play the game Definition

game¹
noun

1. An amusement or pastime.

Thesaurus: entertainment, amusement, festivity, fun, sport, pastime, recreation, diversion.
2. The equipment used for this, eg a board, cards, dice, etc.
3. A competitive activity with rules, involving some form of skill.
4. An occasion on which individuals or teams compete at such an activity; a match.

Thesaurus: contest, competition, tournament, match.
5. In some sports, eg tennis: a division of a match.
6. An event consisting of competitions in various activities, especially sporting ones.

Example: the Commonwealth games
Form: games
7. colloq, often derog
A type of activity, profession, or business.
Example: the game of politics
8. A person's playing ability or style.

Example: her backhand game
9. derog
An activity undertaken light-heartedly.
Example: War is just a game to him
10a. Certain birds and animals which are killed for sport;
10b. The flesh of such creatures.
11. derog, colloq
A scheme, trick or intention
Example: give the game away
Example: What's your game?

adj gamer, gamest

colloq:
1. Ready and willing to undertake it.

Example: game for a try
Form: game for something (also)
2. old use
Having plenty of fighting spirit; plucky.
Thesaurus: plucky, brave, spirited, hardy, resolute, courageous, spunky, willing, dauntless, intrepid, gutsy (slang); Antonym: cowardly.

verb

intr
gamed, gaming
1. To gamble.

Derivative: gamely
adverb

Bravely, sportingly.

Derivative: gameness
noun

Idiom: be on the game

slang
To be a prostitute.

Idiom: give the game away

To reveal the truth.

Idiom: make game of someone

old use
To make fun of or laugh at them.

Idiom: play the game

To behave fairly.

Idiom: the game is up

The plan or trick has failed or has been found out.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon gamen amusement.

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play
verb played, playing

intr
1. Said especially of children: to spend time in recreation, eg dancing about, kicking a ball around, doing things in make-believe, generally having fun, etc.

Thesaurus: gambol, frisk, sport, cavort, romp, frolic, caper, revel.
intr
2. To pretend for fun; to behave without seriousness.
3. To take part in (a recreative pursuit, game, sport, match, round, etc).

Example: We played rounders
Example: played at rounders
Thesaurus: participate in, compete at, contest,engage in, take part in.
Form: play at something (also)
4. To compete against them in a game or sport

Example: St Johnstone played Aberdeen last week.
Thesaurus: compete against, rival, contend against, challenge, take part against.
Form: play against someone (also)
intr
5. colloq
To co-operate
Example: He refuses to play.
6. sport.
To include someone as a team member.
Example: playing McGuire in goal
7. sport.
To hit or kick (the ball), deliver (a shot), etc in a sport.
8. cards.
To use (a card) in the course of a game.
Example: played the three of clubs
9. To speculate or gamble on (the Stock Exchange, etc).

Example: playing the market
tr & intr
10a. To act or behave in a certain way;

Example: play it cool
Example: not playing fair
tr & intr
10b. To pretend to be someone or something.

Example: play the dumb blonde
11. To act (a particular role).

Example: play host to the delegates
tr & intr
12. To perform a role in (a play).

Example: played Oliver in the school play
Thesaurus: impersonate, portray, act, perform, present, represent.
Form: play in something (usually)
tr & intr
13. Said especially of a pop group: to perform in (a particular place or venue).

Example: Oasis played London last year
intr
14. Said of a film, play, etc: to be shown or performed publicly.

Example: playing all next week
15a. music.
To perform (a specified type of music) on an instrument;
Example: plays jazz on the saxophone
Example: plays jazz on the saxaphone
Example: plays the sax
Thesaurus: perform, sound, bow, pipe, mouth, fiddle, twang.
15b. music.
To perform on (an instrument)
Example: plays the sax
Thesaurus: perform on, sound, finger, pedal, bow, pipe, twang.
16. To turn on (a radio, a tape-recording, etc).
intr
17a. Said of recorded music, etc: to be heard from a radio, etc;
intr
17b. Said of a radio, etc: to produce sound.
intr
18. Said of a fountain: to be in operation.
19. To direct (a hose, etc).
20. angling.
To allow (a fish) to tire itself by its struggles to get away.

noun

1. Recreation; playing games for fun and amusement.

Example: children at play
Thesaurus: fun, amusement, enjoyment, diversion, pleasure, happiness, entertainment, recreation, relaxation, game, sport.
2. The playing of a game, performance in a sport, etc.

Example: rain stopped play
3. colloq
Behaviour; conduct.
Example: fair play
Example: foul play
plays
4. A dramatic piece for the stage or a performance of it

Example: The play is being put on at the Playhouse.
Thesaurus: drama, theatrical performance, show, tragedy, musical.
5. Fun; jest.

Example: said in play
6. Range; scope.

Example: give full play to the imagination
7. Freedom of movement; looseness.

Example: too much play in the steering
8. Action or interaction.

Example: play of sunlight on water
Example: play of emotions
Thesaurus: action, activity, movement, working, employment, motion.
9. Use.

Example: bring all one's cunning into play
10. The display that animals make in courtship.

Idiom: in play (out of play)

Said of a ball: in, or not in, a position where it may be played.

Idiom: make a play for something

To try to get (eg someone's attention).

Idiom: make great play of something

To emphasize it or stress its importance.

Idiom: make play with something

To make effective or over-obvious use of it.

Idiom: play ball

colloq
To co-operate.

Idiom: play fast and loose

To act in an irresponsible, inconsistent and reckless way.

Idiom: play for time

To delay action or decision in the hope or belief that conditions will become more favourable later.

Idiom: play the field

To spread one's interests, affections or efforts over a wide range of subjects, people, activities, etc, rather than concentrating on any single thing or person.

Idiom: play the game

See under game¹.

Idiom: play hard to get

To make a show of unwillingness to co-operate or lack of interest, with a view to strengthening one's position.

Idiom: play hell with something (play havoc with something)

To damage it; to upset things.

Idiom: play hookey

See under hookey.

Idiom: play into the hands of someone

To act so as to give, usually unintentionally, an advantage to them.

Idiom: play it

colloq
To behave in, or manage, a situation in the stated way.
Example: play it cool
Example: play it slowly
Example: I'm not sure how to play it

Idiom: play it cards close to one's chest (play one's cards close to one's chest)

To be secretive about one's actions or intentions in a particular matter.

Idiom: play it by ear

To improvise a plan of action to meet the situation as it develops.

Idiom: play merry hell with someone or something

To harm or damage.

Idiom: play a part in something

To be instrumental in it; to take part in it.

Idiom: play possum

See under possum.

Idiom: play safe

To take no risks.

Idiom: play with fire

To take foolish risks.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon plegan.

Phrasal Verb: play about or around

To behave ineffectively or irresponsibly.

Phrasal Verb: play about or around with someone

To behave irresponsibly towards them, their affections, etc.

Phrasal Verb: play about or around with something

To fiddle or meddle with it.

Phrasal Verb: play someone along

To manipulate them, usually for one's own advantage.

Phrasal Verb: play along with someone

To co-operate with them for the time being; to humour them.

Phrasal Verb: play at something

To make a pretence of it, especially in play.
Example: play at being cowboys
To indulge in it trivially or flippantly.
Example: play at politics
To try to achieve it
Example: What are they playing at?

Phrasal Verb: play something back

To play (a film or sound recording) through immediately after making it. See also playback.

Phrasal Verb: play something down

To represent it as unimportant; to minimize, make light of or discount it.

Phrasal Verb: play off

To replay a match, etc after a draw.To play from the tee. See also play-off.

Phrasal Verb: play one person off against another

To set them in rivalry, especially for one's own advantage.

Phrasal Verb: play on something

To exploit (someone's fears, feelings, sympathies, etc) for one's own benefit.To make a pun on it.
Example: played on the two meanings of ‘batter'

Phrasal Verb: play something on someone

To perpetrate (a trick or joke) against them.

Phrasal Verb: play something out

To act out in real life a part, scene, etc that is so predictable that it could have come from a play. See also played out.

Phrasal Verb: play over or across something

Said eg of light, facial expression, etc: to flicker over, across, etc (a surface, etc).

Phrasal Verb: play up

To behave unco-operatively.To cause one pain or discomfort
Example: His stomach is playing up again.
Said of a machine, etc: to function faultily.To try one's hardest in a game, match, etc.

Phrasal Verb: play something up

To highlight it or give prominence to it.

Phrasal Verb: play up to someone

To flatter them; to ingratiate oneself with them.

Phrasal Verb: play with oneself

To masturbate oneself.

Phrasal Verb: play with someone

Said especially of children: to spend time in recreation with them.To joke with them at their expense
Example: I think you're just playing with me.
To masturbate them.

Phrasal Verb: play with something

To contemplate (an idea, plan, etc).
Example: played with the idea of becoming a writer