1
a(1)
: a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other
(2)
: a division of a larger contest
(3)
: the manner of playing in a contest
(4)
: a particular aspect or phase of play in a game or sport
a football team's kicking game
(5)
: the set of rules governing a game
(6)
: the number of points necessary to win
(7)
: points scored in certain card games (as in all fours) by a player whose cards count up the highest
b
games plural
: organized athletics
c(1)
: a field of gainful activity : line
the newspaper game
(2)
: any activity undertaken or regarded as a contest involving rivalry, strategy, or struggle
the dating game
the game of politics
also
: the course or period of such an activity
got into aviation early in the game
(3)
: area of expertise : specialty sense 3
comedy is not my game
2
3
4
a(1)
: animals under pursuit or taken in hunting
especially
: wild animals hunted for sport or food
(2)
: the flesh of game animals
b
: a target or object especially of ridicule or attack
—often used in the phrase fair game
c
archaic
: pluck
1
a
: willing or ready to proceed
were game for anything
b
: having or showing a resolute unyielding spirit
2
: of or relating to game
game laws
gamely
adverb
gameness
noun
gamed; gaming; games
1
: to manipulate, exploit, or cheat in (a system, a situation, etc.) slyly or dishonestly for personal gain
game the tax system
… a male bus driver who tried to game a drug test by using his wife's urine …—Chuck Shepherd
2
: to play video games
Globally [in 2019], more than two billion people play video games, including 150 million Americans (nearly half the country's population), 60 percent of whom game daily.—Ferris Jabr
3
4
archaic
: to lose or squander by gambling
: being a body part and especially a limb that is usually permanently impaired in function
Despite his eyeglasses and his game leg, early in 1900 [Erskine] Childers volunteered for the Boer War.—Timothy Foote
Working his rifle lever with daunting speed despite his game arm …—Ron Soodalter
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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