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A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.
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{
"term": "play",
"partOfSpeech": "verb",
"ox3000": true,
"cefr": "a1",
"verbForms": {
"presentSimple": {
"iYouWeThey": "play",
"heSheIt": "plays"
},
"pastSimple": "played",
"pastParticiple": "played",
"ingForm": "playing"
},
"definitions": [
{
"senseNumber": 1,
"definition": "to do things for pleasure, as children do; to enjoy yourself, rather than work",
"sensetop": "play with somebody/somethingplay something",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "You'll have to play inside today."
},
{
"text": "There's a time to work and a time to play."
},
{
"text": "A group of kids were playing with a ball in the street.",
"contextForm": "play with somebody/something"
},
{
"text": "I haven't got anybody to play with!"
},
{
"text": "Let's **play a** different **game**.",
"contextForm": "play something"
},
{
"text": "The other children wouldn't let him play."
},
{
"text": "The little girl was playing with her toys."
},
{
"text": "The children spent too much time playing computer games."
},
{
"text": "I used to spend hours playing with Lego."
}
],
"collocations": {
"verb + play": ["let somebody"],
"preposition": ["at", "with"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 2,
"definition": "to pretend to be or do something for fun",
"sensetop": "play somethingplay at somethingplay at doing something",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "Let's play pirates.",
"contextForm": "play something"
},
{
"text": "Let's play at pirates!",
"contextForm": "play at something"
},
{
"text": "They were playing at being cowboys.",
"contextForm": "play at doing something"
}
],
"collocations": {
"verb + play": ["let somebody"],
"preposition": ["at", "with"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 3,
"definition": "to be involved in a game; to compete against somebody in a game",
"sensetop": "play somethingplay something with/against somebodyplay somebodyplay somebody at somethingplay for somebodyplay against somebodyplay with somebody+ adv./prep.",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "to **play football/cards**",
"contextForm": "play something"
},
{
"text": "I usually play chess with my brother.",
"contextForm": "play something with/against somebody"
},
{
"text": "France are playing Wales tomorrow.",
"contextForm": "play somebody"
},
{
"text": "Have you played her at squash yet?",
"contextForm": "play somebody at something"
},
{
"text": "He plays for Cleveland.",
"contextForm": "play for somebody"
},
{
"text": "France are playing against Wales on Saturday.",
"contextForm": "play against somebody"
},
{
"text": "I like football, but I don't have anyone to play with.",
"contextForm": "play with somebody"
},
{
"text": "Evans played very well.",
"contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
},
{
"text": "I've never played John at tennis."
},
{
"text": "She has played in every game this season."
},
{
"text": "She was playing cards with her mother."
},
{
"text": "These guys make the team very difficult to play against."
},
{
"text": "United are difficult to play against."
},
{
"text": "Do you want to play cards with me?"
},
{
"text": "Have you ever played her at chess?"
},
{
"text": "They play basketball on Saturday mornings."
},
{
"text": "They've played six games in the last month."
},
{
"text": "If you are interested in playing or coaching, please contact the club president."
},
{
"text": "He plays golf on Sundays."
},
{
"text": "Both teams played well."
},
{
"text": "She plays for the local team."
},
{
"text": "Matches were played on Sunday."
}
],
"topics": ["Games and toys"],
"collocations": {
"adverb": ["brilliantly", "superbly", "well"],
"verb + play": ["learn to", "teach somebody to", "be difficult to"],
"preposition": ["against", "at", "for"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 4,
"definition": "to take a particular position in a sports team",
"sensetop": "+ adv./prep.+ noun",
"cefr": "a1",
"examples": [
{
"text": "Who's playing on the wing?",
"contextForm": "+ adv./prep."
},
{
"text": "I've never played right back before.",
"contextForm": "+ noun"
}
],
"topics": ["Sports: ball and racket sports"]
},
{
"senseNumber": 5,
"definition": "to include somebody in a sports team",
"sensetop": "play somebody (+ adv./prep.)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "I think we should play Matt on the wing."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 6,
"definition": "to make contact with the ball and hit or kick it in the way mentioned",
"sensetop": "play something",
"examples": [
{
"text": "She played the ball and ran forward."
},
{
"text": "He played a backhand volley."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 7,
"definition": "to move a piece in chess, etc.",
"sensetop": "play something",
"examples": [
{
"text": "She played her bishop."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 8,
"definition": "to put a card face upwards on the table, showing its value",
"sensetop": "play (something)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "to play your ace/a trump"
},
{
"text": "He played out of turn!"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 9,
"definition": "to perform music on a musical instrument",
"sensetop": "play (something)play on somethingplay something on somethingplay something to somebodyplay somebody something",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "She played Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20.",
"contextForm": "play (something)"
},
{
"text": "The music is well played and beautifully recorded."
},
{
"text": "In the distance a band was playing."
},
{
"text": "Maddy sat in the corner, playing softly on her guitar.",
"contextForm": "play on something"
},
{
"text": "He played a tune on his harmonica.",
"contextForm": "play something on something"
},
{
"text": "Play that new piece to us.",
"contextForm": "play something to somebody"
},
{
"text": "Play us that new piece.",
"contextForm": "play somebody something"
},
{
"text": "Have you ever heard her play?"
},
{
"text": "The band will be playing live in the studio."
},
{
"text": "a piece that is relatively easy to play"
},
{
"text": "She was playing songs on her ukelele."
},
{
"text": "Classical music was playing in the background."
},
{
"text": "He played the bride in with ‘The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’."
}
],
"topics": ["Music"],
"collocations": {
"adverb": ["beautifully", "brilliantly", "excellently"],
"verb + play": ["learn to", "teach somebody to", "be easy to"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 10,
"definition": "to have the skill of performing on a musical instrument",
"sensetop": "play something",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "Do you **play a musical instrument**?"
},
{
"text": "to **play the piano/violin/flute**"
},
{
"text": "I'm learning to play sax."
},
{
"text": "learning to play the violin"
},
{
"text": "They learnt to dance, sing and play musical instruments."
},
{
"text": "In my twenties, I played trombone at a fairly high level."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 11,
"definition": "to use an MP3 player, a CD player, etc. to make it possible to hear a song, an album, a CD, etc.",
"sensetop": "play something",
"cefr": "a1",
"examples": [
{
"text": "I **played** some **music** to drown out the noise."
},
{
"text": "They're always **playing** that **song** on the radio."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 12,
"definition": "(of a song, an album, etc.) to be heard",
"cefr": "a1",
"examples": [
{
"text": "My favourite song was playing on the radio."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 13,
"definition": "to start working; to make a video or DVD start working",
"sensetop": "play something",
"cefr": "a1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "These videos won't play on my computer."
},
{
"text": "Click below to play videos.",
"contextForm": "play something"
},
{
"text": "Nothing happens when I try to play a DVD."
},
{
"text": "A short video was played to the court showing the inside of the house."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 14,
"definition": "to act in a play, film, etc.; to act the role of somebody",
"sensetop": "play somethingplay opposite somebody",
"cefr": "a2",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "to **play a role/part**",
"contextForm": "play something"
},
{
"text": "The part of Elizabeth was played by Cate Blanchett."
},
{
"text": "He had always wanted to play Othello."
},
{
"text": "He was chosen to play the role of Judas."
},
{
"text": "She usually plays historical characters."
},
{
"text": "She played opposite Brad Pitt *(= she and Brad Pitt played the two leading roles)*.",
"contextForm": "play opposite somebody"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 15,
"definition": "to pretend to be something that you are not",
"sensetop": "+ adj.+ noun",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "The children were dressed as soldiers, but they were just playing."
},
{
"text": "I decided it was safer to **play dead**.",
"contextForm": "+ adj."
},
{
"text": "He walks around playing the outraged victim in all this.",
"contextForm": "+ noun"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 16,
"definition": "to behave as though you are a particular type of person",
"sensetop": "play the something",
"examples": [
{
"text": "This is no time to play the hero."
},
{
"text": "Don't play the innocent with me: you know what happened."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 17,
"definition": "to be performed",
"sensetop": "play (to somebody)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "A production of ‘Carmen’ was playing to packed houses."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 18,
"definition": "to give a performance in a particular place",
"sensetop": "play something",
"examples": [
{
"text": "The band are playing 11 cities around the country."
},
{
"text": "I've played some fantastic venues."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 19,
"definition": "to have an effect or influence on something",
"sensetop": "play a part/role (in something/in doing something)",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "Social media played an important part in the last election."
},
{
"text": "Farming plays a crucial role in maintaining the landscape."
},
{
"text": "High environmental temperatures may also play a role."
},
{
"text": "Businesses can **play their part** by contributing some of their profits."
},
{
"text": "All countries **have a part to play** in protecting the environment."
},
{
"text": "Pesticides play a very important role in food production."
},
{
"text": "Sugar plays a major part in dental cavities."
},
{
"text": "Zinc may play an important part in the health of the prostate."
},
{
"text": "The media has a role to play in informing the public debate."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 20,
"definition": "to trick somebody for fun",
"sensetop": "play a trick/tricks (on somebody)",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "Children ran around the village playing tricks."
},
{
"text": "I played a trick on him just to see his reaction."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 21,
"definition": "to deal with a situation in the way mentioned",
"sensetop": "play something + adv./prep.",
"examples": [
{
"text": "He played the situation carefully for maximum advantage."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 22,
"definition": "to do something without being serious about it or putting much effort into it",
"sensetop": "play at somethingplay at doing somethingplay something (with something)",
"labels": "(often disapproving)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "He was just playing at it before—now he's serious.",
"contextForm": "play at something"
},
{
"text": "They were playing at being villains, like in the movies.",
"contextForm": "play at doing something"
},
{
"text": "Officials are playing politics with farm programs.",
"contextForm": "play something (with something)"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 23,
"definition": "to be willing to work with other people in a helpful way, especially so that somebody can get what they want",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "He needs another loan, but the bank won't play."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 24,
"definition": "to move or appear quickly and lightly, often changing direction or shape",
"sensetop": "+ adv./prep.",
"examples": [
{
"text": "Sunlight played on the surface of the lake."
},
{
"text": "A small smile played on her lips."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 25,
"definition": "when a fountain plays, it produces a steady stream of water",
"examples": [
{
"text": "Two huge fountains were playing outside the entrance."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "to have plenty of money, time, etc. for doing something",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": []
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "to masturbate",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": []
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "used to ask in an angry way about what somebody is doing",
"examples": [
{
"text": "What do you think you are playing at?"
}
]
}
],
"pronunciations": {
"uk": [
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪ/",
"audio": "pl/play/play__gb_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪz/",
"audio": "pl/play/plays__gb_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪd/",
"audio": "pl/play/played__gb_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈpleɪɪŋ/",
"audio": "pl/play/playing__gb_2.mp3"
}
],
"us": [
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪ/",
"audio": "pl/play/play__us_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪz/",
"audio": "pl/play/plays__us_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/pleɪd/",
"audio": "pl/play/played__us_1.mp3"
},
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈpleɪɪŋ/",
"audio": "pl/play/playing__us_2.mp3"
}
]
},
"wordOrigin": "Old English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’."
}