play
PLAY scores 9 points in Scrabble, anagrams to PALY, and sits one letter from 10 words, among them PLAN, PRAY, CLAY and SLAY.
Verb 4 meanings
To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment.
“The children played in the park.”
To toy or trifle; to act with levity or thoughtlessness; to be careless.
“Don't play with your food!”
To perform in (a sport); to participate in (a game).
“He plays on three teams.”
To contend or fight using weapons, both as practice or in real life-or-death combats; to engage in martial games; to joust; to fence
Noun 4 meanings
Activity for amusement only, especially among the young.
“Children learn through play.”
Similar activity in young animals, as they explore their environment and learn new skills.
“This kind of play helps the young lion cubs develop their hunting skills.”
The conduct, or course, of a game.
“Play was very slow in the first half.”
The sphere or circumstance in which a playing implement, such as a ball, is played or available to be played (see also in play, out of play).
“In potting the yellow ball, he's knocked the green into play.”
Etymology
From Middle English pleyen (verb) and Middle English pleye (noun), from Old English plegian and plegan, plagian (“to play, exercise, etc.”), from Proto-West Germanic *plehan (“to care about, be concerned with”) and Proto-West Germanic *plegōn (“to engage, move”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
PLAY is activity for amusement, the way young animals explore their surroundings, and the performance of a drama. As a verb it is the first word many players think of. At rank 209 and a count of 233,865, it is among the most-used four-letter words.
PLAY in short
- Four letters: P, L, A, Y.
- Base score 9: Y brings 4 and P brings 3.
- Anagram is PALY; ten neighbours include PLAN, PRAY, CLAY and PLOY.
- Rank 209, Zipf score 5.61.
Which words are one tile from PLAY?
Ten qualify: PLAN, PRAY, CLAY, SLAY, PLOY and PLAT are the clearest. Swapping the first tile gives CLAY and SLAY, and swapping the second gives PRAY.
PRAY, CLAY and PLOY all score 9, matching PLAY. SLAY scores 7, PLAN and PLAT score 6, because the Y is lost.
The first-tile swaps are the easiest to spot on a board.
What is the anagram PALY?
PALY uses the same four letters and scores 9 as well. It is a rare word, so check your game’s word list before playing it. PLAY itself is the safe choice nearly every time.
Both words contain the 4-point Y and the 3-point P, so a bonus square under either heavy tile helps.
Compare it with PLOY and PRAY, which keep the same 9 points but change the vowel or the second tile, so the Y stays on the board.
How does PLAY rank among four-letter words?
Of 5,577 four-letter words, 348 start with P, about 6 percent, and 264 end in Y, about 5 percent. The -LAY tail matches DISPLAY, DELAY, CLAY, GAMEPLAY and RELAY in spelling. That ending is a wide net for anyone searching for rhyming clues.
For a quick filter, 264 of the four-letter words end in Y, so a known last letter still leaves a long list.
Rhymes with play
All rhymes- DISPLAY13
- DELAY9
- CLAY9
- GAMEPLAY16
- RELAY8
- REPLAY11
- SCREENPLAY17
- COSPLAY14
- SLAY7
- OVERLAY13
- INTERPLAY14
- FOREPLAY16
One letter away
Questions people ask
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