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game
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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈgeɪm/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/geɪm/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(gām)
- Inflections of 'game' (adj):
- gamer
- adj comparative
- gamest
- adj superlative
- Inflections of 'game' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
- games
- v 3rd person singular
- gaming
- v pres p
- gamed
- v past
- gamed
- v past p
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026game1 /geɪm/USA pronunciation
n., adj., gam•er, gam•est. n. - Games an amusement or pastime:[countable]children's games; card games.
- Games the equipment for a game:[countable]Clean up the games from the floor.
- Games[countable] an activity in which players compete against others, involving skill, chance, or endurance and played according to a set of rules for the amusement of the players or of spectators.
- Games a single occasion of such an activity:[countable]a hockey game.
- Games the number of points required to win a game:[uncountable]Game in table tennis is normally 21 points.
- Games the score at a particular stage in a game:[countable]The game was seven to six at that point.
- Games a particular manner or style of playing a game:[countable]He plays a fierce game.
- something resembling a game, as in requiring skill or endurance:[countable]the game of diplomacy.
- Informal Termsa business or professional activity:[countable]He's in the real-estate game.
- a trick or strategy:[countable]We saw through his game.
- fun;
sport;
joke:[countable]We have no time for your games.
- [uncountable] wild animals, including birds and fishes, such as are hunted for food or for sport or profit.
- [uncountable] the flesh of such wild animals, used as food.
- any object of pursuit, attack, abuse, etc.:[uncountable]Any new student is fair game for the school bully.
adj. - relating to animals viewed as game:[before a noun]game laws.
- having a fighting spirit;
plucky:a game fighter.
- Informal Terms having the required spirit or will: [~ + for][be + ~]Who's game for a hike?[~ + to + verb]I'm game to try anything.
Idioms
- Idioms give the game away, to reveal the truth about something.
- Idioms play games, to treat others manipulatively:Stop playing games and tell us what you really want.
- Idioms play the game, to act in accordance with rules, conventions, or standards.
game•ly, adv.: The army fought gamely.
game•ness, n. [uncountable]
game2 /geɪm/USA pronunciation
adj. [before a noun]- weak;
lame:a game leg.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026game1
(gām),USA pronunciation n., adj., gam•er, gam•est, v., gamed, gam•ing. n. - Gamesan amusement or pastime:children's games.
- Gamesthe material or equipment used in playing certain games:a store selling toys and games.
- Gamesa 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.
- Gamesa 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.
- Gamesthe number of points required to win a game.
- Gamesthe score at a particular stage in a game:With five minutes to play, the game was 7 to 0.
- Gamesa 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.
- fun;
sport of any kind;
joke:That's about enough of your games.
- 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 Termsa business or profession:He's in the real-estate game.
- [Archaic.]fighting spirit;
pluck.
- Idioms make game of, to make fun of;
ridicule:to make game of the weak and defenseless.
- Idioms 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.
adj. - pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.
- having a fighting spirit;
plucky.
- Informal Termshaving the required spirit or will (often fol. by for or an infinitive):Who's game for a hike through the woods?
- Idioms 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.
v.i. - to play games of chance for stakes;
gamble.
v.t. - to squander in gaming (usually fol. by away).
- bef. 1000; Middle English gamen, Old English gaman; cognate with Old High German gaman glee
3. sport, contest, competition. 9. scheme, artifice, stratagem, plan, plot, venture. 11. 13. prey, quarry. 20. brave, bold, intrepid, dauntless, fearless.
game2
(gām),USA pronunciation adj. - lame:a game leg.
- perh. shortening of gammy, though change in vowel unclear 1780–90
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
game /ɡeɪm/ n - an amusement or pastime; diversion
- a contest with rules, the result being determined by skill, strength, or chance
- a single period of play in such a contest, sport, etc
- the score needed to win a contest
- a single contest in a series; match
- (plural; often capital) an event consisting of various sporting contests, esp in athletics: Olympic Games, Highland Games
- equipment needed for playing certain games
- short for video game, computer game
- style or ability in playing a game: she is a keen player but her game is not good
- a scheme, proceeding, etc, practised like a game: the game of politics
- an activity undertaken in a spirit of levity; joke: marriage is just a game to you
- wild animals, including birds and fish, hunted for sport, food, or profit
- (as modifier): game laws
- the flesh of such animals, used as food: generally taken not to include fish
- an object of pursuit; quarry; prey (esp in the phrase fair game)
- informal work or occupation
- informal a trick, strategy, or device: I can see through your little game
- obsolete pluck or courage; bravery
- slang chiefly Brit prostitution (esp in the phrase on the game)
- give the game away ⇒ to reveal one's intentions or a secret
- make game of, make a game of ⇒ to make fun of; ridicule; mock
- off one's game ⇒ playing badly
- on one's game ⇒ playing well
- play the game ⇒ to behave fairly or in accordance with rules
- the game is up ⇒ there is no longer a chance of success
adj - informal full of fighting spirit; plucky; brave
- game as Ned Kelly, as game as Ned Kelly ⇒ Austral informal extremely brave; indomitable
- (usually followed by for) informal prepared or ready; willing: I'm game for a try
vb - (intransitive) to play games of chance for money, stakes, etc; gamble
- (intransitive) to play video games
- (transitive) to act strategically in order to exploit the defects of (a system, law, etc)
Etymology: Old English gamen; related to Old Norse gaman, Old High German gaman amusementˈgameˌlike adj game /ɡeɪm/ adj Etymology: 18th Century: probably from Irish cam crooked
'game' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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