noun
horseplay
noun
1
Rough, boisterous play or messing around, sometimes leading to accidental injury.
"The teacher told the boys to cut out the horseplay before someone got hurt."
"A bit of horseplay in the pool turned into a real dunking contest."
How to Use Horseplay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRowdy, physical fooling around, often among friends or kids.
Common pairings
engage in horseplay
rough horseplay
Word Forms
horseplayed past tense, horseplays singular
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The teacher told the boys to cut out the _____ before someone got hurt.
Etymology
A compound of horse and play, likely inspired by the rough, clumsy way horses romp together.