name of the game, the

the name of the game

The most important aspect or component of something; the main point of an activity. Getting strike-outs is the name of the game when you're a pitcher. I hope you boys know that safety compliance is the name of the game around here. We don't tolerate any tomfoolery.See also: game, name, of

name of the game

Inf. the way things are; the way things can be expected to be. The name of the game is money, money, money. I can't help it. That's the name of the game.See also: game, name, of

name of the game, the

The crux of the matter; also, the main goal. For example, Getting them to admit they're wrong-that's the name of the game, or Parents don't approve of a coach who insists that winning any way one can is the name of the game . This rhyming idiom uses name in the sense of "identity." [Mid-1900s] See also: name, of

the name of the game

COMMON If you say that a particular thing is the name of the game in a situation or activity, you mean that it is the thing you must achieve in order to succeed. Secrecy was the name of the game and Yates was good at it. In the current economic climate, survival is the name of the game.See also: game, name, of

the name of the game

the main purpose or most important aspect of a situation. informalSee also: game, name, of

the name of the ˈgame

(informal) the thing that is considered central or really important in a particular situation: Survival is the name of the game when you’re in the jungle. ♢ In the art world good publicity is the name of the game, not talent.See also: game, name, of

the name of the game

n. the way things are; the way things can be expected to be. The name of the game is money, money, money. See also: game, name, of

name of the game, the

The heart of the matter, the true purpose. The origin of this twentieth-century Americanism is uncertain, but Eric Partridge believed it came from sports, where either a coach or a sportswriter would say it in the sense of, “Scoring the most runs—that’s the name of the game” (i.e., the ultimate goal). A popular television series entitled The Name of the Game (1968–71), which was developed from a 1966 film, Fame Is the Name of the Game, helped the expression gain currency.See also: name, of