To play off

To play off
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. [1913 Webster]

As Cannace was playing in her walk. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! --Pope. [1913 Webster]

And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. [1913 Webster]

``Nay,'' quod this monk, ``I have no lust to pleye.'' --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

Men are apt to play with their healths. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster]

3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes. [1913 Webster]

4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. [1913 Webster]

One that . . . can play well on an instrument. --Ezek. xxxiii. 32. [1913 Webster]

Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. --Granville. [1913 Webster]

5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. [1913 Webster]

His mother played false with a smith. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. [1913 Webster]

The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. --Cheyne. [1913 Webster]

7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. [1913 Webster]

Even as the waving sedges play with wind. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. [1913 Webster]

A lord will hear your play to-night. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Courts are theaters where some men play. --Donne. [1913 Webster]

{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. [1913 Webster]

Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • play off against — ˌplay ˈoff a ˌgainst [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they play off against he/she/it plays off against present participle playing off against …   Useful english dictionary

  • Play-off-Runde — Play off Run|de, Play|off|run|de, die (Sport): ↑ Runde (3 c) im Play off. * * * Play ọff Run|de, die (Sport): ↑Runde (3 b) im Play off …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Play Off Hotel Braunschweig (Braunschweig) — Play Off Hotel Braunschweig country: Germany, city: Braunschweig (Suedstadt) Play Off Hotel Braunschweig Location Quiet location on the edge of Braunschweig with direct bus connection to city centre. A large park is adjoining the hotel.Rooms… …   International hotels

  • Play-off — auch: Play|off 〈[plɛıɔ̣f] n.; Gen.: s, Pl.: s; Sport〉 Verfahren der Qualifikation durch Ausscheidungsspiele; Play off Runde [Etym.: <engl. play »spielen« + off »fort, weg«] …   Lexikalische Deutsches Wörterbuch

  • Play-off — Play off, auch Play|off [... |ɔf, engl. plei ɔf] das; [s], s <aus engl. play off »Entscheidungsspiel«> System von Ausscheidungsspielen in verschiedenen Sportarten, bei dem die Mannschaften, die die Endrunde erreicht haben, in Hin , Rück u.… …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • play-off — /play awf , of /, n. 1. (in competitive sports) the playing of an extra game, rounds, innings, etc., in order to settle a tie. 2. a series of games or matches, as between the leading teams of two leagues, in order to decide a championship: In… …   Universalium

  • play off — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 7}}[wym. plej of – akcent na ostatniej sylabie] {{/stl 7}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż. ndm a. I, D. u, Mc. play offoffie {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} w niektórych grach zespołowych: spotkania rozgrywane systemem pucharowym po zasadniczej części… …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • play-off — s.m.inv. ES ingl. {{wmetafile0}} TS sport in giochi di squadra come pallacanestro, pallavolo e sim., fase finale del campionato in cui le squadre con i migliori piazzamenti si disputano il titolo in una serie di incontri a eliminazione diretta… …   Dizionario italiano

  • play-off — /pleiˈɔf, ingl. ˈpleɪˌHf/ [vc. ingl., deriv. di (to) play off «finire, concludere»] s. m. inv. (sport) finale …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • play-off — play offs also playoff 1) N COUNT A playoff is an extra game which is played to decide the winner of a sports competition when two or more people have got the same score. Nick Faldo was beaten by Peter Baker in a play off. ...a playoff game to… …   English dictionary

  • play-off — |pleiofe| s. m. [Esporte] Conjuntos de jogos, geralmente disputados após a época normal de competição, para desempatar, determinar um vencedor ou para apurar para outra fase ou para outra competição. • Plural: play offs.   ‣ Etimologia: palavra… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”