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play

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play

1. n. a strategy; a plan of action. That was a bad play, Bill. We lost the account.

2. n. an attractive investment; a way to make some money in the securities markets. I just heard about a good play in the options market.

play

/act the fool

1. To act in an irresponsible or foolish manner.

2. To behave in a playful or comical manner.

See:

• a level playing field
• a part to play
• a play on words
• act the fool
• act the goat
• against the run of play
• all work and no play
• all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy)
• All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
• allow (something) full play
• allow full play
• at full blast
• at play
• be child's play
• be played like a fiddle
• bring into play
• by the book
• child's play
• close of play
• come into play
• cry heart out
• don't play (around) with me
• end of play
• fair play
• few bricks short of a load
• for keeps
• foul play
• game that two can play
• game that two can play, that's a
• get played like a fiddle
• go play in (the) traffic
• grandstand play
• grandstand play, make a
• have a part in (something)
• have a role in (something)
• hide and seek
• if there's grass on the field, play ball
• if there's grass on the pitch, play ball
• If you play with fire, you get burned
• If you play with fire, you get burnt
• in play
• keep cards close to chest
• level playing field
• level the playing field
• long-playing record
• make a grandstand play
• make a play
• make a play for
• make great play of
• musical chairs, play
• Nice play, Shakespeare!
• not playing with a full deck
• old warhorse
• out of play
• part to play
• party and play
• play
• play (all) the angles
• play (one's) cards close to (one's) chest
• play (one's) cards close to (one's) vest
• play (one's) cards well
• play (someone) like a fiddle
• play (something) close to (one's) chest
• play (the) wag
• play a big part
• play a bit part
• play a blinder
• play a good knife and fork
• play a joke
• play a joke on
• play a large part
• play a losing game
• play a part in
• play a role in (something)
• play a straight bat
• play a trick on
• play a waiting game
• play about
• play ace
• play against
• play along
• play around
• play around with
• play around with someone
• play as
• play at
• play at own game
• play away from home
• play back
• play ball
• play ball with
• play ball with someone
• play both ends
• play both ends against the middle
• play both sides against the middle
• play by ear
• play cards
• play cards close to chest
• play cards right
• play cat and mouse
• play cat and mouse with
• play catch-up
• play dead
• play devil's advocate
• play dirty
• play down
• play down to
• play ducks and drakes with
• play dumb
• play each end against the other
• play each side against the other
• play fair
• play false
• play fast and loose
• play fast and loose with
• play fast and loose with someone/something
• play favourites
• play first chair
• play first fiddle
• play footsie
• play footsie with
• play for
• play for a fool
• play for a sucker
• play for keeps
• play for laughs
• play for love
• play for time
• play freeze-out
• play games
• play God
• play gooseberry
• play hard to get
• play hardball
• play hardball with someone
• play havoc
• play havoc with
• play hell
• play hell with
• play hell with someone/something
• play hide and seek
• play hide the sausage
• play hooky
• play ignorant
• play in
• play in Peoria
• play in the big leagues
• play innocent
• play into hands
• play into the hands of
• play it by ear
• play it close to one's chest
• play it cool
• play it for all it's worth
• play it safe
• play it straight
• play like
• play musical chairs
• play off
• play off against
• play Old Harry with (something)
• play on
• play on heartstrings
• play on words
• play one against another
• play one end against the other
• play one off against another/each other/the other
• play one side against the other
• play one's cards right
• play out
• play out of your skin
• play over
• play part
• play phone tag
• play politics
• play possum
• play Russian roulette
• play safe
• play second fiddle
• play silly buggers
• play someone for a fool
• play telephone tag
• play the devil with
• play the devil with someone/something
• play the dozens
• play the field
• play the fool
• play the game
• play the gender card
• play the goat
• play the hand (one) is dealt
• play the heavy
• play the market
• play the papers
• play the ponies
• play the race card
• play the waiting game
• play through
• play to
• play to the crowd
• play to the gallery
• play to win
• play tonsil hockey
• play tricks on
• play truant
• play trump card
• play up
• play up to
• play well with others
• play with
• play with a full deck
• play with fire
• play with loaded dice
• play-by-play description
• played out
• power play
• raise havoc with
• raise hob with
• roll over and play dead
• run of play
• squeeze play
• Take a long walk off a short pier
• the state of play
• the way it plays
• There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle
• trump card
• Turnabout is fair play
• two can play at that game
• two can play that game
• Two can play this game
• way it plays
• When the cat's away, the mice will play
• wordplay