the material or equipment used in playing certain games: a store selling toys and games.
a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.
a single occasion of such an activity, or a definite portion of one: the final game of the season; a rubber of three games at bridge.
the number of points required to win a game.
the score at a particular stage in a game: With five minutes to play, the game was 7 to 0.
a particular manner or style of playing a game: Her game of chess is improving.
anything resembling a game, as in requiring skill, endurance, or adherence to rules: the game of diplomacy.
a trick or strategy: to see through someone's game.
something treated lightly or lacking in seriousness; sport: That's enough of your games!When I was young, love was just a game to me.
wild animals, including birds and fishes, such as are hunted for food or taken for sport or profit.
the flesh of such wild animals or other game, used as food: a dish of game.
any object of pursuit, attack, abuse, etc.: The new boy at school seemed to be fair game for practical jokers.
Informal. a business or profession: He's in the real-estate game.
Archaic. fighting spirit; pluck.
adjective,gam·er,gam·est.
pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.
having a fighting spirit; plucky.
Informal. having the required spirit or will (often followed by for or an infinitive): Who's game for a hike through the woods?
verb (used without object),gamed,gam·ing.
to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.
Digital Technology. to play computer or video games.
verb (used with object),gamed,gam·ing.
to squander in gaming (usually followed by away).
to manipulate to one's advantage, especially by trickery; attempt to take advantage of: The policy is flawed and many people try to game the system.
Idioms for game
die game,
to die after a brave struggle.
to remain steadfast or in good spirits at the moment of defeat: He knew that as a candidate he didn't have a chance in the world, but he campaigned anyway and died game.
make game of, to make fun of; ridicule: to make game of the weak and defenseless.
off one’s game,
Sports.playing badly: The pregame trash talk from our rivals was meant to throw us off our game, but we rose above it.
not performing as well as usual: The showrunner and her writers are off their game, and episodes this season drag on without the humor and lightness fans had come to expect.
on one’s game,
Sports.playing well: You need to recruit experienced players who will be on their game coming straight off the bench.
performing well, or as well as usual: She’s been noticeably sharper and really on her game since she came back from vacation.
play games, to act in an evasive, deceitful, manipulative, or trifling manner in dealing with others: Don't play games with me—I want to know if you love me or not!
play the game, Informal.
to act or play in accordance with the rules.
to act honorably or justly: We naively assumed that our allies would continue to play the game.
talk a big / good game, to make exaggerated claims or promise extraordinary results: The PR team talks a big game, but revenue for their department has been flat for three years running.
Origin of game
1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English gamen, Old English gaman; cognate with Old High German gaman “glee”
Still, the game of chicken between Pelosi and moderate Democrats is striking.
Trump moves closer to Pelosi in economic aid talks, and House speaker must decide next move|Rachael Bade, Erica Werner|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
The output of a restaurant cannot be defined in numbers or data like a game.
Christian Puglisi Is Closing His Influential Copenhagen Restaurants. COVID Is Only Partly to Blame|Rafael Tonon|September 17, 2020|Eater
“We’re using this as an opportunity to really understand our game at a higher level,” McCutchen said.
Don’t Blame The Refs For All Of These Replay Reviews|Jared Dubin|September 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Hahn’s comments — and his later apology — affirmed the idea that politics was seeping into the work of health officials who are supposed to be above playing that game.
The Trump administration’s politicization of coronavirus comes to a head|Aaron Blake|September 16, 2020|Washington Post
When you write him off as being past his prime, he might just respond with a game like Sunday’s vintage performance — 364 yards, 73 percent of passes completed, four touchdowns and zero interceptions — against the Minnesota Vikings.
Aaron Rodgers Is Playing Like Aaron Rodgers Again|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|September 16, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
This is going to be the Game of Thrones of U.S. Senate races.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Think of it as Game of Thrones—if you subtract the sex and violence and add drunken revelry and singing.