pleye

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English plæġ, plega, plæġa, from Proto-Germanic *plegô.

Alternative forms

• pleie, plaw, plawe, play, playe, pleȝe, plæȝe, pleiȝ, pleouwe, ploȝe, plai, plaȝe, pleghe, plaghe, plasze

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈplɛi̯(ə)/
• Rhymes: -ɛi̯(ə)

Noun

pleye (plural pleyes)

1. Happiness, mirth, jolliness, or gaiety.
2. Fun, entertainment, recreation:
   1. Youthful play or fun-making.
   2. Festiveness, cavorting, rowdiness.
3. A codified entertainment activity; a game, especially one representing war.
4. A entertaining performance or activity:
   1. A play (an acted stage production)
   2. A musical performance; the playing of music
   3. The recital of a narrative or tale.
   4. A gag or prank; a comedic performance, quip or line.
5. A underhanded or misleading act; a con or illusion.
6. Foreplay, sexual entertainment, intercourse.
7. A move or deed; an action or plan.
8. An event or happening; something that occurs.
9. War; a battle, fight or conflict.
10. (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

1. Alternative form of pleyen (“to play”)