Meaning of toy in English

1. Pronunciation

   /tɔɪ/

   US accent

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   UK accent

   How to pronounce toy in British English, in context ▾
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1. Verb

   toy

   Definitions

   1. behave carelessly or indifferently

   Examples

   • « Play about with a young girl's affection »
2. 2. manipulate manually or in one's mind or imagination

   Examples

   • « She played nervously with her wedding ring »
   • « Don't fiddle with the screws »
   • « He played with the idea of running for the Senate »
3. 3. engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously

   Examples

   • « They played games on their opponents »
   • « play the stockmarket »
   • « play with her feelings »
   • « toy with an idea »

4. Noun

   toy

   Etymology

   late Middle English: of unknown origin. The word originally denoted a funny story or remark, later an antic or trick, or a frivolous entertainment. The verb dates from the early 16th century

   Definitions

   1. an artifact designed to be played with
5. 2. a nonfunctional replica of something else (frequently used as a modifier)

   Examples

   • « a toy stove »
6. 3. copy that reproduces something in greatly reduced size
7. 4. any of several breeds of very small dogs kept purely as pets