play

A1 · Beginner Sports

v. to take part in a game or sport.

v. to participate in a competitive game or exercise; transitive when followed by the name of the sport.

日本語:プレイする※

Español:jugar (a)

“We usually play tennis on Saturday mornings if the weather is good.”

“He has played professional basketball for over a decade, earning several championship rings during his tenure with the city's primary team.”

A1 · Beginner Music

v. to make music with an instrument like a piano or guitar.

v. to produce music by manual or mechanical operation of an instrument.

日本語:弾く※

“She started to play the piano when she was only five years old.”

“The orchestra began to play the symphony with such precision that the audience remained perfectly silent until the final note faded.”

B1 · Intermediate Theater

v. to act as a character in a movie or a show.

v. to represent a character in a theatrical or cinematic performance.

“He is going to play the hero in the school's end-of-year show.”

“The actress was chosen to play the lead role because of her unique ability to convey complex emotions through subtle facial expressions.”

A2 · Elementary Computing

v. to make a video or song start so you can watch or hear it.

v. to cause a recorded medium to emit its content.

“Can you play that song again? I really like the lyrics.”

“The software is designed to play high-definition video files without stuttering, even on older hardware configurations.”

C1 · Advanced Informal · Slang

v. to trick or deceive someone for your own advantage.

v. to manipulate or deceive a person for personal gain or amusement.

“I realized too late that he was just playing me to get the money.”

“The con artist had been playing the investors for months, providing them with fraudulent documents to hide the fact that their money was gone.”

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Theater

n. a story that is written for actors to perform on a stage.

n. a dramatic composition or performance intended for the stage.

“We went to see a Shakespeare play at the local theatre last night.”

“The new play received rave reviews from critics, who praised the innovative staging and the powerful dialogue between the two main characters.”

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun

n. time spent having fun or being active, especially for children.

n. activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially by children.

“The teacher told the students that it was time for play.”

“Child psychologists emphasize that unstructured play is essential for the cognitive and social development of young children.”

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technology Technical

n. the amount of space something has to move within a machine or part.

n. the amount of space for movement allowed by a mechanism; physical tolerance or slack.

“There is too much play in the steering wheel, so it feels loose.”

“The engineer adjusted the gears to reduce the play, ensuring that the mechanical arm would move with greater precision during the assembly process.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. a specific action or plan in a game or business.

n. a calculated move or maneuver in a game, sport, or strategic situation.

“That was a clever play to win the game in the final minute.”

“The company's acquisition of the smaller startup was seen as a strategic play to dominate the emerging green energy market.”