play|er ◆◆◆ /ple I ə r / (players )
1 N‑COUNT A player in a sport or game is a person who takes part, either as a job or for fun. □ …his greatness as a player. □ She was a good golfer and tennis player.
2 N‑COUNT You can use player to refer to a musician. For example, a piano player is someone who plays the piano. □ …a professional trumpet player.
3 N‑COUNT If a person, country, or organization is a player in something, they are involved in it and important in it. □ [+ in ] Big business has become a major player in the art market.
4 N‑COUNT A player is an actor. □ …a company of players. □ Oscar nominations went to all five leading players.
5 → see also CD player , record player , team player
pla yer-ma nager (player-managers ) N‑COUNT In football and some other sports, a player-manager is a person who plays for a team and also manages the team.
pla y|er pia |no (player pianos ) N‑COUNT A player piano is a type of mechanical piano. When you press the pedals, air is forced through holes in a roll of paper to press the keys and play a tune. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use pianola
play|ful /ple I fʊl/
1 ADJ A playful gesture or person is friendly or humorous. □ …a playful kiss on the tip of his nose. ● play|ful|ly ADV □ She pushed him away playfully. ● play|ful|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …the child's natural playfulness.
2 ADJ A playful animal is lively and cheerful. □ …a playful puppy.
play|ground /ple I graʊnd/ (playgrounds )
1 N‑COUNT A playground is a piece of land, at school or in a public area, where children can play.
2 → see also adventure playground
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe a place as a playground for a certain group of people, you mean that those people like to enjoy themselves there or go on holiday there. □ [+ of ] …St Tropez, playground of the rich and famous.
play|group /ple I gruːp/ (playgroups ) also play group N‑COUNT A playgroup is an informal school for very young children, where they learn things by playing.
play|house /ple I haʊs/ (playhouses )
1 N‑COUNT A playhouse is a theatre. □ The Theatre Royal is one of the oldest playhouses in Britain.
2 N‑COUNT A playhouse is a small house made for children to play in. □ My father built me a playhouse.
pla y|ing card (playing cards ) N‑COUNT Playing cards are thin pieces of cardboard with numbers or pictures printed on them, which are used to play various games.
pla y|ing field (playing fields )
1 N‑COUNT A playing field is a large area of grass where people play sports. □ …the school playing fields.
2 PHRASE You talk about a level playing field to mean a situation that is fair, because no competitor or opponent in it has an advantage over another. □ We ask for a level playing field when we compete with foreign companies.
play|list /ple I l I st/ (playlists , playlisting , playlisted )
1 N‑COUNT A playlist is a list of songs, albums, and artists that a radio station broadcasts. □ Radio 1's playlist is dominated by top-selling youth-orientated groups.
2 VERB If a song, album, or artist is playlisted , it is put on a radio station's playlist. □ [V n] We've playlisted many new artists who got picked up down the line by others.
play|mate /ple I me I t/ (playmates ) N‑COUNT A child's playmate is another child who often plays with him or her. □ The young girl loved to play with her playmates.
pla y-off (play-offs ) also playoff
1 N‑COUNT A play-off is an extra game which is played to decide the winner of a sports competition when two or more people have got the same score. □ This was his second defeat in a play-off this year.
2 N‑COUNT You use play-offs to refer to a series of games between the winners of different leagues, to decide which teams will play for a championship. □ The winner will face the Oakland A's in the playoffs this weekend.
pla y on wo rds (plays on words ) N‑COUNT A play on words is the same as a pun .
pla y park (play parks ) N‑COUNT A play park is a children's playground.
play|pen /ple I pen/ (playpens ) N‑COUNT A playpen is a small structure which is designed for a baby or young child to play safely in. It has bars or a net round the sides and is open at the top.
play|room /ple I ruːm/ (playrooms ) N‑COUNT A playroom is a room in a house for children to play in.
play|school /ple I skuːl/ (playschools ) also play school N‑COUNT A playschool is an informal type of school for very young children where they learn things by playing. [mainly BRIT ]
Play|Sta|tion /ple I ste I ʃ ə n/ (PlayStations ) N‑VAR A PlayStation is a type of games console. [COMPUTING , TRADEMARK ] □ He spends most of his pocket money on PlayStation games.
play|thing /ple I θ I ŋ/ (playthings ) N‑COUNT A plaything is a toy or other object that a child plays with. □ …an untidy garden scattered with children's playthings.
play|time /ple I ta I m/ N‑UNCOUNT In a school for young children, playtime is the period of time between lessons when they can play outside. □ Any child who is caught will be kept in at playtime.