sự vui chơi, sự nô đùa, sự đùa giỡn; trò chơi, trò đùa

to be at play

đang chơi, đang nô đùa

to say something in play

nói chơi (nói đùa) điều gì

out of more play

chỉ là chơi, chỉ là đùa

a play of words

lối chơi chữ; tài dùng chữ

a play on words

lối chơi chữ, lối nói mập mờ

Child's play

trò chơi trẻ con; (nghĩa bóng) trò hề, việc ngon ơ

(thể dục,thể thao) sự đấu, sự chơi; trận đấu; cách chơi, lối chơi

the play began at three o'clock

trận đấu bắt đầu lúc ba giờ

to win the match by good play

thắng trận đấu nhờ lối chơi hay

(nghĩa bóng) lối chơi, cách xử sự

fair play

lối chơi ngay thẳng; (nghĩa bóng) cách xử sự công bình, cách xử sự ngay thẳng

sự đánh bạc, trò cờ bạc

to be ruined by play

khánh kiệt vì cờ bạc

the play runs high

cờ bạc đánh to

kịch, vở kịch, vở tuồng

to go to the play

đi xem kịch

Shakespeare's plays

những vở kịch của Sếch-xpia

sự giỡn, sự lung linh, sự lấp lánh, sự óng ánh, sự nhấp nhô, sự tung tăng

the play of moonlight on water

ánh trăng lấp lánh trên mặt nước

play of light

ánh sáng lung linh, ánh sáng lấp lánh

play of colour

màu sắc óng ánh

play of the waves

sóng nhấp nhô

sự hoạt động; phạm vi hoạt động; sự vận dụng, sự sử dụng

in full play

đang hoạt động mạnh

to come into play

bắt đầu hoạt động; bắt đầu có hiệu lực

to bring (call) into play

phát huy

to give full play to one's imagination

để cho tưởng tượng tự do phiêu diêu, thả hồn theo tưởng tượng

(kỹ thuật) sự chuyển vận, sự vận hành (của một bộ phận máy); sự xoay chuyển; phạm vi xoay chuyển; cách chạy

bolts should have a centimeter of play

chốt phải có một khoảng xê dịch một xentimet mới được

(kỹ thuật) sự jơ, sự long, sự xộc xệch; chỗ jơ, chỗ long, chỗ xộc xệch; khe hở, độ hở

a play in the wheel

chỗ long ở bánh xe, chỗ jơ ở bánh xe

sự nghỉ việc (của công nhân lúc đình công)

chơi, nô đùa, đùa giỡn

to play with children

nô đùa với trẻ con, chơi với trẻ con

to play with love

đùa với tình yêu

chơi, đánh (đàn...), thổi (sáo...)...

to play at cards

choi bài, dánh bài

to play at chess

chơi cờ, đánh cờ

to play on the piano

choi dàn pianô, dánh dàn pianô

to play upon words

chơi chi, nói lập lờ

(thể dục,thể thao) chơi, đánh, đá... (hay, dở...); chơi được (sân, bãi)

to play well

choi hay, dánh hay, dá hay...

the ground plays well today

sân hôm nay chơi tốt

đánh bạc

to play high

đánh lớn; đánh những quân bài cao

đóng trong kịch, tuồng...); biểu diễn

to play in a film

đóng trong một phim

to play in Hamles

đóng trong vở Hăm-lét

nã vào (súng); phun vào (vòi cứu hoả)

guns begin to play on the walls

súng đạn lớn bắt đầu nã vào những bức tường thành

fire-engines play on the fire

xe chữa cháy phun vào đám cháy

giỡn, lung linh, lấp lánh, óng ánh, lóng lánh, chập chờn, nhấp nhô

smile plays about lips

nụ cười thoáng (giỡn) trên môi

moonlight plays on water

ánh trăng lấp lánh trên mặt nước

(nghĩa bóng) xử sự, ăn ở

to play foul

chơi xấu, chơi ăn gian; (nghĩa bóng) xử sự không ngay thẳng, gian lận

(kỹ thuật) chạy, chuyển vận, vận hành, xoay dễ dàng... (bộ phận máy)

nghỉ việc, không làm việc (công nhân đình công)

(thể dục,thể thao) chơi, đánh, đá...

to play football

đá bóng chơi bóng đá

to play tennis

chơi quần vợt, đánh quần vợt

to play chess

đánh cờ

(âm nhạc) chơi, đánh, kéo, thổi...

to play the piano

choi pianô, dánh dàn pianô

to play the violon

kéo viôlông

to play the flute

thổi sáo

đánh (một quả bóng), đánh ra (một quân bài); đi (một quân cờ)

to play the ball into the net

đánh quả bóng vào lưới

(thể dục,thể thao) thi đấu với, đấu

to play the best team

đâu với đội hay nhất

to play a match

đâu một trận

to play somebody at chess

đánh cờ với ai

(thể dục,thể thao) chọn (ai) vào chơi...; cho (ai) vào chơi... (trong đội)

to play someone as goalkeeper

chọn ai làm người giữ gôn

đóng, đóng vai, diễn (kịch...), biểu diễn (bản nhạc...); giả làm (để đùa chơi)

to play Hamlet

đóng vai Hăm-lét

to play a tragedy

diễn một vở kịch

Let's play that we are soldiers

chúng ta giả làm bộ đội chơi nào

xử sự như là

to play truant

trốn học

làm chơi, xỏ chơi (ai, một vố)

to play a trick upon somebody; to play somebody a trick

xỏ chơi ai một vố

nả (súng...), chiếu (đèn pha...), phun (nước)

to play guns on the walls

nã súng lớn vào những bức tường thành

to play water on the fire

phun nước vào đám cháy

giật, giật dây câu cho mệt (cá)

to play a fish

giật giật dây câu cho mệt cá

to play at

chơi (cờ, bóng đá, bài...)

cuộc đấu

sự chuyển vận

trò chơi

cho chạy

khe hở

khe hở cạnh

khoảng chạy chết

end play

khoảng chạy chết chiều trục

độ lỏng ổ trục

dung sai

lượng dư

hành trình chết

phạm vi hoạt động

phát lại

play back

đọc lại, phát lại

play back control

sự điều khiển phát lại

play-only recorder

máy ghi chỉ phát lại

standard play tape

băng phát lại chuẩn

sự hoạt động

sự vận dụng

sự vận hành

chi trả

đóng

nộp

tiền lương

trả (tiền)

Amuse oneself, frolic, frisk, cavort, gambol, caper,sport, have fun, have a good time, enjoy oneself, disport(oneself), carouse: Ken's mother won't let him go out and play.2 participate (in), take part (in), join (in), be occupied (inor with); engage in, contend in, take up, take part in, occupyoneself in or with, undertake: He was invited for a game ofpoker, but he refused to play. I understand that you playbridge. 3 engage, contend with, compete with or against,challenge, vie with, pit oneself against, take on, rival: Thestranger played me at snooker, and I lost three games out ofthree. 4 portray, depict, perform, act or take the role or partof, act: In the new production of Othello she plays Desdemona.5 perform (upon or on); put on: Play 'Misty' for me. She playsthe piccolo very well. Could you play that Caruso record? 6operate: I wish they wouldn't play their hi-fi so loud.

Gamble, bet, wager, stake, place, put: He played his last chipon number 14.

Play along. a Often, play along with.cooperate, participate, go along (with), do or play one's part,be a party to: I agreed to play along with her charade. bmanipulate, jolly along: She played him along till he boughther a car.

Play around. a fool around, tease, Colloq monkeyabout or around, horse around or about: Stop playing around andget to work. b dally, flirt, be unfaithful; philander,womanize; Colloq fool around, run around, sleep around, play thefield: She found out about his playing around and filed fordivorce.

Play at. pretend, make believe, fake, feign,simulate, affect: She's merely playing at enjoying skiing toplease you.

Play ball. cooperate, agree, work together, workhand in glove, play along: They want him to smuggle diamonds,but he won't play ball.

Play by ear. improvise, extemporize,ad lib , Colloq wing it: She can't read music and just plays byear. With no definite plan of action, I'll just play it by ear.13 play down. belittle, minimize, diminish, disparage, makelight of, deprecate, decry, de-emphasize: He has always playeddown his role in the affair.

Play for time. delay,procrastinate, stall (for time), temporize, hesitate, Colloqdrag one's feet: They don't yet have the money to pay, so theyare playing for time. 15 play on or upon. use, misuse, abuse,trade on, exploit, take advantage of, impose on: He plays onwomen's affections then persuades them to give him money. 16play the game. behave, conduct oneself, deport oneself, act: Itmakes no difference whether you win or lose, it's how you playthe game. 17 play up. a stress, emphasize, underscore,underline, accentuate, call attention to, highlight, spotlight,dramatize, build up: Always try to play up your assets and playdown your liabilities. b act up, misbehave, give or causetrouble, malfunction, Colloq go on the blink or US fritz, Britbe wonky: The bloody engine started playing up again, right inthe middle of a rainstorm. 18 play up to. curry favour with,flatter, toady to, ingratiate oneself with, butter up, truckleto, court, Colloq soft-soap, suck up to, boot-lick, USapple-polish, Taboo slang brown-nose: Ray is always playing upto the teacher, trying to get a better mark. 19 play with. atoy with, trifle with, treat cavalierly or lightly, make lightof, think nothing of, dally with, amuse oneself with: He's justplaying with her till he gets what he's after. b consider,think about, toy with, not treat seriously: We were playingwith the idea of a winter holiday this year. c mess with,fiddle with, toy with, fidget with: Stop playing with yourfood!

N.

Drama, stage play, show, piece, production,entertainment: We have tickets to a different play for everynight this week.

Behaviour, actions, deportment, conduct,demeanour: In the game of life, many have no regard for therules of fair play. The police suspect foul play. 22 amusement,frivolity, entertainment, recreation, fun, pleasure, sport,merrymaking, revelry, tomfoolery, Colloq horseplay, skylarking,monkey business, Brit monkey tricks or US monkeyshines: Thetime for play is past, and we must get down to serious business.23 move, manoeuvre, action: That last play might have won youthe game.

Flexibility, looseness, freedom, leeway, margin,room, space, movement, motion, Colloq give: There's too muchplay in this gear lever.

Treatment, coverage, attention:The newspapers gave Connie's new book a big play.

V.

Intr. (often foll. by with) occupy or amuseoneself pleasantly with some recreation, game, exercise, etc.

Intr. (foll. by with) act light-heartedly or flippantly (withfeelings etc.).

Tr. a perform on or be able to perform on (amusical instrument). b perform (a piece of music etc.). ccause (a record, record-player, etc.) to produce sounds.

Aintr. (foll. by in) perform a role in (a drama etc.). b tr.perform (a drama or role) on stage, or in a film or broadcast.c tr. give a dramatic performance at (a particular theatre orplace).

Tr. act in real life the part of (play truant; playthe fool).

Tr. (foll. by on) perform (a trick or joke etc.)on (a person).

Tr. (foll. by for) regard (a person) as(something specified) (played me for a fool).

Intr. colloq.participate, cooperate; do what is wanted (they won't play).

Intr. gamble.

Tr. gamble on.

Tr. a take part in (a gameor recreation). b compete with (another player or team) in agame. c occupy (a specified position) in a team for a game. d(foll. by in, on, at, etc.) assign (a player) to a position.

Tr. move (a piece) or display (a playing-card) in one's turn ina game.

Tr. (also absol.) strike (a ball etc.) or execute (astroke) in a game.

Intr. move about in a lively orunrestrained manner.

Intr. (often foll. by on) a touchgently. b emit light, water, etc. (fountains gently playing).16 tr. allow (a fish) to exhaust itself pulling against a line.17 intr. (often foll. by at) a engage in a half-hearted way (inan activity). b pretend to be.

Intr. (of a cricket groundetc.) be conducive to play as specified (the pitch is playingfast).

Intr. colloq. act or behave (as specified) (playfair).

Tr. (foll. by in, out, etc.) accompany (a person)with music (were played out with bagpipes).

N.

Recreation,amusement, esp. as the spontaneous activity of children andyoung animals.

A the playing of a game. b the action ormanner of this. c the status of the ball etc. in a game asbeing available to be played according to the rules (in play;out of play).

A dramatic piece for the stage etc.

Activityor operation (are in full play; brought into play).

A freedomof movement. b space or scope for this.

Brisk, light, orfitful movement.

Gambling.

An action or manoeuvre, esp. inor as in a game.

(also play it by ear) proceed instinctively orstep by step according to results and circumstances. play one'scards right (or well) make good use of opportunities; actshrewdly. play down minimize the importance of. play ducks anddrakes with see DUCK(1). played out exhausted of energy orusefulness. play false act, or treat a (person), deceitfully ortreacherously. play fast and loose act unreliably; ignore one'sobligations. play the field see FIELD. play for time seek togain time by delaying. play the game see GAME(1). play God seeGOD. play havoc with see HAVOC. play hell with see HELL. playhookey see HOOKEY. play into a person's hands act so asunwittingly to give a person an advantage. play it cool colloq.1 affect indifference.

Be relaxed or unemotional. play theman = be a man (see MAN). play the market speculate in stocksetc. play off (usu. foll. by against) 1 oppose (one personagainst another), esp. for one's own advantage.

Play an extramatch to decide a draw or tie. play-off n. a match played todecide a draw or tie. play on 1 continue to play.

Takeadvantage of (a person's feelings etc.). play oneself in becomeaccustomed to the prevailing conditions in a game etc. play onwords a pun. play-pen a portable enclosure for young childrento play in. play possum see POSSUM. play safe (or for safety)avoid risks. play-suit a garment for a young child. play tothe gallery see GALLERY. play up 1 behave mischievously.

Cause trouble; be irritating (my rheumatism is playing upagain).

Obstruct or annoy in this way (played the teacherup).

Put all one's energy into a game. play up to flatter,esp. to win favour. play with fire take foolish risks.

Playable adj. playability n. [OE plega (n.), pleg(i)an (v.),orig. = (to) exercise]