play-v; 12 Senses

Sense Number 1: engage in a fun or recreational (childlike) activity

Examples:
The children are playing across the street.
Life is short, play hard.
Let's play hide-and-seek.
My dog likes to play 'keep away' with his ball.

Mappings:
VerbNet: meet-36.3-1
PropBank: play.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5, 11, 12

Sense Number 2: engage in or make moves related to competition or sport

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1[agent] PLAY NP2[patient]

Examples:
They played cards far into the night.
Do you want to play tennis with me tomorrow?
Princeton plays Yale this weekend.
The Democrats still have a couple of cards to play before November.
She played a good backhand last night.
The grand master played a spectacular opening in the first game of the chess tournament.
They'll be playing the new catcher in tonight's game.
Defense attorneys and the accused inevitably played the pity card.

Mappings:
VerbNet: performance-26.7-1-1
FrameNet: Competition
PropBank: play.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1, 15, 31, 32, 33, 34

Sense Number 3: behave in a certain way; have a specific effect or outcome

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1 PLAY NP2[patient[abstract]]
NOTE: compare carefully to sense 5; this sense does not refer to acting or pretending (despite example 1, of "playing a role, playing a part" which refers to being a factor, cause, or responsible party in a particular event)

Examples:
Money is playing a big role in his decision to take the job.
That boy played no part in the vandalism.
I think we should play it safe.
She wasn't playing fair during the custody battle.
Storms play havoc with New England phone services.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: Performers_and_roles
PropBank: play.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 17, 27

Sense Number 4: perform or transmit music

Examples:
The band played all night long.
The radio is playing my favorite song.
She played some very difficult Beethoven at the recital.
Can you play the guitar?
Can you play my favorite record?
The stereo was playing chidren's song when I arrived.

Mappings:
VerbNet: performance-26.7-1-1
FrameNet: Cause_to_make_noise,Performers_and_roles
PropBank: play.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3, 6, 7, 13, 18

Sense Number 5: perform/act a role, pretend

Examples:
He usually plays a villain in films.
She plays the lead in Evita.
The show only played three nights before closing.
Can your dog play dead?
Banderas was also very good playing the innocent and helpless man.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: Performance_and_roles
PropBank: play.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4, 8, 14, 25, 26

Sense Number 6: wager, bet

Examples:
He used to play the ponies a lot.
They played the casinos every night in Las Vegas.
I'd play my money on the horse from Tennessee.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 10, 29, 30

Sense Number 7: toy, fiddle, or trifle with; act without the expected seriousness

Commentary:
NOTE: this sense implies a certain lack of seriousness.

Examples:
He plays the stockmarket a little on the side.
She really knows how to play on their emotions, doesn't she?
She has played with the idea of starting a dating service.
Stop playing with me!
That's as dangerous as playing with fire!
Stop playing with your keychain!
I've played with that idea for a long time.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 16, 19, 20, 21, 23

Sense Number 8: be interpreted or received

Examples:
That campaign speech won't play well in Peoria.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 22

Sense Number 9: move freely (usually within a bounded space)

Examples:
I think this steering wheel is playing too much.
The city lights played over the still waters.
The spotlights played on the politicians.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 9, 24

Sense Number 10: run or operate

Examples:
The fountains played all day.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 28

Sense Number 11: FISHING-exhaust by allowing to pull on the line

Examples:
John knows how to play a hooked fish.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NM
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 35

Sense Number 12: VERB PARTICLE CONSTRUCTIONS

Examples:

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: Compliance
PropBank: play.03,play.04,play.05