1. A contest with rules to determine a winner
   "you need four people to play this game"
    
2. A single play of a sport or other contest
   "the game lasted two hours"
    
3. An amusement or pastime
   "his life was all fun and games"; "they played word games"; "he thought of his painting as a game that filled his empty time"
    
4. Animal hunted for food or sport
   "The hunters returned with their game"
    
5. (tennis) a division of play during which one player serves
   "She won the game with an ace"
    
6. (games) the score at a particular point or the score needed to win
   "the game is 6 all"; "he is serving for the game"
    
7. The game equipment needed in order to play a particular game
   "the child received several games for his birthday"
    
8. The flesh of wild animals that is used for food
   "The restaurant specialized in preparing game meats like venison and wild boar"
    
9. [informal] A secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal)
   "I saw through his little game from the start";
   - plot, secret plan
    
10. Frivolous or trifling behaviour
    "for actors, memorizing lines is no game"; "for him, life is all fun and games"
     
11. [informal] Your occupation or line of work
    "he's in the plumbing game";
    - biz [informal]

1. Willing or keen to do something
   "Are you game for a quick game of chess?";
   - up for
    
2. [informal] Showing courage, determination and energy
   "The game hunter fearlessly tracked the lion";
   - gamy, gamey, gritty, mettlesome, spirited, spunky [informal]
    
3. [informal] Disabled in the feet or legs
   "a game leg";
   - halt [archaic], halting [archaic], lame, gimpy [N. Amer, informal]

1. Gamble on something
   "He gamed away his entire inheritance";
   - bet on, back, gage [archaic], stake, punt
    
2. Manipulate or exploit a system to one's advantage, esp. in an unfair way
   "he gamed the ranking system by including free downloads";
   - play

Derived forms: gamer, games, gaming, gamest, gamed

See also: brave, courageous, unfit

Type of: activity, animal, animate being, bet, business, caper [informal], competition, contest, diversion, division, frolic, gambol, game equipment, job, line, line of work, meat, occupation, part, play, recreation, romp, scheme, score, section, strategy, wager

Part of: set

Encyclopedia: Game, Net & Match!