game
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.an activity or sport with rules that people play for fun or to win.
n.a structured activity, often competitive, played for entertainment or as a professional sport according to specific rules.
Simple“We played a long game of chess while waiting for the rain to stop.”
In context“The championship game was delayed by several hours due to a technical failure in the stadium's floodlighting system.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a particular type of business, job, or way of life.
n.a field of gainful activity, industry, or profession; often used with 'the' to describe a career path.
Simple“He has been in the real estate game for over twenty years.”
In context“If you want to succeed in the advertising game, you need to be prepared for long hours and constant rejection.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
n.the ability to be attractive or smooth when trying to start a romantic relationship.
n.the ability to attract or seduce a romantic partner through social strategy and charisma.
Simple“He thinks he has game, but his jokes are actually quite boring.”
In context“The conversation focused on whether modern dating apps have fundamentally changed the way people use their social game to find partners.”
- 04 B1 Intermediate
v.to play electronic games on a computer or console.
v.to engage in playing video games or other interactive electronic media.
Simple“He spent the whole weekend gaming with his friends online.”
In context“Professional players often spend upwards of ten hours a day gaming to maintain their competitive edge in international tournaments.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to use the rules of a system in a clever or dishonest way to get what you want.
v.to manipulate or exploit the rules of a system or bureaucracy to gain an unfair advantage.
Simple“Some people try to game the system to pay less tax.”
In context“The company was accused of trying to game the algorithm to ensure their products always appeared at the top of the search results.”
Synonyms - 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.ready and willing to try something new or difficult.
adj.willing and eager to participate in an activity, especially one that is adventurous or challenging.
Simple“If you want to go hiking at 5:00 AM, I am game.”
In context“Despite the freezing temperatures, several members of the group were game for a quick swim in the lake.”
- 07 C2 Proficiency
adj.used to describe a leg or arm that is hurt or does not work well.
adj.referring to a limb, especially a leg, that is injured, lame, or disabled.
Simple“The old dog struggled to walk on his game leg.”
In context“He walked with a noticeable limp, the result of a game leg he had suffered during his years working on the docks.”
Usage game in charge · game developers
From Middle English game, gamen, gammen, from Old English gamen (“sport, joy, mirth, pastime, game, amusement, pleasure”), from Proto-West Germanic gaman, from Proto-Germanic gamaną (“amusement, pleasure, game", literally "participation, communion, people together”), from ga- (collective prefix) + mann- (“man”); or alternatively from ga- + a root from Proto-Indo-European men- (“to think, have in mind”). Cognate with Yola gaame, gaaume, gaume (“game”), Old Frisian game, gome (“joy, amusement, entertainment”), Dutch gemelijk (“cantankerous, crabbed”), Middle High German gamen (“joy, amusement, fun, pleasure”), Danish gammen (“merriment”), Icelandic, Norwegian Nynorsk gaman (“joy, fun”), Swedish gamman (“mirth, rejoicing, merriment”). Related to gammon, gamble.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.