noun | adjective | verb
gamegame1 /geɪm/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1
ACTIVITY OR SPORT a)[countable] an activity or sport in which people compete with each other according to agreed rules: What game do you want to play? What are the rules of the game? We spent the evening playing card games. Do you like board games? b)[countable] an occasion when a game is played: He scored two touchdowns in last night’s game.game of Let’s play a game of chess.game against The Red Sox have a game against the Orioles on Sunday. We lost the game 5–3.in a game He scored again with just 40 seconds left in the game.2PART OF A COMPETITION [countable] one of the parts into which a single competition is divided, for example in tennis: Nadal leads, two games to one.THESAURUSset – one game in a group of games that you must play to win in some sports, such as tennis or volleyball: The Bruin volleyball team beat Pepperdine, 3 sets to 2.round – one of the parts of a competition that you must win to get to the next part, or a game of golf: Our team lost in the second round of the championships. Do you want to play a round of golf tomorrow?final – the last and most important game or race in a competition, which decides who wins the whole competition: We have to play the Tigers in the final, and they’re a very good team.semifinal – one of several games whose winners then compete against each other in the final: Game 7 of the Stanley Cup semifinals is on Saturday.3CHILDREN'S PLAY [countable] a children’s activity in which they play with toys, pretend to be someone else, etc.: game of Let’s play a game of hide-and-seek.4SPORTS EVENT games [plural] a large organized sports event that includes many different sports: Where will the Olympic Games be held next time?5TYPE OF WORK/ACTIVITY [singular] informal an area of work or activity: I’ve been in the advertising game for over ten years.6HUNTING [uncountable] wild animals, birds, and fish that are hunted for food, especially as a sport → see also big game7in the game competing, with a chance of succeeding at something or winning a game: You’ve got to stay in the game if you want to win.8be (just) a game (to somebody) if something is just a game, you do not consider it to be serious or important: It’s just a game to them. They don’t care what happens.9play games (with somebody) a)to behave in a dishonest or unfair way in order to get what you want: Are you sure he’s really interested, and not just playing silly games with you? b)to not be serious about doing something: We want an agreement. We’re not interested in playing games.10give the game away to spoil a surprise or secret by doing or saying something that lets someone guess what the secret is: Don’t say any more or you’ll give the game away.11be the only game in town used to say that something is the only possible choice in a situation: Cotton was still an important crop, but it was no longer the only game in town.12somebody’s game a)how skillfully someone plays a particular sport: Lisa’s taking lessons to improve her tennis game.off your game (=not playing with the usual skill) The champion was clearly off his game yesterday. b)someone’s secret plan to try to achieve something: I couldn’t figure out what his game was.13beat somebody at his/her own game to beat or fight back against someone by using the same methods that he or she uses14the game’s up spoken informal used to tell someone that something wrong or dishonest that he or she has done has been discovered: The game’s up. Come on out.15game on spoken said when a situation or game changes and people start to compete harder with each other16game over spoken said to emphasize that something has ended because someone has failed17a game of chance a game in which you risk money on the result: Roulette is a game of chance.18somebody’s got game spoken used to say that someone is very skillful at doing something, especially playing a sport → see also ahead of the game/curve at ahead (11), fair game, fun and games at fun1 (4), the name of the game at name1 (8), two can play at that game at two (9)[Origin: Old English gamen]COLLOCATIONSverbsplay a game They explained how to play the game.win a game Our team won the game with a last-minute touchdown.lose a game We lost the game by three points.see/watch a game Did you see the game last night?go to a game (also attend a game formal) Thousands of fans attended the game.adjectives/nouns + gamea close/tight game (=when both teams or players play equally well and might win) It was a very close game, and we should have won it.a tough game (=one that is hard to win) They have a good team, and it will be a very tough game for us.the game is tied (=both teams or players have the same score) The game was tied 10–10 at half time.a computer/video game He was up all night playing computer games.a card game Poker is a popular card game.a board game (=in which pieces are moved around a specially designed board) We usually play board games like Monopoly and Scrabble.a party game The kids had fun playing party games.a team game I wasn’t very good at team games when I was in school.a basketball/baseball/football game (also a ball game informal) He was watching a baseball game on TV. Who won the ball game?a pickup game (=an informal game of basketball, football, etc. that is played with whoever wants to play) The boys are playing a pickup game in the park.a home game (=played at a team’s own sports field) More fans turn out for our home games.an away game (=played at an opposing team’s sports field) We didn’t win any away games last season.a championship game We lost last year’s championship game, but we’ll win this one.a playoff game (=a game between the two best teams, used to decide who will play in the championship game) They defeated Philadelphia in the first playoff game. noun | adjective | verb
gamegame2 adjective willing to try something new, difficult, or dangerous: game for Helen was game for any new challenge.game to do something Are you game to go rock climbing with us?—gamely adverb noun | adjective | verb
gamegame3 verb game the system to use rules or laws to your advantage in an unfair but legal way so that you get what you want: The company has been accused of gaming the system to increase profits.