prop., play like a child, sport, τῇ δέ θʼ ἅμα Νύμφαι . . ἀγρονόμοι παίζουσι Od. 6.106, cf. 7.291 (never in Il.), Hdt. 1.114, etc.: metaph., αἰὼν παῖς ἐστὶ παίζων Heraclit. 52.
esp. dance, παίσατε Od. 8.251; δῶμα περιστεναχίζετο ποσσὶν ἀνδρῶν παιζόντων 23.147, cf. Hes. Sc. 277; π. τε καὶ χορεύειν Ar. Ra. 409, cf. 390; ἐνόπλια χαλκωθεὶς ἔπαιζεν Pi. O. 13.86:—Pass., ἀλλὰ πέπαισται μετρίως ἡμῖν, of the chorus, Ar. Th. 1227.
play [a game], σφαίρῃ π. Od. 6.100; κλεψύδρῃ Emp. 100.9; κύβοις ἐπὶ συνθήκαις π. Ctes. l.c.; ἀντʼ ἀστραγάλων κονδύλοισι π. Pherecr. 43, cf. Antiph. 92; π. διὰ γραμμῆς (v. γραμμή III. 2; π. πρὸς κότταβον Pl.Com. 46.1; μετά τινων with others, Hdt. 1.114: c. acc. cogn., κότταβον ἀγκύλῃ π. Anacr. 53 (dub.); σφαῖραν Plu. Alex. 73; π. παιδιὰν πρός τινα Ar. Pl. 1055, cf. Pl. Alc. 1.110b; κύνα καὶ πόλιν π., of a game similar to our draughts, Cratin. 56: with Advbs., φαινίνδα π. Antiph. 283, cf. Crates C
play on a musical instrument, h.Ap. 206: c. acc., Πὰν ὁ καλαμόφθογγα παίζων Ar. Ra. 230; dance and sing, Pi. O. 1.16.
play amorously, πρὸς ἀλλήλους X. Smp. 9.2; μετά τινος LXX Ge. 26.8; of mares, Arist. HA 572a30.
hunt, pursue game, π. κατʼ ἄλσος S. El. 567.
jest, sport, Hdt. 2.28, 5.4, 9.11; opp. σπουδάζω, X. Mem. 4.1.1; opp. σπουδῇ λέγω, Id. Cyr. 8.3.47; παίζετε ταῦτα λέγοντες (opp. σπουδάζετε) Pl. Euthd. 283b; π. καὶ χλευάζειν Ar. Ra. 376; π. καὶ γελᾶν Antiph. 218.4; πῖνε, παῖζε Amphis 8; π. πρός τινα make fun with a person, E. HF 952, cf. Pl. Men. 79a, Men. Pk. 198; π. εἴς τι play with a thing, Pl. Phd. 89b: c. Adj. neut., τοιαῦτα ἔπαιζον σπουδῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους X. Cyr. 6.1.6: part. παίζων is freq. abs., jestingly, Pl. Tht. 145b, al.; opp. σπουδάζω
c. acc., play with, make sport of, Luc. Nigr. 20, AP 10.64 (Agath.).
Gramm., of words played upon or coined for the jokeʼs sake, οἱ κωμῳδοὶ παίζειν εἰώθασι τὰ τοιαῦτα Sch. Ar. Av. 42, cf. 68, etc.