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Antonyms for playing
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : pley |
| Phonetic Transcription : pleɪ |
Definition of playing
Origin :- Old English plegan, plegian "move rapidly, occupy or busy oneself, exercise; frolic; make sport of, mock; perform music," from West Germanic *plegan "occupy oneself about" (cf. Old Saxon plegan "vouch for, take charge of," Old Frisian plega "tend to," Middle Dutch pleyen "to rejoice, be glad," German pflegen "take care of, cultivate"), from PIE root *dlegh- "to engage oneself," forming words in Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, and possibly Latin.
- Meaning "to take part in a game" is from c.1200. Opposed to work (v.) since late 14c. Related: Played; playing. To play up "emphasize" is from 1909; to play down "minimize" is from 1930; to play along "cooperate" is from 1929. To play with oneself "masturbate" is from 1896; play for keeps is from 1861, originally of marbles or other children's games with tokens. To play second fiddle in the figurative sense is from 1809 ("Gil Blas"). To play into the hands (of someone) is from 1705. To play the _______ card is attested from 1886; to play fair is from mid-15c. To play (something) safe is from 1911; to play favorites is attested from 1902. For play the field see field (n.).
- verb have fun
- verb compete in sport
- verb act; take the part of
- verb gamble, risk
- verb produce music
- In these solitary tours he was busy and happy, working and playing.
- Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
- She thought merely that Sidney was playing a game like her own, with different weapons.
- Extract from : « K » by Mary Roberts Rinehart
- Kitty paused in the hall, playing with the roses in a bowl upon the table.
- Extract from : « The Bacillus of Beauty » by Harriet Stark
- It's such fun, just like playing house, to be by ourselves and independent of all the world.
- Extract from : « The Bacillus of Beauty » by Harriet Stark
- That's why it will be worth while playing the field to beat him.
- Extract from : « Thoroughbreds » by W. A. Fraser
- Your men were playing a funny game—hare and hounds, it looked like.
- Extract from : « Chip, of the Flying U » by B. M. Bower
- A child could have seen that I wasn't just playing the fool.
- Extract from : « The Foolish Lovers » by St. John G. Ervine
- "Yes, of course; the one playing with the priest," I answered, quickly.
- Extract from : « The Underdog » by F. Hopkinson Smith
- In less than three minutes, I am certain, we were playing on the enemy with the fresh gun.
- Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
- We were much provoked at the insult of playing the Rogue's March.
- Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
Synonyms for playing
- act the part of
- amuse oneself
- be life of party
- be on a team
- bet
- blow
- bow
- caper
- carouse
- carry on
- cavort
- challenge
- chance
- clown
- contend
- contest
- cut capers
- cut up
- dally
- dance
- discourse
- disport
- divert
- do
- drum
- enact
- engage in
- entertain oneself
- execute
- exploit
- fiddle
- fidget
- finesse
- finger
- fool around
- frisk
- frolic
- gambol
- game
- go on a spree
- ham
- ham it up
- hazard
- horse around
- idle away
- impersonate
- jockey
- joke
- jump
- kibitz
- kick up heels
- lay an egg
- lay money on
- let go
- let loose
- let one's hair down
- make merry
- maneuver
- manipulate
- mess around
- operate
- participate
- pedal
- perform
- personate
- play a gig
- playact
- portray
- present
- put
- read a part
- recreate
- rejoice
- render
- represent
- revel
- rival
- romp
- set
- show off
- skip
- speculate
- sport
- stake
- take
- take on
- take part
- take the role of
- tickle
- toy
- tread the boards
- trifle
- vie
- wager
- work
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019