ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tennis

n. uncountable
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈtɛnəs// UK //tˈɛnɪs// ten·nis Archaic General-service

n. a sport where two or four players use rackets to hit a ball over a net. You win points by hitting the ball into the other player's side so they cannot hit it back.

n. a racket sport played either individually against a single opponent or between two teams of two players each. The objective is to maneuver a hollow rubber ball over a net into the opponent's court in a manner that prevents a valid return.


SIMPLE

I play tennis with my friends every Saturday morning.

CONTEXTUAL

The local sports club has four grass courts where members can play tennis during the summer months.

COMPLEX

Professional tennis requires not only exceptional physical stamina and hand-eye coordination but also the mental fortitude to remain focused during matches that can last several hours.

Origin

From Middle English tennys, teneys, tenis, from Old French tenez (second-person plural imperative of tenir (“to hold”)).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the sport in general; rarely used as a countable noun except when referring to specific variations or historical types.

Idioms1 entry

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