Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Rowdy or rough play.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Coarse or rude play.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Rude, boisterous play.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Rough or rowdy play that can often result in unintentional physical harm.
  • verb To engage in horseplay.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun rowdy or boisterous play

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

A compound of horse +‎ play, possibly from observation of boisterous horses playing.

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Examples

  • While it's often used as a substitute for the term "horseplay", meaning rough-and-tumble behavior, it's also used as a euphemism for play with sexual connotations, due in part to the

    Crooks and Liars karoli 2011

  • BROWN: Well, there was also some -- what ` s called horseplay in the workplace according to her lawyer where some people were slapping each other on their rear ends.

    CNN Transcript Jan 10, 2008 2008

  • Balfour's injury was the result of what manager Joe Maddon described as horseplay between the reliever and pitching coach Jim Hickey.

    CNY Central - Local News 2010

  • After the brother, 20-year-old Franklin S. Emilcar, came to the door with a. 38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, the two engaged in what Shaw described as horseplay, joking and wrestling over the gun until it fired.

    Connecticut Post Online Most Viewed 2009

  • "The incident, while distressing, could also be defined as horseplay and the remedy taken on the plane treated it exactly as that," Leedy told the judge, arguing the charges should be dropped.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2008

  • "The incident, while distressing, could also be defined as horseplay and the remedy taken on the plane treated it exactly as that," Leedy told the judge, arguing the charges should be dropped.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2008

  • BLOOMINGTON -- A 16-year-old Bloomington boy remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday night after being run over by a van during what police described as horseplay with friends Monday in the O†™ Neil Park parking lot.

    News from www.pantagraph.com 2008

  • "The incident, while distressing, could also be defined as horseplay and the remedy taken on the plane treated it exactly as that," Leedy told the judge, arguing the charges should be dropped.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2008

  • "The incident, while distressing, could also be defined as horseplay and the remedy taken on the plane treated it exactly as that," Leedy told the judge, arguing the charges should be dropped.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local 2008

  • A training video declares that "horseplay" is absolutely prohibited.

    A floating city springs up to contain gulf oil spill 2010

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