TO PLAY REX, verb. phr. (old).—To handle roughly and terribly; to PLAY HELL WITH (q.v.).

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  1586.  WARNER, Albion’s England, I. vi. 22. With these did Hercules PLAY REX.… Not one escapes his deadly hand that dares to show his head.

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  1599.  BRETON, Dream of Strange Effects, 17. Love and Rage kept such a REAKES that I thought they would have gone mad together.

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  1596.  SPENSER, A View of the Present State of Ireland, 445. Thinke it to be the greatest indignity to the queene that may be, to suffer such a caytiffe to PLAY such REX.

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  1605.  SYLVESTER, Du Bartas, 504. Then PLAIES he REX, tears, kils, and all consumes.

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  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Faire le diable de Vauvdt. To keepe an old coyle, horrible, bustling, terrible swaggering; to PLAY monstrous REAKS, or raks-jakes.

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  1616.  The Court and Times of Charles the First, I. 256. Then came the English ordnance, which had been brought to land, TO PLAY SUCH REAKS among the horse that they were forced to fly.

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  1622.  FLETCHER, The Sea-Voyage, iv. 2.

                            In that rage,
(For they are violent fellows,) they play such REAKS!

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  1653.  URQUHART, Rabelais, III. ii. PLAYING REEKS with the high and stately timber, and preparing … for the eve of the great Day of Judgment.

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  1655.  FANSHAWE, Luciad, x. 65.

        With fire and sword he overcomes and breaks;
In Beadala shall his blade PLAY REX.

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