1. [n]  the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
2. [n]  play by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"
3. [n]  the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play"
4. [n]  the act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table"
5. [n]  gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
6. [n]  a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and skill; "he made a great play"
7. [n]  a preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up the plays for her team"
8. [n]  an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for power"; "he made a bid to gain attention"
9. [n]  utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"
10. [n]  movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in the steering wheel"
11. [n]  verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously); "he became a figure of fun"
12. [n]  a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"
13. [n]  a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours"
14. [n]  a weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water"
15. [n]  the removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent"
16. [n]  a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
17. [n]  (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning"
18. [v]  engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stockmarket"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea"
19. [v]  pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
20. [v]  put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"
21. [v]  exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish"
22. [v]  consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania"
23. [v]  participate in games or sports; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
24. [v]  contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"
25. [v]  employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base"
26. [v]  use or move; "I had to play my queen"
27. [v]  shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night"
28. [v]  bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races"
29. [v]  stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse"
30. [v]  make bets; "Play the reaces"; "play the casinos in Trouville"
31. [v]  use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions"
32. [v]  discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"
33. [v]  manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination; "She played nervously with her wedding ring"; "Don't fiddle with the screws"; "He played with the idea of running for the Senate"
34. [v]  cause to happen or to occur as a consequence; "I cannot work a miracle"; "wreak havoc"; "bring comments"; "play a joke"; "The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area"
35. [v]  perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
36. [v]  be performed; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
37. [v]  cause to be emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?"
38. [v]  emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
39. [v]  play a role or part; "Gielgud played Hamlet"; "She wants to act Lady Macbeth, but she is too young for the role"; "She played the servant to her husband's master"
40. [v]  perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He acted in"Julius Caesar"; "I played in"A Christmas Carol"
41. [v]  pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
42. [v]  as of melodies; "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully"
43. [v]  play (music) on an instrument; "The band played all night long"
44. [v]  perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
45. [v]  move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians"
46. [v]  cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space, as of machinery; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
47. [v]  act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"
48. [v]  engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike"
49. [v]  be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
50. [v]  behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young girl's affection"
51. [v]  behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe";"play fair"
52. [v]  be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"

Play
Examines the similarities and differences in traditional children's games reflecting a variety of cultures, including such well-known pastimes as soccer, jacks, and marbles

more details ...

1. \Play\, v. t.
   {To play hob}, to play the part of a mischievous spirit; to
      work mischief. Plebs \Plebs\ (pl[e^]bz), n. [L. Cf.
   {Plebe}.]
   1. The commonalty of ancient Rome who were citizens without
      the usual political rights; the plebeians; --
      distinguished from the {patricians}.
   2. Hence, the common people; the populace; -- construed as a
      pl.
   

2. \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.
            As Cannace was playing in her walk.   --Chaucer.
            The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy
            reason, would he skip and play!       --Pope.
            And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling
            with the flame and sword.             --Keble.
   2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be
      careless.
            ``Nay,'' quod this monk, ``I have no lust to
            pleye.''                              --Chaucer.
            Men are apt to play with their healths. --Sir W.
                                                  Temple.
   3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball;
      hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.
   4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a
      flute.
            One that . . . can play well on an instrument.
                                                  --Ezek.
                                                  xxxiii. 32.
            Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. --Granville.
   5. To act; to behave; to practice deception.
            His mother played false with a smith. --Shak.
   6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with
      alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as,
      the fountain plays.
            The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs
            play.                                 --Cheyne.
   7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport.
            Even as the waving sedges play with wind. --Shak.
            The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and
            burnished helmets.                    --Addison.
            All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round
            the head, but comes not to the heart. --Pope.
   8. To act on the stage; to personate a character.
            A lord will hear your play to-night.  --Shak.
            Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne.
   {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.
                Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon
                our eyesight.                     --Shak.
      (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression
          or application to; as, to play upon words.
   

3. \Play\, v. t.
   1. To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a
      fortification; to play a trump.
            First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then
            Order plays the soul.                 --Herbert.
   2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.
   3. To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to
      play a waltz on the violin.
   4. To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in
      action; to execute; as, to play tricks.
            Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at
            will Her virgin fancies.              --Milton.
   5. 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.
            Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
   6. 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.
   7. To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it.
   {To play off}, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as,
      to play off tricks.
   {To play one's cards}, to manage one's means or
      opportunities; to contrive.
   {Played out}, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's
      resources. [Colloq.]
   

4. \Play\, n.
   1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
   2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement
      or diversion; a game.
            John naturally loved rough play.      --Arbuthnot.
   3. 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.
   4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair
      play; sword play; a play of wit. ``The next who comes in
      play.'' --Dryden.
   5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition
      in which characters are represented by dialogue and
      action.
            A play ought to be a just image of human nature.
                                                  --Dryden.
   6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy;
      as, he attends ever play.
   7. Performance on an instrument of music.
   8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a
      wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and
      easy action. ``To give them play, front and rear.''
      --Milton.
            The joints are let exactly into one another, that
            they have no play between them.       --Moxon.
   9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display;
      scope; as, to give full play to mirth.
   {Play actor}, an actor of dramas. --Prynne.
   {Play debt}, a gambling debt. --Arbuthnot.
   {Play pleasure}, idle amusement. [Obs.] --Bacon.
   {A play upon words}, the use of a word in such a way as to be
      capable of double meaning; punning.
   {Play of colors}, prismatic variation of colors.
   {To bring into play}, {To come into play}, to bring or come
      into use or exercise.
   {To hold in play}, to keep occupied or employed.
      I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play.
                                                  --Macaulay.
   

A language for real-time music synthesis. 1977.

["An Introduction to the Play Program", J. Chadabe ete al, Computer Music J 2,1 (1978)].