play

▪ I. play play ¹ [pleɪ] verb [transitive]

1. play the market( s) FINANCE if you play the market, you buy and sell shares on the stockmarket, especially to make a quick profit rather than as an investment for the future:

• Unless you can afford to lose money occasionally, it's foolish to play the market in later life.

2. play the system to use the rules of a system in a clever way in order to gain an advantage:

• These accountants know how to play the tax system.

3. have money to play with to have extra money which you can use for a particular purpose:

• If you do get a severance check (= money you get from your employer when you lose your job ) and land a job immediately, you'll have some extra money to play with.

  [m0] ▪ II. play play ² noun [countable]

1. informal FINANCE an occasion when someone risks money on a financial market:

• In stock options, the biggest play of the day was in BP.

2. in play JOURNALISM FINANCE if a company is in play, it may be bought in a takeover:

• The company has strongly denied it's in play.

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Ⅰ.

play UK US /pleɪ/ verb

● have money/time, etc. to play with — Cf. have time to play with

● play by the rules — Cf. play by the rules

● play by your own rules — Cf. play by your own rules

● play catch up — Cf. play catch up

● play for high stakes — Cf. play for high stakes

● play (it) safe — Cf. play safe

● play the (money/stock) market — Cf. play the stock market

● play a key/major/important role/part (in sth) — Cf. play a major/important role/part in sth

● play the system — Cf. play the system

● play to your strengths — Cf. play to your strengths

→ See also PLUG-AND-PLAY™(Cf. ↑plug-and-play™) adjective, PLAY STH BACK(Cf. ↑play sth back), PLAY STH DOWN(Cf. ↑play sth down), PLAY OUT(Cf. ↑play out), PLAY STH UP(Cf. ↑play sth up)

Ⅱ.

play UK US /pleɪ/ noun

► [C] FINANCE the act of trading shares, bonds, etc.: »

Institutional investors remained on the sidelines, refusing to make any big plays until a definite announcement is made.

● be at play — Cf. be at play

● be in play — Cf. be in play

● bring/call sth into play — Cf. call sth into play

● come into play — Cf. come into play

● make a play for sth — Cf. make a play for sth

→ See also ROLE PLAY(Cf. ↑role play)