Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Play \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.

Play \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.

Play \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.

Play \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.]

Source : WordNet®

play
     n 1: a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a
          stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced
          on Broadway" [syn: {drama}, {dramatic play}]
     2: a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two
        hours"
     3: a preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up
        the plays for her team"
     4: a deliberate coordinated movement requiring dexterity and
        skill; "he made a great maneuver"; "the runner was out on
        a play by the shortstop" [syn: {maneuver}, {manoeuvre}]
     5: a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in
        play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
     6: utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"
     7: an attempt to get something; "they made a futile play for
        power"; "he made a bid to gain attention" [syn: {bid}]
     8: play by children that is guided more by imagination than by
        fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a
        small child" [syn: {child's play}]
     9: (in games or plays or other performances) the time during
        which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning"
        [syn: {playing period}, {period of play}]
     10: the removal of constraints; "he gave free rein to his
         impulses"; "they gave full play to the artist's talent"
         [syn: {free rein}]
     11: a weak and tremulous light; "the shimmer of colors on
         iridescent feathers"; "the play of light on the water"
         [syn: {shimmer}]
     12: verbal wit (often at another's expense but not to be taken
         seriously); "he became a figure of fun" [syn: {fun}, {sport}]
     13: movement or space for movement; "there was too much play in
         the steering wheel" [syn: {looseness}] [ant: {tightness}]
     14: 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" [syn: {frolic}, {romp},
          {gambol}, {caper}]
     15: 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" [syn: {gambling}, {gaming}]
     16: the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it
         is my turn"; "it is still my play" [syn: {turn}]
     17: the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and
         skillfully [syn: {swordplay}]

play
     v 1: participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all
          afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian
          teams in many important matches"
     2: 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"
     3: play on an instrument; "The band played all night long"
     4: 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" [syn: {act}, {represent}]
     5: 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"
     6: replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the
        third movement very beautifully" [syn: {spiel}]
     7: perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the
        flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
     8: pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind; "He
        acted the idiot"; "She plays deaf when the news are bad"
        [syn: {act}, {act as}]
     9: move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The
        spotlights played on the politicians"
     10: bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She
         plays the races"
     11: engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy
         oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The
         students all recreate alike" [syn: {recreate}]
     12: pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful
         activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and
         Indians"
     13: emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the
         stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
     14: perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie
         Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway
         for years"
     15: 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"
     16: 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" [syn: {toy}]
     17: behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play
         fair"
     18: cause to emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and
         over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?" [syn: {run}]
     19: 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" [syn: {toy}, {fiddle}, {diddle}]
     20: use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions"
     21: consider not very seriously; "He is trifling with her"; "She
         plays with the thought of moving to Tasmania" [syn: {dally},
          {trifle}]
     22: 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"
     23: behave carelessly or indifferently; "Play about with a young
         girl's affection" [syn: {dally}, {toy}, {flirt}]
     24: cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The
         engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
     25: perform on a stage or theater; "She acts in this play"; "He
         acted in `Julius Caesar'"; "I played in `A Christmas
         Carol'" [syn: {act}, {roleplay}, {playact}]
     26: be performed; "What's playing in the local movie theater?";
         "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
     27: 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" [syn: {bring}, {work}, {wreak}, {make for}]
     28: discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a
         continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The
         fountains played all day"
     29: make bets; "Play the reaces"; "play the casinos in
         Trouville"
     30: stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new
         horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse"
         [syn: {bet}, {wager}]
     31: shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good
         backhand last night"
     32: use or move; "I had to play my queen"
     33: employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him
         on first base"
     34: contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle;
         "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to
         play Mary" [syn: {meet}, {encounter}, {take on}]
     35: exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked
         fish"

Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

PLAY
     
         A language for {real-time} music synthesis.
        1977.
     
        ["An Introduction to the Play Program", J. Chadabe ete al,
        Computer Music J 2,1 (1978)].
     
        (1999-06-04)