English▸ noun
1 a form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck.
▪ (games) a meeting for sporting contests, especially track and field:
the Olympic Games.
▪ (games) British sports and athletic activities as organized in a school.
▪ the equipment for a game, especially a board game or a computer game.
▪ a person's performance in a game; a person's standard or method of play:
he will attempt to raise his game to another level.
2 a complete episode or period of play, ending in a definite result:
a baseball game.
▪ a single portion of play forming a scoring unit in a match, especially in tennis.
▪ Bridge a score of 100 points for tricks bid and made (the best of three games constituting a rubber).
3 informal a type of activity or business regarded as a game:
this was a game of shuttle diplomacy at which I had become adept.
▪ a secret and clever plan or trick:
I was on to his little game, but I didn't want him to know.
▸ adjective eager or willing to do something new or challenging:
they were game for anything after the traumas of Monday.
▸ verb
1 [with object] manipulate (a situation), typically in a way that is unfair or unscrupulous:
it was very easy for a few big companies to game the system
politicians blamed electricity generators for gaming the market.
– PHRASES
ahead of the game
ahead of one's competitors or peers in the same sphere of activity:
once again active or able to succeed in something:
use someone's own methods to outdo them in their chosen activity:
lagging behind one's competitors or peers in the same sphere of activity:
said when a situation is regarded as hopeless or irreversible:
mock; taunt.off one's game
playing badly:
playing well:
the best, the most important, or the only thing worth considering:
behave in a fair or honorable way; abide by the rules or conventions.play games
deal with someone or something in a way that lacks due seriousness or respect:
still active or able to succeed in something:
what's going on?make a game of it
make a contest more closely competitive.
ahead of the game
ahead of one's competitors or peers in the same sphere of activity:
this investment is needed if we are to stay ahead of the game.
back in the game once again active or able to succeed in something:
one of the biggest R & B groups from the last decade is back in the game.
beat someone at their own game use someone's own methods to outdo them in their chosen activity:
we can compete against our trading rivals and beat them at their own game.
behind the game lagging behind one's competitors or peers in the same sphere of activity:
the company has been behind the game in three key areas.
game over informal said when a situation is regarded as hopeless or irreversible:
once your customer loyalty vanishes it's game over.
[probably from the use of the phrase at the conclusion of a computer game.]
make game of (also make a game of) archaic mock; taunt.off one's game
playing badly:
too many players have been off their game.
on one's game playing well:
Aherne, on his game, has the virtues of gritty defense.
the only game in town informal the best, the most important, or the only thing worth considering:
right now, the date with Babs looked as if it was the only game in town.
play the game behave in a fair or honorable way; abide by the rules or conventions.play games
deal with someone or something in a way that lacks due seriousness or respect:
Don't play games with me!
still in the game still active or able to succeed in something:
his latest album suggests that he's still in the game.
what's your game? British informal what's going on?make a game of it
make a contest more closely competitive.
– ORIGIN Old English gamen ‘amusement, fun’, gamenian ‘play, amuse oneself’, of Germanic origin.