pleye
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa, from Proto-Germanic *plegô.
Alternative forms
- pleie, plaw, plawe, play, playe, pleȝe, plæȝe, pleiȝ, pleouwe, ploȝe, plai, plaȝe
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈplɛi̯(ə)/
- Rhymes: -ɛi̯(ə)
Noun
pleye (plural pleyes)
- Happiness, mirth, jolliness, or gaiety.
- Fun, entertainment, recreation:
- Youthful play or fun-making.
- Festiveness, cavorting, rowdiness.
- A codified entertainment activity; a game, especially one representing war.
- A entertaining performance or activity:
- A play (an acted stage production)
- A musical performance; the playing of music
- The recital of a narrative or tale.
- A gag or prank; a comedic performance, quip or line.
- A underhanded or misleading act; a con or illusion.
- Foreplay, sexual entertainment, intercourse.
- A move or deed; an action or plan.
- An event or happening; something that occurs.
- War; a battle, fight or conflict.
- (rare) Seething, reaching of the boiling point.
Descendants
- English: play
- Scots: play
Related terms
- playing
- pleiful
- pleyen
- pleyer
References
- “plei(e (n.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-05-19.
Etymology 2
From a conflation of Old English pleġan and and pleġian.
Verb
pleye
- Alternative form of pleyen (“to play”)