play the field
To have numerous romantic partners, without or before committing exclusively to one.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is not ready to settle down and prefers to play the field.”
“After her long relationship ended, she decided to play the field for a while instead of dating just one person.”
“Rather than tethering himself to a single partner, he chose to play the field, exploring various romantic connections before eventually seeking a more permanent commitment.”
- 01
cede the field
To withdraw from any confrontational or potentially confrontational situation; to avoid participating in a competition or contest.
- 02
center field
A central role in some activity that requires speed.
- 03
child's play
Something particularly easy or simple.
- 04
debris field
Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.
- 05
field day
A great time or a great deal to do; a period of bustling activity.
- 06
go play in the traffic
To go elsewhere and feel free to engage in risky behavior; to get lost.
- 07
grandstand play
A successful play or other manoeuvre during a sporting competition in which one or more players shows off unnecessarily in order to entertain or impress the spectators.
- 08
hold-up play
A play where an attacker retains possession of the ball, while the teammates can move up the field.
Last updated August 10, 2026