---
title: play — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «play» in the school dictionary: To play is to do something for fun, like a game or a sport. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# play

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** play, team, He, 12 children, many games, She · **What happens:** play, be, turn on, act, spend, have · **To what, where:** music, part, show, story, stage, Play time

<!-- .vabout -->
«play» in the school dictionary: its 5 meanings for a pupil and its 10 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [play in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/play.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To play is to do something for fun, like a game or a sport.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:m1:1
# text = To play is to do something for fun, like a game or a sport.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	_
7	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
10	like	like	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	game	game	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	sport	sport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	12	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | for fun; like a game or a sport; do *property* | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To play music is to make it with an instrument or to turn it on.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:m2:1
# text = To play music is to make it with an instrument or to turn it on.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	csubj	_	_
3	music	music	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	obj	_	_
8	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	instrument	instrument	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	turn	turn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
14	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	13	obj	_	_
15	on	on	ADP	RP	_	13	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | to-infinitive |  | music |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent music=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with a instrument; make *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **turn on** | to-infinitive |  | music |  |  |  |  | vn other\_cos-45.4 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Agent it=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To play a part is to act as a character in a show.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:m3:1
# text = To play a part is to act as a character in a show.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	part	part	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	act	act	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	character	character	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	in	in	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	show	show	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | to-infinitive |  | a part |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent part=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | a show |  | as a character; act *property* | tree rules |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A play is a story acted on a stage.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:m4:1
# text = A play is a story acted on a stage.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	acted	act	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	5	acl	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	stage	stage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a play | a story |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **act** | participle |  | a story *not said here* |  | a stage |  |  | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on stage=Eventuality |

## Meaning 5 {#m5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Play is time spent having fun.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:m5:1
# text = Play is time spent having fun.
1	Play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	spent	spend	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part	3	acl	_	_
5	having	have	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
6	fun	fun	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | Play time |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **spend** | participle |  | Play time *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn consume-66-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **have** | gerund |  | fun |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent fun=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The team played 22 games.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x1:1
# text = The team played 22 games.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	team	team	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	22	22	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | the team | 22 games |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent game=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He plays for 30 minutes each day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x2:1
# text = He plays for 30 minutes each day.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	30	30	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	nummod	_	_
5	minutes	minute	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obl	_	_
6	each	each	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	7	det	_	_
7	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | He |  |  |  | day; minute |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
12 children are playing in the park.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x3:1
# text = 12 children are playing in the park.
1	12	12	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	children	child	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	playing	play	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	park	park	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present · progressive | 12 children |  |  | the park |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
How many games did they play in all?

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x4:1
# text = How many games did they play in all?
1	How	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	2	advmod	_	_
2	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	games	game	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
4	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
5	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	6	nsubj	_	_
6	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past · do-support | many games |  |  | all |  |  | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She plays the violin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x5:1
# text = She plays the violin.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	plays	play	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	violin	violin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | present | She | the violin |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent violin=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Our class put on a play about pirates.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x6:1
# text = Our class put on a play about pirates.
1	Our	our	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	class	class	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	put	put	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	about	about	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	pirates	pirate	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | participle | Our class |  |  | a play about pirates |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V PP.destination NP»: agent=Agent on play=Destination |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He played the wolf in the play.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x7:1
# text = He played the wolf in the play.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	played	play	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wolf	wolf	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | past | He | the wolf |  | the play |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent wolf=Theme |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let's play hide-and-seek.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x8:1
# text = Let's play hide-and-seek.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	play	play	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	hide	hide	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	seek	seek	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **play** | infinitive | 's *not said here* | hide and seek |  |  |  |  | vn use-105.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent hide=Theme |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Play fair and take turns.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x9:1
# text = Play fair and take turns.
1	Play	play	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	fair	fair	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
3	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	take	take	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
5	turns	turn	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **play** | imperative | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | fair *property* | vn performance-26.7-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **take** | present | you *not said here* | turns |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent turn=Theme |

## Example 10 {#x10}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Press play to start the song.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:play:x10:1
# text = Press play to start the song.
1	Press	press	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	compound	_	_
2	play	play	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	start	start	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	acl	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	song	song	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | to-infinitive |  | the song |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent song=Eventuality |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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