avoid risks) and make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked.
• play it carefully/cool etc
• If you like him, play it cool, or you might scare him off.
• 10

   play games

  to hide your real feelings or wishes in order to achieve something in a clever or secret way - used to show disapproval:
• Stop playing games, Luke, and tell me what you want.
• 11

   play something by ear

• a) to decide what to do according to the way a situation develops, without making plans before that time:
• We'll see what the weather's like and play it by ear.
• b) if someone can play a musical instrument by ear, they can play a tune without looking at written music
• 12

   play a joke/trick/prank on somebody

  to do something to someone as a joke or trick
• 13

   play the game

• a) to do things in the way you are expected to do them or in a way that is usual in a particular situation:
• If you want a promotion, you've got to play the game.
• b) British English to behave in a fair and honest way
• 14

   play the race/nationalist/environmentalist etc card

  to use a particular subject in politics in order to gain an advantage:
• a leader who is skillfully playing the nationalist card to keep power
• 15

   play your cards right

  to say or do things in a situation in such a way that you gain as much as possible from it:
• Who knows? If you play your cards right, maybe he'll marry you.
• 16

   play your cards close to your chest

  to keep secret what you are doing in a situation
• 17

   play into somebody's hands

  to do what someone you are competing with wants you to do, without realizing it:
• If we respond with violence, we'll be playing into their hands, giving them an excuse for a fight.
• 18

   play for time

  to try to delay something so that you have more time to prepare for it or prevent it from happening:
• The rebels may be playing for time while they try to get more weapons.
• 19

   play tricks (on you)

  if your mind, memory, sight etc plays tricks on you, you feel confused and not sure about what is happening:
• It happened a long time ago, and my memory might be playing tricks on me.
• 20

   play the market

  to risk money on the stock market as a way of trying to earn more money
• 21

   play the system

  to use the rules of a system in a clever way, to gain advantage for yourself:
• Accountants know how to play the tax system.
• 22

   play second fiddle (to somebody)

  to be in a lower position or rank than someone else
• 23

   play hard to get

  to pretend that you are not sexually interested in someone so that they will become more interested in you
• 24

  smile

   [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if a smile plays about someone's lips, they smile slightly
• 25

   play hooky

  American English play truant British English to stay away from school without permission
• 26

   play with fire

  to do something that could have a very dangerous or harmful result:
• Dating the boss's daughter is playing with fire.
• 27

  light

   [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] written if light plays on something, it shines on it and moves on it:
• the sunlight playing on the water
• 28

  water

   [intransitive] written if a fountain plays, water comes from it
• 29

   play the field

  to have sexual relationships with a lot of different people
• 30

   play fast and loose with something

  to not be careful about what you do, especially by not obeying the law or a rule:
• They played fast and loose with investors' money.
• 31

   play a hose/light on something

  to point a hose or light towards something so that water or light goes onto it

• play around 

  phrasal verb
• 1 to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your usual partner
• play around with
• Wasn't she playing around with another man?
• It was years before I realized he'd been playing around.
• 2 to try doing something in different ways, to see what would be best, especially when this is fun
• play around with
• Play around with the ingredients if you like.
• 3 to behave in a silly way or waste time, when you should be doing something more serious [= fool around]:
• When the teacher wasn't looking, we used to play about a lot.

• play around with something 

  phrasal verb
• to keep moving or making changes to something in your hands [= fiddle with]:
• Will you stop playing around with the remote control!

• play along 

  phrasal verb
• 1 to pretend to agree to do what someone wants, in order to avoid annoying them or to get an advantage:
• She felt she had to play along or risk losing her job.
• 2

   play somebody along

  British English to tell someone something that is not true because you need their help in some way

• play at something 

  phrasal verb
• 1

   What is somebody playing at?

  British English spoken used when you do not understand what someone is doing or why they are doing it, and you are surprised or annoyed:
• What do you think you're playing at?
• 2 if you play at doing something, you do not do it properly or seriously
• play at doing something
• He's still playing at being an artist.
• 3 British English if children play at doctors, soldiers etc, they pretend to be doctors, soldiers etc
• play at being something
• a fourteen-year-old playing at being a grown woman

• play something ↔ back 

  phrasal verb
• to play something that has been recorded on a machine so that you can listen to it or watch it:
• He played back his answering machine messages.

• play something ↔ down 

  phrasal verb
• to try to make something seem less important or less likely than it really is:
• Management has been playing down the possibility of job losses.
• play down the importance/seriousness/significance of something
• The White House spokeswoman sought to play down the significance of the event.

• play off 

  phrasal verb
• 1 British English if people or teams play off, they play the last game in a sports competition, in order to decide who is the winner:
• The top two teams will play off at Twickenham for the county title.
• 2

   play off somebody/something

  American English to deliberately use a fact, action, idea etc in order to make what you are doing better or to get an advantage:
• The two musicians played off each other in a piece of inspired improvisation.

• play somebody off against somebody 

  phrasal verb
• to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with another, in order to get some advantage for yourself:
• The house seller may try to play one buyer off against another, to raise the price.

• play on/upon something 

  phrasal verb
• to use a feeling, fact, or idea in order to get what you want, often in an unfair way:
• The ad plays on our emotions, showing a doctor holding a newborn baby.

• play something ↔ out 

  phrasal verb
• 1 if an event or situation is played out or plays itself out, it happens:
• It will be interesting to see how the election plays itself out.
• 2 if people play out their dreams, feelings etc, they express them by pretending that a particular situation is really happening:
• The weekend gives you a chance to play out your fantasies.

• play up 

  phrasal verb
• 1

   play something ↔ up

  to emphasize something, sometimes making it seem more important than it really is:
• Play up your strongest arguments in the opening paragraph.
• 2

   play (somebody) up

  British English informal if children play up, they behave badly:
• Jordan's been playing up in school.
• I hope the kids don't play you up.
• 3

   play (somebody) up

  British English informal to hurt you or cause problems for you:
• My knee's been playing me up this week.
• The car's playing up again.

• play up to somebody 

  phrasal verb
• to behave in a very polite or kind way to someone because you want something from them:
• Connie always plays up to her parents when she wants money.

• play with somebody/something 

  phrasal verb
• 1 to keep touching something or moving it:
• Stop playing with the light switch!
• 2 to try doing something in different ways to decide what works best:
• Play with the design onscreen, moving text and pictures until you get a pleasing arrangement.
• 3 to consider an idea or possibility, but not always very seriously [= toy with]:
• After university, I played with the idea of teaching English in China.
• 4

   money/time/space etc to play with

  money, time etc that is available to be used:
• The budget is very tight, so there isn't much money to play with.
• 5

   play with yourself

  to touch your own sex organs for pleasure[= masturbate]
• 6

   play with words/language

  to use words in a clever or amusing way

Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.