Lexic.us

Definition of Play around

1. Verb. Commit adultery. "He plays around a lot"

2. Verb. Work with in an amateurish manner. "He plays around with investments but he never makes any money"

Definition of Play around

1. Verb. To behave in a silly, or childish, or irresponsible way. ¹

2. Verb. To work with in a non-serious manner ¹

3. Verb. (idiomatic) To engage in sexual practices outside of marriage. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Play Around

play'd play-actor play-box play-by-play play-by-play announcer play-by-play announcers play-off play-offs play Cupid play Nostradamus

play Old Harry play a joke on play a trick on play along play and playthings play at play back play ball play both ends against the middle play both sides against the middle

play bow play by ear play catch-up play dead play down play dumb play false

Literary usage of Play around

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Wendell Phillips: A Eulogy Delivered Before the Municipal Authorities of by George William Curtis (1884)
"... ripples that play around the sure and steady prow of the resistless ship. Like an illuminated vase of odors, he glowed with concentrated and perfumed ..."

2. Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style Into Writer's Workshop by Jeff Anderson (2005)
"Returning to our freewrites in our writer's notebooks from the day before, I direct students to play around with their text, imitating any of ..."

3. Reports of Cases Arising Upon Letters Patent for Inventions: Determined in by Samuel Sparks Fisher (1870)
"... it is necessary that it be capable of a slight play around its axis, independent of the motion imparted to it by the machinery which actuates it. ..."

4. Finger Play Reader by John Walter Davis, Fanny Julien (1909)
"Here comes the sand-man. Here comes the Indian sand-man. See his bees' wings. His men play around the cradle. They play around the Indian baby. ..."

5. Wendell Phillips: A Eulogy Delivered Before the Municipal Authorities of by George William Curtis (1884)
"... ripples that play around the sure and steady prow of the resistless ship. Like an illuminated vase of odors, he glowed with concentrated and perfumed ..."

6. Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usage, and Style Into Writer's Workshop by Jeff Anderson (2005)
"Returning to our freewrites in our writer's notebooks from the day before, I direct students to play around with their text, imitating any of ..."

7. Reports of Cases Arising Upon Letters Patent for Inventions: Determined in by Samuel Sparks Fisher (1870)
"... it is necessary that it be capable of a slight play around its axis, independent of the motion imparted to it by the machinery which actuates it. ..."

8. Finger Play Reader by John Walter Davis, Fanny Julien (1909)
"Here comes the sand-man. Here comes the Indian sand-man. See his bees' wings. His men play around the cradle. They play around the Indian baby. ..."

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