Playing

Definition: Playing

Playing

Adjective

1. Occupied in play or playful activities; "heard the laughter of playing children".

Noun

1. The act of playing a musical instrument.

2. The action of taking part in a game or sport or other recreation.

3. The performance of a part or role in a drama.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "playing" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1010. (references)

Synonyms: Playing

Right

Scales of justice, evenhanded justice, karma; suum cuique; clear stage, fair field and no favor, level playing field.

Crosswords: Playing

So stop freaking with her head, man. Quit playing with her mind, you know (Say Anything; writing credit: Cameron Crowe.)

You know, while you were playing that just now, I had the craziest fantasy that I could rise up and float right down the end of this coronet, right through here, through these vales, right along this tube, and right up against your lips and give you a kiss (The Jerk; writing credit: Carl Reiner, written by Steve Martin and Carl Gottlieb.)

You see, Maxine, it isn't just playing with dolls (Being John Malkovich; writing credit: Charlie Kaufman)

When I was in China on the All-American Ping Pong team, I just loved playing ping-pong with my Flexolite ping pong paddle (Forrest Gump; writing credit: Eric Roth)

Playing to lose is like sleeping with your sister (Hot Shots!; writing credit: Jim Abrahams; Pat Proft)

But I know I won't keep on playing the victim (Precious Illusions; performing artist: Alanis Morissette)

Not everybody's playing (Everybody Doesn't; performing artist: Amanda)

They'll stone you when you're playing your guitar (Rainy Day Women #12 & 35; performing artist: Bob Dylan)

Start playing old time rock n' roll ("Old Time Rock & Roll"; performing artist: Bob Seger)

A man playing guitar ("Saturday in the Park"; performing artist: Chicago)

We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. (references; author: unknown)

Sleeping on the job: The mail courier flipped out and pulled a gun, so I was playing dead to avoid getting shot. (references; author: unknown)

Adult Education Topic: Learning to live: Basic differences between your mother and your wife. Online class and role playing. (references; author: unknown)

You are an engineer if you are aware that computers are actually only good for playing games, but are afraid to say it out loud. (references; author: unknown)

Playing with Fire (1967)

Taft Playing Golf (1915)

Playing with Fire (1915)

Rube Waddell and the Champions Playing Ball with the Boston Team (1902)

Playing Soldier (1900)

She's Playing Hard To Get (performing artist: Hi-Five)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

References

• The World Market for Playing Cards: A 2004 Global Trade Perspective (reference)

  (more reference examples)

Books

• Fiddle Tunes for Harmonica: Irish and American Playable on All Tunes, Reels Jigs, Hornpipesm Waltzes, Playing Instructions Plus How to Play Back Up (reference)

• Playing For Keeps: How the World's Most Aggressive and Admired Companies Use Core Values to Manage, Energize, and Organize Their People, and Promote, Advance, and Achieve Their Corporate Missions (reference)

• Blondie24: Playing at the Edge of AI (reference)

• How to Win at Golf: Without Actually Playing Well (reference)

• On Playing a Poor Hand Well: Insights from the Lives of Those Who Have Overcome Childhood Risks and Adversities (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• Playing by Heart (reference)

• Playing God (reference)

• Gambler V: Playing for Keeps (reference)

• The Cliburn - Playing on the Edge (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• Playing with Fire (reference)

• Swingin' Stampede: The Hot Club Of Cowtown Playing Hot Jazz & Western Swing (reference)

• They're Playing Our Song (1979 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING] (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

High Tech

• Memorex MVD2027 DVD Player with MP3 Playing Capabilities (reference)

• NOW PLAYING - BLK (reference)

  (more camera examples; more video game examples; more computer examples; more electronic examples; more software examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

A Las Vegas white, male college student, had his leg amputated above the knee when doctors discovered osteogenic sarcoma while he was a teen. He is seen here in a home bedroom setting, playing his guitar. He is presently disease-free and in college. He plays tennis, but is still shy about dating. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer).

Several young children can be seen playing with toy trucks and their pet rabbits. They are outdoors on a summer day, building a play construction site. A farmstyle house and mountains can be seen in the background. These people are part of a large Mormon family who are being studied for their low cancer death rate. Credit: Linda Bartlett (photographer).

Child playing in pumpkin patch. Credit: CDC.

Little boys playing with paint on board. Credit: CDC.

The crew of the SURVEYOR playing baseball at Dutch Harbor. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

Friends of the sailor helping make a glorious day better Dolphin playing in the bow wave of the NOAA Ship PEIRCE Ship anchor fluke in lower left of photo. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

USS Arizona (BB-39) sunk and burning furiously, Dec. 7, 1941. Her forward magazines had exploded when she was hit by a Japanese bomb. At left, men on the stern of USS Tennessee (BB-43) are playing fire hoses on the water to force burning oil away from the.

Air Force Falcons wide receiver Ryan Fleming, playing with a separated shoulder, catches a pass thrown by quarterback Mike Thiessen. The Falcons came up short in their overtime loss 34-31 against Notre Dame's Fighting Irish, Oct. 28. (P.; photo by Staff. Sgt..

Childern playing in Sand Dunes, Christmas Valley. Lakeview District. Credit: Terry Spivey.

Children playing in Sand Dunes, Christmas Valley, Lakeview District. Credit: Terry Spivey.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

She did unfeignedly and unequivocally regret the inferiority of her own playing and singing

She had ceased playing, but her fingers still wandered fitfully over the keys

There had been soulful music playing on the ship's sound system - of course

There it is, playing, a good way off.

A young kitten was playing under the chairs

He could hear them playing on the playgrounds

That's friendship, each playing the potter to see what shapes we can make of the other

He gave me the names and descriptions of all the musical instruments, and the general terms of art in playing on each of them

He had not attended to the train of his thoughts long when he heard some one playing on a flute, and that sound harmonized with his mood

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Diagnosing a headache is like playing Twenty Questions. (references)

When you go to a restaurant, do not sit near the kitchen or near a band playing music. (references)

Other activities that may aggravate the phenomenon are regular typing and piano playing. (references)

Business

Nuclear energy is playing an increasing role in the Czech power sector. (references)

The playing field in Thailand could probably be best described as “opaque. (references)

He said that what Saudi Arabia needs is a codified, regulated tax system and a level playing field for foreign firms. (references)

Children

Afghanistan

In October 2000, the Taliban banned youths from playing soccer in Kabul on Fridays. (references)

Civil Liberties

Russia

They also expressed concern that the meeting might signal a government attempt to exercise greater control over NGO's or to distinguish between those playing a "constructive" role (such as charitable groups) and those deemed "too political" (such as human rights and environmental groups). (references)

Turkey

In July RTUK closed Ozgur Radyo, which had started broadcasting in 1995, for one year for playing a Kurdish song; the station continued to broadcast on the Internet. (references)

Economic History

Switzerland

U.S. made heat pumps, after enjoying a strong position in the start-up phase, have been playing a rather marginal role in the past years as opposed to German and French producers. (references)

Italy

Telecommunications technologies are playing an increasing role in the process of restructuring the distribution system. (references)

Mauritius

The offshore sector is playing an increasingly important role in the financial sector and is emerging as a growth vehicle for the economy. (references)

Human Rights

Namibia

The soldier reportedly was angered by the playing of drums in the village. (references)

Nepal

On February 12, in Accham District two children were killed and eight others injured after playing with a bomb that was widely assumed to have been left by Maoists. (references)

Nicaragua

In November Casa Alianza reported that the country had no closed detention center for children under the age of 16, and that the police had been locking up children in inhuman situations, in many cases playing the role of judge and jury. (references)

Minorities

Mexico

Adventists in Tapachula were accused of playing loud music in front of Catholic churches while Mass was being conducted, allegedly infringing upon the rights of their neighbors to unimpeded worship. (references)

Political Economy

Tanzania

While the NGO community remains small by world standards, and its ability to absorb large amounts aid is questionable, civil society has playing an increasing role in governmental decisions and the planning of poverty reduction strategies encouraged by international financial institutions. (references)

Kuwait

Kuwait has a civil law system with Islamic law playing a significant role in personal matters. (references)

Trade

Taiwan

Foreign banking institutions are playing an increasingly important role on the financial scene. (references)

Thailand

In addition to import duties handled by the Customs Department, certain import items are also subject to excise tax . These include gasoline and products thereof, automobiles (less than 10 seats), electrical appliances, beverages, perfume, yachts and vessels for entertainment, lead crystal and other crystals, carpets and woven fur items, motorcycles, batteries, marble and granite, liquor, tobacco, and playing cards . It is worth mentioning that an excise tax is also imposed on local products in the same categories as well as on certain entertainment service providers such as horse racing grounds/clubs and golf clubs. (references)

Pakistan

Financial reforms introduced in 1990 have liberalized Pakistan's banking sector, which had long been dominated by state-owned banks, and private banks are gradually playing a more significant role. (references)

Travel

Korea

Also commonplace is the "no-ray-bang" where a group of businesspeople go to an establishment to drink and sing along to a video machine playing music. (references)

Women

Libya

However, employment gains by women tend to be inhibited by lingering traditional restrictions that discourage women from playing an active role in the workplace and by the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalist values. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "playing": be playing ♦ carillon playing ♦ ensemble playing ♦ finish playing ♦ level playing field ♦ long playing ♦ piano playing ♦ playing an instrument ♦ playing area ♦ playing card ♦ playing cards ♦ playing field ♦ playing for time ♦ playing music ♦ playing period ♦ playing the piano ♦ playing things down ♦ playing time ♦ playing with each other ♦ role playing ♦ start playing. Additional references.

Beginning with "playing": playing-about, playing-area, playing-card, playing-cards, playing-counter, playing-field, playing-fields, playing-off, playing-out, playing-places, playing-time, playing-up, playing-working.

Ending with "playing": ball-playing, bass-playing, chess-playing, game-playing, games-playing, guitar-playing, longest-playing, non-playing, organ-playing, polo-playing, rugby-playing, test-playing.

Containing "playing": long-playing record.

Albanian

shesh lojërash (pitch, playground, playing field, pleasure ground), mbaroj së luajturi (finish playing), letra loje (playing cards), 33-xhirosh (long playing). (various references)

Arabic 

‏مرح (airiness, airy, be merry, blithe, breezy, bright, buoyancy, buoyant, cheerful, cheerfulness, cheering, chirpy, exult, facetious, festive, fresh, frisk, frisky, frolic, frolicsome, fun, gaiety, gay, glee, gleeful, have fun, hilarious, hilarity, jaunty, jocose, jocosity, jocund, jolly, jovial, joviality, joy, joyful, joyfulness, joyous, kittenish, lark, light, lightsome, lively, make merry, merriment, merry, merry making, mirth, mirthful, perkiness, perky, playful, playfulness, rejoice, rollick, romp, sportive, sprightly, sunny, vivacious, vivacity, what fun, winsome), ‏لعب (game, move, play, play about, sport). (various references)

Blackfoot

kaahtsá'tsis (playing card). (various references)

Bulgarian 

спортна площадка (playfield, playground, playing field), карта за игра (pasteboard, playing card), печелене на време (playing for time), игрище (lawn, pitch, playfield, playground, playing field, recreation ground, sports ground). (various references)

Chinese 

演奏 (Played). (various references)

Czech

sportovní hřištì (playing field), hrací karty (playing cards), hrací karta (playing card), dohrát (finish playing), dlouhohrající (long playing, long-headed). (various references)

Danish

spilletid (playing time), spillekort (playing card), sammenlignelig situation (level playing field), rollespilsteknikker (role playing techniques), rolleleg (role playing), legeplads (play field, playground, playing field), legealder-eczem (playing age eczema), ekstemporal spil (role playing techniques), afgift af spillekort (tax on playing cards). (various references)

Dutch

speelveld (sports ground), speeltijd (playing time), speelruimte (clearance, leeway, play field, playground, playing field), speelplein (play field, playground, playing field), speelplaats (playground), speelkaart (playing card), speelduur (playing time), speeldur (playing time), rollenspel (role playing, role playing techniques, role-playing), level playing field (level playing field), accijns op speelkaarten (tax on playing cards). (various references)

Finnish

soitto (music, peal, ring, toll). (various references)

French

jouant, enjouement (playfulness, pleasantness). (various references)

German

spielend (easily, hamming, kittenish, trifling, twiddling), Spielen (act, be on, doodle, enact, gamble, make a scene, make a song and dance, perform, play, play about, play around, punt, show, simulate, to play, toy). (various references)

Greek 

παίξιμο. (various references)

Hebrew 

מגרש ספורט (playing field), פריטה (changing money, playing an instrument), פסנתרנות (piano playing), נגינה (accentuation, cantillation, playing music). (various references)

Hungarian

kártyázás (playing cards), a gyerekek játszanak (the children are playing). (various references)

Indonesian

petikan (excerpt, plucking (of guitar), quotation). (various references)

Italian

piazzale di giuoco (play field, playground, playing field), Parità di condizioni (Level playing field), tecniche di simulazione (role playing techniques), recitare un ruolo (role play, role playing), durata di lettura (playing time), durata di ascolto (playing time), carta da giuoco (playing card), carta da gioco (card, playing card), campo da giuoco (play field, playground, playing field), campo (branch, camp, course, field, laager, playing field, range, reach, scope, tether), accisa sulle carte di gioco (tax on playing cards). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

遊び , 奏法 (playing method, touch). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

そうほう (both, both parties, mutual, playing method, regulations governing Chinese religious observances and social order, running style, touch, two way), あそび. (various references)

Korean 

노 (Oar). (various references)

Manx

springeragh (joke, joking, playful, playing tricks), shamyr chloie (playing room), magher cloie (playing field), caart (card, playing card, quart). (various references)

Papago

mohnthikud (playing card). (various references)

Pig Latin

ayingplay.(various references)

Portuguese

tempo de leitura (playing time), sociodrama (role playing techniques), level playing field (level playing field), cartas de jogar (playing cards), carta de jogar (playing card), carta de baralho (card, playing card). (various references)

Romanian

carte (book, card, deed, letter, playing card, schooling, syndicate). (various references)

Russian 

играть прогон игральный. (various references)

Scottish

mire (diversion, frolic; transport of rage, pastime), iomairt (conflict, contest, employing, exercise), cluich (a game, play). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

svirka (tootle), sviranje, igranje (dancing, personation, play). (various references)

Spanish

naipe (card, pasteboard, playing card), carta (card, carte, charter, document, epistle, letter, map, menu, playing card). (various references)

Swedish

spelar (plays). (various references)

Turkish

oynama (acting, dancing, falsification, fluctuation, hop, move, moving, performing, play, showing), çalma (abstraction, blow, defalcation, knock, larceny, pilferage, rendering, rendition, stealing, strike, tendency, theft). (various references)

Ukrainian

гра оркестру. (various references)

Vietnamese 

sân vận động (play-field, playing-field, sports field, sports ground), sân thể thao (pavilion, play-field, playing-field), quân bài (playing-card). (various references)

cantionum, concentum. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Derivations

Words ending with "playing": displaying, downplaying, interplaying, misplaying, nonplaying, outplaying, overplaying, redisplaying, replaying, splaying, underplaying. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Playing" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aplaying, palying, Paylins, plaig, plauing, playi, playin, playings. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-1 letter: gainly, laying, paling, paying, plying.

-2 letters: algin, align, aping, gaily, inlay, lapin, liang, ligan, linga, lingy, lying, plain.

-3 letters: agin, agly, anil, ayin, gain, gapy, glia, inly, lain, lang, ling, liny, lipa, nail, nipa, pail, pain, paly, pang, pial, pian, pily, pina, ping, piny, plan, play, pyin, yagi, yang.

-4 letters: ail, ain, alp, ani.

+1 letter: applying, gapingly, japingly, palsying, splaying.

+2 letters: carpingly, pargyline, parlaying, parleying, plaything, pratingly, raspingly, replaying, sparingly.

+3 letters: amplifying, anaglyphic, displaying, graspingly, misplaying, nonplaying, outplaying, paralysing, paralyzing, pargylines, playacting, playmaking, playthings, pleadingly, pleasingly, poignantly, reapplying.

+4 letters: acceptingly, angioplasty, appallingly, appealingly, approvingly, callipygian, downplaying, genotypical, impregnably, lapidifying, misapplying, overplaying, palynologic, panegyrical, placatingly, playactings, playmakings, playwriting, prattlingly, preachingly, unsparingly.