Giáo án tiếng Anh 12 - Play /pleɪ/ verb

nes on it and moves 
on it: 
 - the sunlight playing on the water 
29. WATER [intransitive] written if a fountain plays, water comes from it 
30. play a hose/light on something to point a hose or light towards something so that water or light goes onto it 
31. play the field to have sexual relationships with a lot of different people 
32. play fast and loose with something to not be careful about what you do, especially by not obeying the law or 
a rule: 
 - They played fast and loose with investors’ money. 
33. play happy families British English to spend time with your family, doing normal things, especially so that 
your family appears to be happy when it is not 
play around ( also play about British English) phrasal verb 
1. to have a sexual relationship with someone who is not your usual partner 
play around with 
 - Wasn’t she playing around with another man? 
 - It was years before I realized he’d been playing around. 
2. to try doing something in different ways, to see what would be best, especially when this is fun 
play around with 
 - Play around with the ingredients if you like. 
3. to behave in a silly way or waste time, when you should be doing something more serious = fool around: 
 - When the teacher wasn’t looking, we used to play about a lot. 
play around with something ( also play about with something British English) phrasal verb, to keep moving or 
making changes to something in your hands SYN fiddle with: 
 - Will you stop playing around with the remote control! 
play along phrasal verb 
1. to pretend to agree to do what someone wants, in order to avoid annoying them or to get an advantage: 
 - She felt she had to play along or risk losing her job. 
2. play somebody along British English to tell someone something that is not true because you need their help in 
some way 
play at something phrasal verb 
1. What is somebody playing at? British English spoken used when you do not understand what someone is 
doing or why they are doing it, and you are surprised or annoyed: 
 - What do you think you’re playing at? 
2. if you play at doing something, you do not do it properly or seriously 
play at doing something 
 - He’s still playing at being an artist. 
3. British English if children play at doctors, soldiers, etc., they pretend to be doctors, soldiers, etc. 
play at being something 
 - a 14-year-old playing at being a grown woman 
play something ↔ back phrasal verb, to play something that has been recorded on a machine so that you can 
listen to it or watch it: 
 - He played back his answering machine messages. 
play something ↔ down phrasal verb, to try to make something seem less important or less likely than it really 
is: 
 - Management has been playing down the possibility of job losses. 
play down the importance/seriousness/significance of something 
 - The White House spokeswoman sought to play down the significance of the event. 
play off phrasal verb 
1. British English if people or teams play off, they play the last game in a sports competition, in order to decide 
who is the winner: 
 - The top two teams will play off at Twickenham for the county title. 
 PLAY 4 
2. play off somebody/something American English to deliberately use a fact, action, idea, etc. in order to make 
what you are doing better or to get an advantage: 
 - The two musicians played off each other in a piece of inspired improvisation. 
play somebody off against somebody phrasal verb, to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with 
another, in order to get some advantage for yourself: 
 - The house seller may try to play one buyer off against another, to raise the price. 
play on/upon something phrasal verb, to use a feeling, fact, or idea in order to get what you want, often in an 
unfair way: 
 - The ad plays on our emotions, showing a doctor holding a newborn baby. 
play something ↔ out phrasal verb 
1. if an event or situation is played out or plays itself out, it happens: 
 - It will be interesting to see how the election plays itself out. 
2. if people play out their dreams, feelings, etc., they express them by pretending that a particular situation is 
really happening: 
 - The weekend gives you a chance to play out your fantasies. 
play up phrasal verb 
1. play something ↔ up to emphasize something, sometimes making it seem more important than it really is: 
Play up your strongest arguments in the opening paragraph. 
2. play (somebody) up British English informal if children play up, they behave badly: 
 - Jordan’s been playing up in school. 
 - I hope the kids don’t play you up. 
3. play (somebody) up British English informal to hurt you or cause problems for you: 
 - My knee’s been playing me up this week. 
 - The car’s playing up again. 
play up to somebody phrasal verb, to behave in a very polite or kind way to someone because you want 
something from them: [xun xoe] 
 - Connie always plays up to her parents when she wants money. 
play with somebody/something phrasal verb 
1. to keep touching something or moving it: [táy máy] 
 - Stop playing with the light switch! 
2. to try doing something in different ways to decide what works best: 
 - Play with the design onscreen, moving text and pictures until you get a pleasing arrangement. 
3. to consider an idea or possibility, but not always very seriously = toy with: 
 - After university, I played with the idea of teaching English in China. 
4. money/time/space, etc. to play with money, time, etc. that is available to be used: 
 - The budget is very tight, so there isn’t much money to play with. 
5. play with yourself to touch your own sex organs for pleasure = masturbate 
6. play with words/language to use words in a clever or amusing way 
RELATED WORDS & EXPRESSIONS 
1. to play a game or do a sport 
play /pleɪ/ [intransitive/transitive verb] to take part in a game or sport - use this especially about games in which 
you try to win against another person or team: ▪ Karl loves basketball and plays almost every weekend.▪ Every 
Sunday we play Monopoly or some other board game.play in▪ I’m playing in a tennis match this Sunday. 
play football/tennis/golf/baseball,, etc.. ▪ It’s been a long time since I played hockey. 
do /duː/ [transitive verb] especially spoken use this especially when talking about sports that are not team sports: ▪ 
I do aerobics twice a week.▪ He used to do karate when he was in college. 
go /gəʊ/ [transitive verb] use this about sports whose names end in ‘-ing’: go climbing/swimming/running/riding, 
etc.▪ John goes running every morning.▪ Make sure whoever you go climbing with is a safe and trustworthy 
partner. 
2. to play against someone else 
play (against) /ˈpleɪ (əgenst)/ [transitive verb not in passive] ▪ Barcelona will play Milan in the final.▪ This was 
McDaniel’s first game playing against his former teammates. 
 PLAY 5 
play tennis/golf/chess, etc. with somebody▪ Dad’s out playing golf with Barry this morning. 
play somebody at tennis/golf, etc. British▪ I’m playing Andy at tennis this afternoon. 
face also take on /feɪs, ˌteɪk ˈɒn/ [transitive verb/transitive phrasal verb] to play against a person or team, 
especially one that will be difficult to beat - used in newspapers and broadcasts: ▪ Tomorrow, Jane Wilkes, a first-
round qualifier, takes on the world number one, Monica Seles.▪ UCLA will face North Carolina tonight at Pauley 
Pavilion. 
give somebody a game /ˌgɪv somebody ə ˈgeɪm/ [verb phrase] British informal to play a game against another 
person, especially when it is not a serious or important game: ▪ If you want to play chess ask Maria -- she’ll give 
you a game. 
versus /ˈvɜːʳsəs/ [preposition] against another person or team: ▪ Yesterday in the semi-final we saw Sampras 
versus Henman.▪ It’s a friendly game - the women versus the men. 
vs. also v British /ˈvɜːʳsəs, viː/ [preposition] written abbreviation of versus: ▪ Today’s games include the Chicago 
Bulls vs. the Boston Celtics.▪ Gascoigne was back in the UK, to play in the England v France match. 
3. someone who plays a game or does a sport 
player /ˈpleɪəʳ/ [countable noun] someone who takes part in a game or competition: ▪ One of the players has been 
sent off the field. 
baseball/tennis/chess,, etc.. player ▪ He is recognized as the world’s greatest chess player.▪ The school has a 
reputation for producing top-class football players. 
competitor /kəmˈpetɪtəʳ, kəmˈpetətəʳ/ [countable noun] someone who is competing, especially against a lot of 
people, in a particular game or competition: ▪ The competitors tonight come from all over the world.▪ The 
competitors in the 100m sprint are being asked to take their places at the start. 
contestant /kənˈtestənt/ [countable noun] someone who takes part in a competition or game: ▪ Contestants for the 
game show go through a tough selection process.▪ a beauty pageant contestant 
sportsman/sportswoman /ˈspɔːʳtsmən, ˈspɔːʳtsˌwʊməm/ [countable noun] someone who takes part in and is 
usually good at a sport, especially as a profession: ▪ Tonight we remember one of the greatest sportsmen of our 
time.▪ The prizes are being presented by sportswoman Tessa Sanderson.▪ He won the magazine’s ‘Sportsman of 
the Year’ award in 1999. 
4. a group of people who play together against another group 
team /tiːm/ a group of people who play together against another group: ▪ Both teams are looking tired now.▪ 
Walsh coached the team to two Super Bowl championships. 
play for a team▪ Tim played for the national youth team but never became a professional.in a team British /on a 
team American▪ Peterson earned a place on the U.S. Olympic speedskating team.▪ They wouldn’t let me play in 
the village under-12 team because I’m a girl. 
side /saɪd/ (phe) [countable noun] especially British a sports team: ▪ They are playing today against one of the 
best sides in the country.▪ I don’t know which si