play — to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation
Pronunciation (IPA): /pleɪ/
Example Sentences
- My cat thinks it's a professional soccer player and tries to play with every ball it sees.
- I can play the guitar, but my neighbors play hide-and-seek whenever I start practicing.
- Students should balance study time with time to play and relax.
play
VERB[/pleɪ/]
to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation
Children playing happily together outside
Play your way through the break of day!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'play' originates from Old English 'plegan,' meaning 'to move quickly' or 'to make gestures.' Over time, the semantic range expanded to encompass recreational activities, musical performance, and theatrical drama.
Breakdown
Old English 'plegan' (to exercise, frolic) → Middle English 'playen' → Modern English 'play.' The root likely derives from Proto-Germanic, though the original morphological structure is obscured in historical records.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat thinks it's a professional soccer player and tries to play with every ball it sees.”
“I can play the guitar, but my neighbors play hide-and-seek whenever I start practicing.”
“Students should balance study time with time to play and relax.”
“The school will play Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet next month.”
📚Related Words
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