Play, subst. 1) any exercise or action intended for pleasure; opposed to work: “he from forage will incline to p.” LLL IV, 1, 93. “all hid; an old infant p.” IV, 3, 78. “death should have p. for lack of work,” All's I, 1, 23 (cf. the verb in Ant. V, 2, 232 and 322). “primo, secundo, tertio, is a good p.” Tw. V, 39.
2) game for amusement or for a prize: “with whom thou wast at p.” Tp. V, 185. “the p. so lies,” Wint. IV, 4, 669 (quibbling). “if I make my p.” H8 I, 4, 46. V, 1, 60. “shall hold ye p. these two months,” V, 4, 90. Figuratively: “in plain shock and even p. of battle,” H5 IV, 8, 114. Used of a match of fence: “before you fall to p.” Hml. V, 2, 217 (or verb?).
3) a dramatic composition or representation; in a proper and a metaphorical sense: Ven. 359. Mids. I, 2, 9. Mids. I, 2, 9 III, 1, 53 “(we p. our p.).” III, 2, 11 “(to rehearse a p.).” IV, 1, 223. As Epil. IV, 1, 223 Shr. Ind. 2, 136. All's V, 3, 335. H4A II, 4, 531 “(p. out the p.).” H4B V, 5, 125. H4B V, 5, 125. H4B V, 5, 125. H4B V, 5, 125 Hml. II, 2, 460. 618 “(sitting at a p.).” III, 2, 95 “(coming to the p.).” V, 2, 31 etc. etc.
4) practice, manner of acting; with the adjectives fair and foul: “fair p.” Tp. V, 175. John V, 2, 118. H8 IV, 2, 36. Troil. V, 3, 43. “foul p.:” Tp. I, 2, 62. John IV, 2, 93. H4A III, 2, 169. Hml. I, 2, 256. Per. IV, 3, 19. “what foul p. had we?” Tp. I, 2, 60. “played foul p. with our oaths,” LLL V, 2, 766. “do me no foul p.” Lr. III, 7, 31.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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