Greek

To play

παίζωStrong’s G3815

paizō

Appears in 1 verse of the New Testament

In short

Paizō is the Greek word usually translated “play”. It appears in 1 verse of the New Testament.

“Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

1 Corinthians 10:7 KJV

Meaning

Usually translated “play”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated

to play 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most

1 Corinthians 1

1 book in all.

Related words

Explore in Scripture

Greek dictionary

παίζω paizō · to play

παίζω (παῖς), [in LXX: Gen.21:9 26:8, Exo.32:6 (צָחַק pi.); and more frequently (Jdg.16:25, al.) for (שָׂחַק pi. ;] prop., to play as a child, hence, generally, to play (as with singing and dancing) : 1Co.10:7 (LXX) (cf. ἐμ-παίζω).† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “play” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

PLAY, verb intransitive

To use any exercise for pleasure or recreation; to do something not as a task or for profit, but for amusement; as, to play at cricket.“The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play” Exodus 32:6
To sport; to frolick; to frisk.
To toy; to act with levity.
To trifle; to act wantonly and thoughtlessly.

All definitions and other forms of “play”

To do something fanciful; to give a fanciful turn to; as, to play upon words.
To make sport, or practice sarcastic merriment.
To mock; to practice illusion.
To contend in a game; as, to play at cards or dice; to play for diversion; to play for money.
To practice a trick or deception.
To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute, a violin or a harpsichord.
To move, or to move with alternate dilatation and contraction.
To operate; to act.
To move irregularly; to wanton.
To act a part on the stage; to personate a character.
To represent a standing character.
To act in any particular character; as, to play the fool; to play the woman; to play the man.
To move in any manner; to move one way and another; as any part of a machine.

PLAY, verb transitive

To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon or a fire-engine.

To use an instrument of music; as, to play the flute or the organ.
To act a sportive part or character.
To act or perform by representing a character; as, to play a comedy; to play the part of king Lear.
To act; to perform; as, to play our parts well on the stage of life.
To perform in contest for amusement or for a prize; as, to play a game at whist.
To give a fanciful turn to.

PLAY, noun

Any exercise or series of actions intended for pleasure, amusement or diversion, as at cricket or quoit, or at blind man's buff.

Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.
Game; gaming; practice of contending for victory, for amusement or for a prize, as at dice, cards or billiards.
Practice in any contest; as sword-play.
Action; use; employment; office.
Practice; action; manner of acting in contest or negotiation; as fair play; foul play
A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action.
Representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, to be at the play He attends every play
Performance on an instrument of music.
Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as the play of a wheel or piston.
State of agitation or discussion.
Room for motion.
Liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.