plaw1t

A Middle English form of play1. plaw2 (plâ), v. [Also play; ME. plawen, playen, boil.] I.t in trans. To boil. Take a pot full of wyne, and steke yt wele aboue that no thynges go ynne nor owte, and put it ynne a cowdrun ful of water, and layt yt play longe therin, and yt schal be gode ayselle sone. Sloane MS . 3548, f. 16, quoted in Prompt. Parv., p. 403. Item, a grete lede to brew v comb malte with one plaw Paston Letters , III. 435. yng. II. trans . To boil; especially, to boil slightly. [Prov. Eng.] Shak., T. of the S., Ind., ii. 55. But soon their pleasures pa 'd; at noon of day The sun with sultry beams began to play . Dryden, Flower and Leaf, 1. 373. This [garden] of the Tuilleries is vastly great, has shaded Tar ra es on two sides, one along the River Seine, planted with Trees, very diverting, with great Parters in the middle, and large Fountains of Water, which constantly Play . Lister, Journey to Paris, p. 181. The self-same shadows now as then Play through this gra y upland glen. M. Arnold, Resignation. And hark the clock within, the silver knell Of twelve sweet hours that past in bridal white, And died to live, long as my pulses play . Tennyson , Maud, xviii. 8. The window was open, and barbs of fire, like serpents' tongues, played over it. R. D. Black more , Erema, I. 211. The motion [of an anchor] may be limited by a second pin through the shoulder, playing in a long hole in the flukes. Luce , Seamanship, p. 233. 2. To engage in active exercise; exercise or contend in any way, but especially with weapons; technically, to contend with swords or sticks; fence: said of persons. Us he dude lede Into a galeie With the se to pleie . King Horn (E. E. T. S.), 1. 186. Betere him were in Scotlond, With is ax in ys hond, To pleyen o the grene. Execution of Sir Simon Fraser (Child's Ballads, VI. 282). When you play at weapons, I would have you get thick caps and bracers [gloves]. Sir P. Sidney (Arber's Eng. Garner, I. 309). And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. 2 Sam. ii. 14. He sends to know if your pleasure hold to play with Shak ., Hamlet, v. 2. 206. 3. To contend in a game of skill or chance: as, to play at che or cards; specifically, to gamble. He wule come the nier Laertes. And bidde the pleie at the escheker. Whane thescheker is forth ibrozt Bithute panes ne plei thu nozt. Floriz and Blauncheflur (E. E. T. S.), L. 344. He made him to ben clept Me lech man ser: the whiche on a Day pleyed at the Che e, and his Swerd lay besyde him. Mandeville , Travels, p. 37. I'll follow The ladies, play at cards, make sport, and whistle. Ford, Lady's Trial, v. 2. After they [the Chinese] have lost their Money, Goods, and Cloaths, they will stake down their Wives and Children: and lastly, as the dearest thing they have, will play upon tick, and mortgage their Hair upon honour. Dampier , Voyages, II. i. 42. 4. To engage in exercise or occupation of any kind for diversion, amusement, or recreation; amuse one's self, as with games or diversion, or with any occupation which is not a task or for profit; sport; frolic; gambol. Han pardoun thorw purgatorie to pa en ful sone, With patriarkes in paradys to pleyen ther-aftur. Piers Plowman (A), viii. 12. IMG:content-0385.png:[blocks in formation] It seems so little while ago since I used to see you play ing about the door of the old house, quite a small child! Hawthorne, Seven Gables, iv. 5. To take part in a game or games; join in sport or frolic: as, to play with the children.6. To act thoughtle ly or wantonly; trifle; toy; dally. Do not play with mine anger, do not, wretch! Beau . and Fl . , Maid's Tragedy, iv. 1. O golden hair, with which I used to play Not knowing! O imperial-moulded form, And beauty such as never woman wore. Tennyson, Guinevere. IMG:content-0386.png:[blocks in formation] 8. To act on the stage; personate a character. There is a lord will hear you play to-night. Shak., T. of the S., Ind., i. 93. Courts are theatres where some men play . Donne. 9. To perform on an instrument of music: as, to play on a flute or a violin. With musicke sweete that did excell Hee plaies under her window then. The Merchant's Daughter (Child's Ballads, IV. 329). We sat round a pan of coals, and three Mahometans sung Arab songs, beating time with their hands, and play ing on a tambour. Pococke , Description of the East, I. 82. 10. To operate or act with continuous blows or strokes, or with repeated action: as, the cannon played on the enemy's works; the firemen played upon the burning building. Upon the seauenteenth day of Aprill [the Archduke) planted his Cannon against the towne, and played upon it. Coryat, Crudities, I. 8. Here, as before, the firemen were not permitted to play on the flames. The Century, XXXVII. 929. To play against the bank. See bank2.- To play at duck and drake. See duck2. - To play false. See false, adv. To play fast and loose. See fast, a. - To play for love. See lovel. - To play in, to begin at once. Hall i well. [Prov. Eng.] - To play in and outt. Same as to play fast and loose. - To play into the hands of some one, to act in such a way as to give the advantage to one's opponent or a third party. Why play... into the devil's hands By dealing so ambiguously? Browning , Ring and Book, vi. 1833. To play loose, in fencing, to practise attack and defense. Encyc. Brit., IX. 71. To play off, to simulate; feign; make pretense: as, the man is not ill, he is playing off. To play on or upon. (a) To make sport of; trifle with; mock; delude; befool, especially for advantage or through malice: as, to play upon one's feelings. Art thou alive? Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight? Shak., 1 Hen. IV., v. 4. 138. Is 't not enough That you have played upon me all this while, But still to mock me, still to jest at me? B. Jonson , Case is Altered, iv. 5. You rely upon the mildne of my temper-you do, you dog! you play upon the meekne of my disposition! Sheridan , The Rivals, ii. 1. (b) To give a humorous or fanciful turn to: as, to play upon words. He jested with all ease, and told Free tales, and took the word and play'd upon it, And made it of two colours. Tennyson , Geraint. To play up. (a) To work forward. (b) To play (music) more vigorously. - To play upon advantaget, to cheat. - To play with edged tools. See tool, and compare edge-tool. To play with fire. See fire. - To play with one's beardt, to deceive one. Nares. Yet have I play'd with his beard, in knitting this knot I promist friendship, but I meant it not. R. Edwards, Damon and Pythias. =Syn. 4. To gambol, romp, caper, frisk. II. trans. 1. To divert or amuse with or as with sports or pastimes: used reflexively. [Obsolete or prov. Eng.] They goon and pleye hem al the longe day. Chaucer , Shipman's Tale, 1. 177. Lete vs go for to pley us and disporte in this foreste, to a ay yef we fynde eny aventure. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 562. Bot fyn I am put to a poynt that pouerte hatte, I schal me poruay pacyence, & play me with bot he. Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), iii. 36. 2. To take part as a contestant in (a game or pastime engaged in at a particular time and place); also, to be in the habit of engaging in (a particular kind of game), be able to join in (it), or be skilled in (it): as, to play a rubber of whist; to play a round of golf; he does not play che , but he can play billiards.-3. Το engage in a game, contest, or competition with. I will play you for a hundred pounds. Warren, Diary of a Late Physician, II. xxv. 4. To put forward, move, throw, or lay on the table, etc., in carrying on a game or contest: IMG:content-0387.png:[blocks in formation] 7. To produce music from; perform upon: as, to play the flute or the organ. The dancing-master, having to play the kit besides, was thoroughly blown. Dickens, Battle of Life. 8. To perform on a musical instrument; execute: as, to play a tune.-9. To operate or cause to operate with continuous or repeated action; put into and keep in action: as, to play the hose on a burning building. The water is brought from a river which is lower than the basin; it commonly rises eighty feet, and, by playing another pipe, it throws the water a hundred and twenty feet high. Pococke, Description of the East, II. ii. 226. 10. To give out or discharge freely: as, to play a steady stream. In 1711 there were shown Sea Gods and Godde es, Nymphs, Mermaids, and Satirs, all of them playing of water as suitable, and some Fire mingling with the water, and Sea Triumphs round the Barrel that plays so many Liquors; all which is taken away after it had perform'd its part, and the Barrel is broken in Pieces before the Spec tators. Quoted in Ashton's Social Life in Reign of Queen [Anne, I. 293. 11. To perform or act on the stage; represent in character with appropriate action and acce ories: as, to play a comedy. Two persons plaied a dialogue, the effect whereof was whether riches were better than love. Hall , Hen. VIII., an. 1528. The old comedies were plaid in the broad streets vpon wagons or carts vncouered. Putten ham , Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 29. Luscus, what's play'd to-day? Faith now I know I set thy lips abroach, from whence doth flow Naught but pure Juliet and Romeo. Marston , Scourge of Villanie, xi. 37. 12. To take or a ume the rôle of; act the part or perform the duties of; act or behave like: as, to play Hamlet; to play the tyrant; to play the hoste . I have a will, I am sure, howe'er my heart May play the coward. Beau . and Fl ., Laws of Candy, iii. 3. To play the fool by authority is wisdom. B. Jonson , Poetaster, iv. 3. Remember how thou playedst the man at Vanity-fair, and wast neither afraid of the chain nor cage, nor yet of bloody death. Bunyan , Pilgrim's Progre , p. 177. Why, every Man plays the Fool once in his Life; But to marry is playing the Fool all ones Life long. Congreve, Old Batchelor, iii. 10. Neither the Pope nor the most Christian King will play the devil. Walpole , Letters, II. 435. 13. To do; operate; enact; perform: as, to play tricks; to play a part. But man, proud man, Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven As make the angels weep. Shak . , M. for M., ii. 2. 121. No law nor justice frights 'em; all the town over They play new pranks and gambols. Fletcher , Loyal Subject, iv. 3. Who can call him a wise man who playeth the part of Stubbes , Anat. of Abuses. a Foole or a Vice? I have indeed observed in several inscriptions of this country that your men of learning are extremely delighted in playing little tricks with words and figures. Add is on , Remarks on Italy (ed. Bohn), p. 522. This man had played an important part in all the revolutions which, since the time of Surajah Dowlah, had taken place in Bengal. play ment or merriment of others. - To play one false. See false. To play po um. See po um. - To play the deuce or dickens. See deucel, dickens. - To play the devil, the fool, the hangment, the mischief, etc., with. See the nouns. - To play up, to start or begin playing; strike up. Play uppe The Brides of Enderby. Jean Ingelow , High Tide on the Coast of Lincoln shire. playl (plā), n . [ play , pley , pleye , pleie , pleze , also plawe , pley, pleye, pleie, lawe , plahe , plaze , plega , brisk motion, play, sport, play, sport, game, also fight, fight, battle (cf. OFries. plega, pliga, custom, habit, practice, MLG. plege, care, custom, also plage, LG. plege, OHG. phlega, ga, MHG. phlege, pflege, G. pflege, care, nursing, custom, etc., Icel. plag, pleje, nursing, tendance, care, Dan. pleje, manner, maintenance, cultivation, encouragement, administration, etc.); from the verb: see play1, v.] 1. Brisk or free motion; movement, whether regular or irregular: as, the play of water in a fountain; the play of a wheel or piston; hence, freedom or room for motion. The play and slight agitation of the water, in its upward Hawthorne, Seven Gables, vi. gush, wrought magically with these variegated pebbles. The saw, with restle play , Was cleaving through a fir-tree Its long and steady way. Bryant , Saw-Mill. Any play or lost motion between the threads of the cro feed screw and its nut. Joshua Rose , Practical Machinist, p. 34. 2. Liberty and room for action or display; scope; swing; ease or freedom in performance. Give him [the chub] play enough before you offer to take him out of the water. He dares not give his Imagination its full play . I. Walton , Complete Angler, p. 68. Add is on , Spectator, No. 315. The Mercian scribes appear to have been very excellent penmen, writing a very graceful hand with much delicate play in the strokes. Encyc . Brit ., XVIII. 159. 3. Action; use; employment. The sensele plea of right by Providence Was by a flattering priest invented since, And lasts no longer than the recent sway, But justifies the next who comes in play . Dryden , Character of a Good Parson, 1. 120. Every kind of vehicle is brought into play on this day to carry people down who prefer to drive over the magnificent country roads between London and Epsom. T. C. Crawford , English Life, p. 15. 4. Active exercise; especially, exercise in trial of skill: as, sword - play.-5. Any exercise intended for recreation, amusement, or pleasure; a game or sport, such as cricket, foot-ball, curling, skittles, quoits, graces, etc. And suche pleyes of desport the i make, til the takynge up of the Boordes. Mandeville , Travels, p. 238. They say that this Philosopher [Lycurgus] did inuent the Olympiades, which were certeine playes vsed euery fourth yeere in the mount eine Olympus. Guevara , Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1577), p. 21. See that plaies be published, Mai-games and maskes, with mirthe and minstrel sie, Pageants and school-feastes, beares and puppet- plaies. Three Lords of London, in Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, [p. 32. nonsense. The plays of children are nonsense, but very educative Emerson , Experience. 6. Amusement, diversion, recreation, or pastime; sport; frolic; fun; merry-making: as, "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Al the ioze of oure herte nou is went a-wey, For into ser we & into wo tornid is al oure pley. Political Poems , etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 232. Come forth than, my maidens, an show them some play . Baron of Braikley (Child's Ballads, VI. 194). A tiger... by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play . Milton , P. L., iv. 404. 14t. To use; apply; ply. Yif thow wolt pleie this craft with the arisyng of the mone, loke thow rekne wel her cours howre by howre. Chaucer, Astrolabe, ii. 40. 15. To make a pretense of; make believe: as, children play being devoured by lions. We [merchants] may wel make chiere and good visage, And dryve forth the world as it may be, And kepen our estaat in pryvetee Til we be ded: or elles that we pleye A pilgrymage, or goon out of the we ye. Chaucer, Shipman's Tale, 1. 233. Played out. (a) Played to an end; finished; used up; done for. [Colloq.] Brown thinks to himself that after all there is some refreshing sense of the primæval about this played-out country. Fortnightly Rev. , N. S., XLIII. 88. (b) Exhausted and brought to land or killed, as a fish that has been played. - To play bob foolt, booty, ducks and drakes, first (or second) fiddle, gooseberry, hob, hooky off, to display; etc. See show: fooll, as, booty, to play duck2, off fiddle, tricks. etc. To To play play off a person, to exhibit or expose a person for the entertain J. F. Clarke, Self-Culture, p. 386. 7. Fun; jest sport: opposed to earnest: as, it was done in play.-8. Gaming; the practice of contending for amusement, or for wager, as at dice, cards, billiards, etc.: as, to lose money at play. They [the gamesters] will change the cards so often that the old ones will be a considerable advantage by selling them to coffee-houses, or families who love play . Swift , Directions to Servants (Butler). What are they to do who love play better than wine? Sheridan , School for Scandal, iii. 3. A sportsman keen, he shoots through half the day, And, skill'd at whist, devotes the night to play . Crabbe, Works, I. 15. He left his wine and horses and play . Tennyson, Maud, xix. 7. 9. A dramatic composition; a literary composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action; a written tragedy, comedy, or other such production intended for representation on the stage. play 4546 plea saying he was a year about them. B. Jonson, Volpone, Prol. The first play of this kind [miracle-play] specified by name, I believe, is called "St. Catherine," and, according to Matthew Paris, was written by Geofrey, a Norman, afterwards abbot of Saint Albans. Strutt , Sports and Pastimes, p. 227. 10. Representation or exhibition of a comedy, tragedy, or other form of drama; dramatic performance. The play 's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king. Shak., Hamlet, ii. 2. 633. For a play is still an imitation of nature; we know we are to be deceived, and we desire to be so. Dryden, E ay on Dram. Poesy. The King went to the play last night (Drury Lane) for the first time, the Dukes of York and Clarence and a great suite with him. Greville, Memoirs, Feb. 7, 1821. I am just come from the play at Richmond. Walpole, Letters, II. 126. 11. Style or manner of playing; style of performing or executing a play or game; execution; performance; skill: as, he made clever play with the foils. There were Billiard Rooms, where a young man from the country who prided himself upon his play could get very prettily handled. W. Besant , Fifty Years Ago, p. 135. 12. Manner of acting or dealing, or of treating another: as, fair play ; foul play . IMG:content-0388.png:[blocks in formation] 13. A country wake. Hall i well. [Prov. Eng.] - A play upon words, punning; apun.- Benefit play. See benefit. Child's play. See child. - Fair play. See fair1. In play, in foot - ball and some other games, alive; that can be legitimately played; not dead: said of the ball: the opposite of out of play. - Out of play, in foot ball and some other games, dead: the opposite of in play. - Play of colors, an appearance of several prismatic colors in quick succe ion on the surface of an object, as on a diamond. To hold in play, to keep occupied or engaged; hold the attention of. I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play . Macaulay , Horatius. To make good play, to proceed or take action with spirit or advantage. Syn. 4. Activity, exercise.-6. Pastime.