| Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887. | | | | Play |
| | | An hour of play discovers more than a year of conversation. | 1 |
| As good play for nothing as work for nothing. | 2 |
| Gie o’er when the play is good. | 3 |
| He plays best who wins. French, German. | 4 |
| He plays you as fair as if he picked your pocket. | 5 |
| If thy cast be bad mend it with good play. | 6 |
| It is best to play with equals. | 7 |
| It is not an art to play but it is a very good art to leave off play. Italian. | 8 |
| It is well to leave off playing when the game is at the best. French. | 9 |
| It signifies nothing to play well if you lose. | 10 |
| Play at small games rather than stand out. Shakespeare. | 11 |
| Play not with a man until you hurt him, nor jest till you shame him. | 12 |
| Play’s gude while it is play. | 13 |
| The less play the better. | 14 |
| The play won’t pay the candles. | 15 |
| We should play to live, not live to play. | 16 |
| What is play to the strong is death to the weak. Danish. | 17 |
| What is sport to the cat is death to the mouse. German, Danish. | 18 |
| What’s play to you is death to us. (Fable of the boys stoning the frogs.) | 19 | | |
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