the quality imparted to voiced speech sounds by the action of the resonating chambers of the throat and mouth and nasal cavities
a vibration of large amplitude produced by a relatively small vibration near the same frequency of vibration as the natural frequency of the resonating system
an excited state of a stable particle causing a sharp maximum in the probability of absorption of electromagnetic radiation
(biology) the field of science concerned with processes of communication and control (especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems)
the act using a sword (or other weapon) vigorously and skillfully
activity by children that is guided more by imagination than by fixed rules; "Freud believed in the utility of play to a small child"
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
a preset plan of action in team sports; "the coach drew up the plays for her team"
utilization or exercise; "the play of the imagination"
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; "he wrote several plays but only one was produced on Broadway"
a theatrical performance of a drama; "the play lasted two hours"
a state in which action is feasible; "the ball was still in play"; "insiders said the company's stock was in play"
engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously; "They played games on their opponents"; "play the stock market"; "play with her feelings"; "toy with an idea"
exhaust by allowing to pull on the line; "play a hooked fish"
participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches"
employ in a game or in a specific position; "They played him on first base"
use or move; "I had to play my queen"
shoot or hit in a particular manner; "She played a good backhand last night"
bet or wager (money); "He played $20 on the new horse"; "She plays the races"
put (a card or piece) into play during a game, or act strategically as if in a card game; "He is playing his cards close to his chest"; "The Democrats still have some cards to play before they will concede the electoral victory"
make bets; "Play the races"; "play the casinos in Trouville"
use to one's advantage; "She plays on her clients' emotions"
discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream; "play water from a hose"; "The fountains played all day"
perform on a certain location; "The prodigy played Carnegie Hall at the age of 16"; "She has been playing on Broadway for years"
be performed; "What's playing in the local movie theater?"; "`Cats' has been playing on Broadway for many years"
cause to emit recorded sounds; "They ran the tapes over and over again"; "Can you play my favorite record?"
emit recorded sound; "The tape was playing for hours"; "the stereo was playing Beethoven when I entered"
pretend to be somebody in the framework of a game or playful activity; "Let's play like I am mommy"; "Play cowboy and Indians"
replay (as a melody); "Play it again, Sam"; "She played the third movement very beautifully"
play on an instrument; "The band played all night long"
perform music on (a musical instrument); "He plays the flute"; "Can you play on this old recorder?"
move or seem to move quickly, lightly, or irregularly; "The spotlights played on the politicians"
cause to move or operate freely within a bounded space; "The engine has a wheel that is playing in a rack"
act or have an effect in a specified way or with a specific effect or outcome; "This factor played only a minor part in his decision"; "This development played into her hands"; "I played no role in your dismissal"
engage in recreational activities rather than work; occupy oneself in a diversion; "On weekends I play"; "The students all recreate alike"
be at play; be engaged in playful activity; amuse oneself in a way characteristic of children; "The kids were playing outside all day"; "I used to play with trucks as a little girl"
behave in a certain way; "play safe"; "play it safe"; "play fair"
be received or accepted or interpreted in a specific way; "This speech didn't play well with the American public"; "His remarks played to the suspicions of the committee"
(broadcasting) a communication system consisting of a group of broadcasting stations that all transmit the same programs; "the networks compete to broadcast important sports events"
(electronics) a system of interconnected electronic components or circuits
a system of intersecting lines or channels; "a railroad network"; "a network of canals"
an interconnected system of things or people; "he owned a network of shops"; "retirement meant dropping out of a whole network of people who had been part of my life"; "tangled in a web of cloth"
communicate with and within a group; "You have to network if you want to get a good job"
the activity of putting something in written form; "she did the thinking while he did the writing"
the act of creating written works; "writing was a form of therapy for him"; "it was a matter of disputed authorship"
letters or symbols written or imprinted on a surface to represent the sounds or words of a language; "he turned the paper over so the writing wouldn't show"; "the doctor's writing was illegible"
the work of a writer; anything expressed in letters of the alphabet (especially when considered from the point of view of style and effect); "the writing in her novels is excellent"; "that editorial was a fine piece of writing"
(usually plural) the collected work of an author; "the idea occurs with increasing frequency in Hemingway's writings"