what's the game? - definition of what's the game? by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

game¹ (g

1. An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party games; word games.

a. A competitive activity or sport in which players contend with each other according to a set of rules: the game of basketball; the game of gin rummy.

b. A single instance of such an activity: We lost the first game.

c. games An organized athletic program or contest: track-and-field games; took part in the winter games.

d. A period of competition or challenge: It was too late in the game to change the schedule of the project.

a. The total number of points required to win a game: One hundred points is game in bridge.

b. The score accumulated at any given time in a game: The game is now 14 to 12.

4. The equipment needed for playing certain games: packed the children's games in the car.

5. A particular style or manner of playing a game: improved my tennis game with practice.

6. Informal

a. An active interest or pursuit, especially one involving competitive engagement or adherence to rules: "the way the system operates, the access game, the turf game, the image game" Hedrick Smith.

b. A business or occupation; a line: the insurance game.

c. An illegal activity; a racket.

7. Informal

a. Evasive, trifling, or manipulative behavior: wanted a straight answer, not more of their tiresome games.

b. A calculated strategy or approach; a scheme: I saw through their game from the very beginning.

8. Mathematics A model of a competitive situation that identifies interested parties and stipulates rules governing all aspects of the competition, used in game theory to determine the optimal course of action for an interested party.

a. Wild animals, birds, or fish hunted for food or sport.

b. The flesh of these animals, eaten as food.

10.

a. An object of attack, ridicule, or pursuit: The press considered the candidate's indiscretions to be game.

b. Mockery; sport: The older children teased and made game of the newcomer.

v. gamed, gam·ing, games

v.tr. Archaic

To waste or lose by gambling.

v.intr.

To play for stakes; gamble.

adj. gam·er, gam·est

1. Plucky and unyielding in spirit; resolute: She put up a game fight against her detractors.

2. Ready and willing: Are you game for a swim?

Idioms:

ahead of the game

In a position of advantage; winning or succeeding.

the only game in town Informal

The only one of its kind available: "He's the only game in town for the press to write about" Leonard Garment.

[Middle English, from Old English gamen.]

gamely adv.

gameness n.

game ¹

Noun

1. an amusement for children

2. a competitive activity with rules

3. a single period of play in such an activity

4. (in some sports) the score needed to win

5. a single contest in a series; match

6. short for computer game

7. style or ability in playing a game: in the second set his overall game improved markedly

8. an activity that seems to operate according to unwritten rules: the political game of power

9. an activity undertaken in a spirit of playfulness: people who regard life as a game

10. wild animals, birds, or fish, hunted for sport or food

11. the flesh of such animals, used as food

12. an object of pursuit: fair game

13. Informal a trick or scheme: what's his game?

14. games an event consisting of various sporting contests, usually in athletics: Commonwealth Games

15. on the game Slang working as a prostitute

16. give the game away to reveal one's intentions or a secret

17. play the game to behave fairly

18. the game is up the scheme or trick has been found out and so cannot succeed

Adjective

1. Informal full of fighting spirit; plucky

2. Informal prepared or willing: I'm always game for a new sensation

Verb

[gaming, gamed]

to play games of chance for money; gamble [Old English gamen]

gamely adv
gameness n

game ²

Adjective

Brit, Austral & NZ lame: he had a game leg [probably from Irish cam crooked]

Game a flock of herd or animals raised and kept for sport or pleasure; wild animals or birds pursued, caught, or killed in the chase; technically, game under the Game Act of 1862 includes hares, pheasants, partridges, woodcocks, snipes, rabbits, grouse, and black or moor game.

Examples: game of bees, 1577; of conies, 1576; of partridges, 1762; of red deer, 1788; of swans, 1482.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun	1.	game - a contest with rules to determine a winner; "you need four people to play this game" move - (game) a player's turn to take some action permitted by the rules of the game activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" turn, play - (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play" curling - a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target bowling - a game in which balls are rolled at an object or group of objects with the aim of knocking them over or moving them pall-mall - a 17th century game; a wooden ball was driven along an alley with a mallet athletic game - a game involving athletic activity child's game - a game enjoyed by children card game, cards - a game played with playing cards table game - a game that is played on a table parlor game, parlour game - a game suitable for playing in a parlor gambling game, game of chance - a game that involves gambling zero-sum game - a game in which the total of all the gains and losses is zero game - the game equipment needed in order to play a particular game; "the child received several games for his birthday" horn - a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it penalty - (games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game rematch, replay - something (especially a game) that is played again side - one of two or more contesting groups; "the Confederate side was prepared to attack" game - (games) the score at a particular point or the score needed to win; "the game is 6 all"; "he is serving for the game" period of play, playing period, play - (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning" run off - decide (a contest or competition) by a runoff play out - play to a finish; "We have got to play this game out, even thought it is clear that we have last" course - hunt with hounds; "He often courses hares" played - (of games) engaged in; "the loosely played game"
	2.	game - a single play of a sport or other contest; "the game lasted two hours" game - a contest with rules to determine a winner; "you need four people to play this game" away game, road game - a game played away from home home game - a game played at home exhibition game, practice game - a game whose outcome is not recorded in the season's standing nightcap - the final game of a double header double feature, doubleheader, twin bill - two games instead of one (especially in baseball when the same two teams play two games on the same day) playoff game - one game in the series of games constituting a playoff cup tie - an eliminating game between teams in a cup competition contest, competition - an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
	3.	game - an amusement or pastime; "they played word games"; "he thought of his painting as a game that filled his empty time"; "his life was all fun and games" diversion, recreation - an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates; "scuba diving is provided as a diversion for tourists"; "for recreation he wrote poetry and solved crossword puzzles"; "drug abuse is often regarded as a form of recreation" catch - a cooperative game in which a ball is passed back and forth; "he played catch with his son in the backyard" party game - a game to amuse guests at a party computer game, video game - a game played against a computer pinball, pinball game - a game played on a sloping board; the object is to propel marbles against pins or into pockets guessing game - a game in which participants compete to identify some obscurely indicated thing ducks and drakes - a game in which a flat stone is bounced along the surface of calm water mind game - any game designed to exercise the intellect hare and hounds, paper chase - an outdoor game; one group of players (the hares) start off on a long run scattering bits of paper (the scent) and pursuers (the hounds) try to catch them before they reach a designated spot ring-a-rosy, ring-around-a-rosy, ring-around-the-rosy - a children's game in which the players dance around in a circle and at a given signal all squat prisoner's base - a children's game; two teams capture opposing players by tagging them and taking them to their own base treasure hunt - a game in which players try to find hidden articles by using a series of clues
	4.	game - animal hunted for food or sport animal, animate being, beast, creature, fauna, brute - a living organism characterized by voluntary movement big game - large animals that are hunted for sport game bird - any bird (as grouse or pheasant) that is hunted for sport
	5.	game - (tennis) a division of play during which one player serves lawn tennis, tennis - a game played with rackets by two or four players who hit a ball back and forth over a net that divides the court division, section, part - one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole; "the written part of the exam"; "the finance section of the company"; "the BBC's engineering division" set - a unit of play in tennis or squash; "they played two sets of tennis after dinner"
	6.	game - (games) the score at a particular point or the score needed to win; "the game is 6 all"; "he is serving for the game" game - a contest with rules to determine a winner; "you need four people to play this game" score - a number that expresses the accomplishment of a team or an individual in a game or contest; "the score was 7 to 0"
	7.	game - the flesh of wild animals that is used for food meat - the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food venison - meat from a deer used as food buffalo - meat from an American bison hare, rabbit - flesh of any of various rabbits or hares (wild or domesticated) eaten as food
	8.	game - a secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal); "they concocted a plot to discredit the governor"; "I saw through his little game from the start" plot, secret plan scheme, strategy - an elaborate and systematic plan of action counterplan, counterplot - a plot intended to subvert another plot intrigue, machination - a crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends cabal, conspiracy - a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot)
	9.	game - the game equipment needed in order to play a particular game; "the child received several games for his birthday" game - a contest with rules to determine a winner; "you need four people to play this game" game equipment - equipment or apparatus used in playing a game puzzle - a game that tests your ingenuity
	10.	game - your occupation or line of work; "he's in the plumbing game"; "she's in show biz" biz job, line of work, occupation, business, line - the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money; "he's not in my line of business" colloquialism - a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech
	11.	game - frivolous or trifling behavior; "for actors, memorizing lines is no game"; "for him, life is all fun and games" frolic, gambol, romp, caper, play - gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
Verb	1.	game - place a bet on; "Which horse are you backing?"; "I'm betting on the new horse" bet on, gage, stake, punt, back ante - place one's stake parlay, double up - stake winnings from one bet on a subsequent wager wager, bet, play - stake on the outcome of an issue; "I bet $100 on that new horse"; "She played all her money on the dark horse"
Adj.	1.	game - disabled in the feet or legs; "a crippled soldier"; "a game leg" crippled, gimpy, halt, halting, lame unfit - not in good physical or mental condition; out of condition; "fat and very unfit"; "certified as unfit for army service"; "drunk and unfit for service"
	2.	game - willing to face danger gritty, mettlesome, spunky, spirited, gamey, gamy brave, courageous - possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching; "Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring"- Herman Melville; "a frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain"- William Wordsworth; "set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory"