playing

Main Entry:: ²play
Function:: verb
Date:: before 12th century

intransitive verb

1 a: to engage in sport or recreation : frolic b: to have sexual relations ; especially : to have promiscuous or illicit sexual relations —usually used in the phrase play around c (1): to move aimlessly about : trifle (2): to toy or fiddle around with something <played with her food> (3): to deal or behave frivolously or mockingly : jest (4): to deal in a light, speculative, or sportive manner (5): to make use of double meaning or of the similarity of sound of two words for stylistic or humorous effect2 a: to take advantage <playing on fears> b (1): flutter, frisk (2): to move or operate in a lively, irregular, or intermittent manner c: to move or function freely within prescribed limits d: to produce a stream <hoses playing on a fire>3 a (1): to perform music <play on a violin> (2): to sound in performance <the organ is playing> (3): to emit sounds <the radio is playing> (4): to reproduce recorded sounds <a record is playing> b (1): to act in a dramatic production (2): show, run <what's playing at the theater> c: to be suitable for dramatic performance d: to act with special consideration so as to gain favor, approval, or sympathy <might play to popular prejudices to serve his political ends — V. L. Parrington> —often used in the phrase play up to e: to produce a specified impression in performance <a movie that plays like a sitcom>4 a: to engage or take part in a game b: to perform in a position in a specified manner <the outfielders were playing deep> c: to perform an action during one's turn in a game d: gamble e (1): to behave or conduct oneself in a specified way <play safe> (2): to feign a specified state or quality <play dead> (3): to take part in or assent to some activity : cooperate <play along with his scheme> (4): to act so as to prove advantageous to another —usually used in the phrase play into the hands of5: to gain approval : go over <her idea did not play well>transitive verb1 a (1): to engage in or occupy oneself with <play baseball> (2): to engage in (an activity) as a game (3): to deal with, handle, or manage (4): exploit, manipulate b: to pretend to engage in the activities of <play war> <children playing house> c (1): to amount to by one's efforts <played an important role in their success> (2): to perform or execute for amusement or to deceive or mock <play a trick> (3): wreak <play havoc> (4): to use or introduce as a political or rhetorical strategy <play the national security card>2 a (1): to put on a performance of (a play) (2): to act in the character or part of (3): to act or perform in <played leading theaters> b: to perform or act the part of <play the fool>3 a (1): to contend against in or as if in a game (2): to use as a contestant in a game <the coach did not play him> (3): to perform the duties associated with (a certain position) <played quarterback> (4): to guard or move into position to defend against (an opponent) in a specified manner b (1): to wager in a game : stake (2): to make wagers on <play the races> (3): to speculate on or in <play the stock market> (4): to operate on the basis of <play a hunch> c: to put into action in a game ; especially : to remove (a playing card) from one's hand and place usually faceup on a table in one's turn either as part of a scoring combination or as one's contribution to a trick d: to catch or pick up (a batted ball) : field <played the ball bare-handed> e: to direct the course of (as a ball) : hit <played a wedge shot to the green> ; also : to cause (a ball or puck) to rebound <played the ball off the backboard>4 a: to perform (music) on an instrument <play a waltz> b: to perform music on <play the violin> c: to perform music of (a certain composer) d (1): to cause (as a radio or phonograph) to emit sounds (2): to cause the recorded sound or image of (as a record or a magnetic tape) to be reproduced5 a: wield, ply b: to discharge, fire, or set off with continuous effect <played the hose on the burning building> c: to cause to move or operate lightly and irregularly or intermittently d: to keep (a hooked fish) in action

— play·abil·i·ty