play
verbVerb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they play | |
| he / she / it plays | |
| past simple played | |
| past participle played | |
| -ing form playing |
- [intransitive, transitive]
to do things for pleasure, as children do; to enjoy yourself, rather than work 玩耍；游戏；玩乐 You'll have to play inside today. 你今天只能在屋里玩耍。 There's a time to work and a time to play. 工作、玩耍皆有时。 - play with somebody/something
A group of kids were playing with a ball in the street. 一群孩子在街上玩球。 I haven't got anybody to play with! 没有人跟我玩儿！ - play something
Let's play a different game. 咱们玩点别的游戏吧。
Synonyms entertainmententertainment- fun
- recreation
- relaxation
- play
- pleasure
- amusement
- entertainment films, television, music, etc. used to entertain people:
There are three bars, with live entertainment seven nights a week. 有三家酒吧每周七个晚上都有现场文艺节目。
- fun (rather informal) behaviour or activities that are not serious but are meant to be enjoyed:
It wasn’t serious—it was all done in fun. 那不是认真的，全是闹着玩的。 We didn’t mean to hurt him. It was just a bit of fun. 我们并非有意要伤害他，只不过是开个玩笑罢了。 The lottery provides harmless fun for millions. 彩票抽奖为数百万人提供无伤大雅的娱乐。
- recreation (rather formal) things people do for pleasure when they are not working:
His only form of recreation is playing football. 他唯一的娱乐就是踢足球。
- relaxation (rather formal
) things people do to rest and enjoy themselves when they are not working; the ability to relax: 指休闲活动、消遣： I go hill-walking for relaxation. 我要是想放松放松，就到山上走走。
recreation or relaxation? 用 recreation 还是 relaxation？ - play things that people, especially children, do for pleasure rather than as work:
the happy sounds of children at play 儿童嬉戏的欢闹声
- pleasure the activity of enjoying yourself, especially in contrast to working:
Are you in Paris for business or pleasure? 你来巴黎公干还是游玩？
- amusement the fact of being entertained by something:
What do you do for amusement round here? 你在这儿以什么消遣？
- to do something for entertainment/fun/recreation/relaxation/pleasure/amusement
- to provide entertainment/fun/recreation/relaxation/amusement
Culture toys and gamestoys and gamesMost young children are given toys for their birthday or at Christmas. Many regularly spend their pocket money on smaller toys. Popular toys include building bricks such as Lego, plastic farm animals, toy cars, model railways and dressing-up costumes. Many children have dolls, and several sets of clothes to dress them in. Particularly popular are Action Man figures and Barbie dolls. Babies are given rattles (= toys that make a noise when shaken), soft toys and teddy bears. Action figures, small plastic models of characters from television shows or films, are also popular. Some parents do not allow their children to have guns or other toys that represent weapons because they do not want them to think it is fun to injure or kill people.Among traditional games that are still popular are board games such as snakes and ladders and Cluedo, card games such as Happy Families and Snap, and word games such as hangman and Scrabble.Children play outside with skipping ropes, bicycles, skateboards, scooters and Rollerblades. In playgrounds there are often swings, a slide, a see-saw and a climbing frame (NAmE jungle gym) to climb on. Traditional games played outside include hopscotch, a game in which children hop over squares drawn on the ground to try to pick up a stone, and tag, in which one child runs after the others until he or she catches one of them and then that child has to chase the rest.Few people give up games completely when they become adults. Many people play card games like bridge and poker, and board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, backgammon and chess.Games consoles and apps are very popular. Games can be played online, either against a real opponent, who is playing somewhere else on their own device, or against a computer program that can be set to a suitable level of difficulty.Extra ExamplesThe other children wouldn't let him play. 其他孩子不让他玩。 The little girl was playing with her toys. 这个小女孩在玩自己的玩具。 The children spent too much time playing computer games. 孩子们花了太多时间玩电脑游戏。 I used to spend hours playing with Lego. 我过去常常花几个小时玩乐高。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + play- let somebody
- at
- with
- [transitive, no passive, intransitive]
to pretend to be or do something for fun （为玩耍）假装，假扮 - play something
Let's play pirates. 咱们假扮海盗玩吧。 - play at something
Let's play at pirates! 咱们扮海盗玩吧！ - play at doing something
They were playing at being cowboys. 他们装扮成牛仔玩。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + play- let somebody
- at
- with
- play something
- [transitive, intransitive]
to be involved in a game; to compete against somebody in a game 参加比赛；（同某人）比赛 - play something
to play football/cards 踢足球/打牌 - play something with/against somebody
I usually play chess with my brother. 我通常和我哥哥下棋。 - play somebody
France are playing Wales tomorrow. 明天法国队和威尔士队比赛。 - play somebody at something
Have you played her at squash yet? 你跟她打过壁球没有？ - play for somebody
He plays for Cleveland. 他代表克利夫兰参赛。 - play against somebody
France are playing against Wales on Saturday. 星期六法国队迎战威尔士队。 - play with somebody
I like football, but I don't have anyone to play with. 我喜欢足球，但我没有人可以一起玩。 - + adv./prep.
Evans played very well. 埃文斯比赛很出色。
Extra ExamplesTopics Games and toysa1I've never played John at tennis. 我从来没有同约翰打过网球。 She has played in every game this season. 她参加了本赛季所有的比赛。 She was playing cards with her mother. 她在和母亲打扑克。 These guys make the team very difficult to play against. 这些家伙使他们队难以抗衡。 United are difficult to play against. 与联队比赛不容易。 Do you want to play cards with me? 想跟我玩纸牌吗？ Have you ever played her at chess? 你跟她下过国际象棋吗？ They play basketball on Saturday mornings. 他们在星期六早上打篮球。 They've played six games in the last month. 他们上个月已经打了六场比赛了。 If you are interested in playing or coaching, please contact the club president. 如果你对比赛或教练感兴趣，请联系俱乐部主席。 He plays golf on Sundays. 他每星期天都去打高尔夫球。 Both teams played well. 两个队都打得很好。 She plays for the local team. 她为当地球队效力。 Matches were played on Sunday. 周日进行了比赛。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- brilliantly
- superbly
- well
- …
- learn to
- teach somebody to
- be difficult to
- …
- against
- at
- for
- …
- play something
- [intransitive]
to take a particular position in a sports team （在运动队中）担当，充任 - + adv./prep.
Who's playing on the wing? 谁担任边锋？ - + noun
I've never played right back before. 我过去从来未当过右后卫。
- + adv./prep.
- [transitive] play somebody (+ adv./prep.)
to include somebody in a sports team 派…出场；让…加入运动队 - [transitive] play something
to make contact with the ball and hit or kick it in the way mentioned 触，带，踢，击（球） - [transitive] play something
(in chess 国际象棋 to move a piece in chess, etc. 走（子）；行（棋） - [transitive, intransitive] play (something)
(in card games 纸牌游戏 to put a card face upwards on the table, showing its value 出牌 - [transitive, intransitive]
to perform music on a musical instrument 弹拨，吹奏（乐器）；演奏 - play (something)
She played Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20. 她演奏了莫扎特的第一钢琴协奏曲。20. The music is well played and beautifully recorded. 音乐演奏得很好，录音也很优美。 In the distance a band was playing. 远处有个乐队在演奏。 - play on something
He sat in the corner, playing softly on his guitar. 他坐在角落里，轻轻地弹着吉他。 - play something on something
He played a tune on his harmonica. 他用口琴吹奏了一支曲子。 - play something to somebody
Play that new piece to us. 给我们演奏那支新曲子吧。 - play somebody something
Play us that new piece. 给我们演奏那支新曲子吧。
Extra ExamplesTopics Musica1Have you ever heard her play? 你听过她演奏吗？ The band will be playing live in the studio. 乐队将在演播室现场演奏。 a piece that is relatively easy to play 比较容易演奏的乐曲 She was playing songs on her ukelele. 她正在她的尤克里里琴上演奏歌曲。 Classical music was playing in the background. 古典音乐在背景中演奏。 He played the bride in with ‘The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’. 他在《示巴女王的到来》中扮演新娘。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- beautifully
- brilliantly
- excellently
- …
- learn to
- teach somebody to
- be easy to
- …
- play (something)
- [transitive] play something
to have the skill of performing on a musical instrument 弹拨，吹奏（乐器）；演奏 Do you play a musical instrument? 你玩乐器吗？ to play the piano/violin/flute 演奏钢琴/小提琴/长笛 I'm learning to play sax. 我正在学习演奏萨克斯管。
Extra Exampleslearning to play the violin 学习拉小提琴 They learnt to dance, sing and play musical instruments. 他们学会了跳舞、唱歌和演奏乐器。 In my twenties, I played trombone at a fairly high level. 二十多岁的我，长号弹的水平还算高。
- [transitive] play something
to use an MP3 player, a CD player, etc. to make it possible to hear a song, an album, a CD, etc. 播放 I played some music to drown out the noise. 我放了些音乐来盖过噪音。 They're always playing that song on the radio. 电台总是播放那首歌。
- [intransitive]
(of a song, an album, etc.) to be heard （歌曲、专辑等）被播放 My favourite song was playing on the radio. 收音机里播放着我最喜爱的歌曲。
- [intransitive, transitive] (of a video or DVD)
to start working; to make a video on DVD start working 开始播放；播放（光盘或视频） - [transitive, intransitive]
to act in a play, film, etc.; to act the role of somebody （在电影、话剧中）扮角色，扮演，表演 - play something
to play a role/part 扮演角色/角色 The part of Elizabeth was played by Cate Blanchett. 伊丽莎白这一角色由凯特 · 布兰切特扮演。 He had always wanted to play Othello. 他一直想扮演奥赛罗。 He was chosen to play the role of Judas. 他被选中扮演犹大这个角色。 She usually plays historical characters. 她通常扮演历史人物。 - play opposite somebody
She played opposite Brad Pitt (= she and Brad Pitt played the two leading roles). 她与布拉德·皮特演对手戏。
- play something
- [intransitive, transitive]
to pretend to be something that you are not 佯装；假装 - [transitive] play the something
to behave as though you are a particular type of person 强调；着重说明 This is no time to play the hero. 现在不是逞英雄的时候。 She always did enjoy playing the victim. 她总是喜欢扮演受害者。
- [intransitive] play (to somebody) (of a play or show)
to be performed 上演；演出 - [transitive] play something (of a band, theatre company, etc.)
to give a performance in a particular place 上演；演出 The band are playing 11 cities around the country. 乐队正在全国11个城市演奏。 I've played some fantastic venues. 我玩过一些很棒的场地。
- [transitive] play a part/role (in something/in doing something)
to have an effect or influence on something （在…中）发挥作用 Social media played an important part in the last election. 社交媒体在上次选举中发挥了重要作用。 Farming plays a crucial role in maintaining the landscape. 农业在保持景观方面起着至关重要的作用。 High environmental temperatures may also play a role. 高环境温度也可能起作用。 Businesses can play their part by contributing some of their profits. 企业可以通过贡献部分利润来发挥自己的作用。 All countries have a part to play in protecting the environment. 所有国家在保护环境方面都有自己的责任。
Extra ExamplesPesticides play a very important role in food production. 农药在食品生产中起着非常重要的作用。 Sugar plays a major part in dental cavities. 糖在蛀牙中起主要作用。 Zinc may play an important part in the health of the prostate. 锌可能在前列腺健康中发挥重要作用。 The media has a role to play in informing the public debate. 媒体在为公众辩论提供信息方面可以发挥作用。
- [transitive] play a trick/tricks (on somebody)
to trick somebody for fun 捉弄；戏弄 Children ran around the village playing tricks. 孩子们在村子里跑来跑去玩把戏。 I played a trick on him just to see his reaction. 我捉弄了他一下，只是想看看他的反应。
- [transitive] play something + adv./prep.
to deal with a situation in the way mentioned （以某种方式）应付，处理 - [intransitive, transitive] (often disapproving)
to do something without being serious about it or putting much effort into it 敷衍应付；虚与委蛇 - play at something
He was just playing at it before—now he's serious. 他以前只是玩玩而已，现在是认真的了。 - play at doing something
They were playing at being villains, like in the movies. 他们在扮演反派角色，就像电影里一样。 - play something (with something)
Officials are playing politics with farm programs. 官员们正在利用农业项目玩弄政治。
- play at something
- [intransitive]
(usually in negative sentences 通常用于否定句 to be willing to work with other people in a helpful way, especially so that somebody can get what they want （和某人）合作 He needs another loan, but the bank won't play. 他需要另一笔贷款，但是银行不愿意。
- [intransitive] + adv./prep.
to move or appear quickly and lightly, often changing direction or shape 闪烁；浮现；掠过 - [intransitive]
when a fountain plays, it produces a steady stream of water 喷涌；涌流 Two huge fountains were playing outside the entrance. 入口外面有两个巨大的喷泉。
of children儿童
sports/games运动；比赛
music音乐
video/DVD
act/perform扮演；演出
have effect起作用
trick把戏
situation局面
not do something seriously
be willing to help
of light/a smile光；微笑
of fountain喷泉
Word OriginOld English pleg(i)an ‘to exercise’, plega ‘brisk movement’, related to Middle Dutch pleien ‘leap for joy, dance’.
Idioms Most idioms containing play are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example play the game is at game.
have money, time, etc. to play with
- (informal)
to have plenty of money, time, etc. for doing something 有的是金钱（或时间等）
play with yourself
- (informal)
to masturbate 手淫
what is somebody playing at?