play ball (Meaning)

sexual intercourse, swordplay, to keep (a hooked fish) in action, the act or an instance of playing on words, to perform on or as if on the stage, the conduct, course, or action of a game, to treat or behave lightly or without respect that is due, to cause (a device, such as a radio) to emit sounds, the action in which cards are played after bidding in a card game, gaming, gambling, to toy or fiddle around with something, to guard or move into position to defend against (an opponent) in a specified manner, the action in which a player is put out in baseball, to let go in a stream, to act in the character or part of, to have sexual relations, to perform the duties associated with (a certain position), to take part in, exploit, manipulate, to produce a specified impression in performance, the spontaneous activity of children, to try to hide the truth from someone by deceptive means, exercise or activity for amusement, masturbate, to put or keep in action, a particular act or maneuver in a game, to deal in a light, speculative, or sportive manner, to cause to move or operate lightly and irregularly or intermittently, an act, way, or manner of proceeding, brisk or light movement, one's turn in a game, the moving of a piece in a board game (such as chess), to take a subordinate position, to act or perform in, to be rational or sane, to operate on the basis of, scope or opportunity for action, the state of being active, operative, or relevant, absence of serious or harmful intent, to deal or behave frivolously or mockingly, to engage in sport or recreation, to perform music, to cause the recorded sound or image of (something, such as a record, optical disk, or a digital file) to be reproduced, to engage in or occupy oneself with, to make use of double meaning or the similarity of sound of two words for humorous effect, to direct the course of (something, such as a ball), to use as a contestant in a game, to move freely, free or unimpeded motion (as of a part of a machine), the stage representation of an action or story, to engage in sport or recreation and especially in activity for amusement, emphasis or publicity especially in the news media, to have promiscuous or illicit sexual relations, to gain approval, to contend against in or as if in a game, recreational activity, to act so as to prove advantageous to another, to wager in a game, to perform music on, to date or have romantic connections with more than one person, not in play, to take part in or assent to some activity, to perform or execute for amusement or to deceive or mock, deal, venture, to do for amusement or from mischief, to perform an action during one's turn in a game, to deal with, handle, or manage, to deal with something without previous planning or instructions, to discharge, fire, or set off with continuous effect, a brisk handling or using, to put on a performance of (a play), to behave in a particular way, to set opposing interests against each other to one's own ultimate profit, to amount to by one's efforts, to handle something in an absentminded way, to act the part of, to make use of double meaning or of the similarity of sound of two words for stylistic or humorous effect, opportunity for action, a function of an electronic device that causes a recording to play, to engage or take part in a game, absence of any bad intention, to move or operate in a lively, irregular, or intermittent manner, a move or series of moves calculated to arouse friendly feelings, to perform music of (a certain composer), to cause (a ball or puck) to rebound, to do something risky or dangerous, to act with special consideration so as to gain favor, approval, or sympathy, to contend against in a game, to pretend to be asleep or dead, brisk, fitful, or light movement, to use or introduce as a political or rhetorical strategy, to remove (a playing card) from one's hand and place usually faceup on a table in one's turn either as part of a scoring combination or as one's contribution to a trick, to act with the means available to one, flutter, frisk, to pretend to engage in the activities of, wield, ply, to move or function freely within prescribed limits, to perform in a position in a specified manner, to move aimlessly about, to perform or act the part of, to act according to a code or set of standards, to move swiftly or lightly, the length or measure of such motion, to put into action in a game, gamble, freedom of motion, to speculate on or in, a dramatic composition, amorous flirtation, to emit sounds, to perform (music) on an instrument, to produce a stream, to act in a dramatic production, the act or an instance of playing on words or speech sounds, to engage in (an activity) as a game, wreak, to reproduce recorded sounds, the action during an attempt to advance the ball in football, in condition or position to be legitimately played, to catch or pick up (a batted ball), to be staged or presented, to pretend to take part in the activities of, to make wagers on, operation sense 1, activity, game, sport, a way or manner of acting or proceeding, to be suitable for dramatic performance, to feign a specified state or quality, cooperate, show, run, the act of playing a game and risking something on an uncertain event, to take advantage, to cause something to produce music or sound, to sound in performance, to behave or conduct oneself in a specified way