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played |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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 From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: played adj : (of games) engaged in "the loosely played game"
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