game

game¹

—gameless, adj. —gamelike, adj. —gameness, n.

/gaym/, n., adj., gamer, gamest, v., gamed, gaming.

n.

1. an amusement or pastime: children's games.

2. the material or equipment used in playing certain games: a store selling toys and games.

3. a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators.

4. a single occasion of such an activity, or a definite portion of one: the final game of the season; a rubber of three games at bridge.

5. the number of points required to win a game.

6. the score at a particular stage in a game: With five minutes to play, the game was 7 to 0.

7. a particular manner or style of playing a game: Her game of chess is improving.

8. anything resembling a game, as in requiring skill, endurance, or adherence to rules: the game of diplomacy.

9. a trick or strategy: to see through someone's game.

10. fun; sport of any kind; joke: That's about enough of your games.

11. wild animals, including birds and fishes, such as are hunted for food or taken for sport or profit.

12. the flesh of such wild animals or other game, used as food: a dish of game.

13. any object of pursuit, attack, abuse, etc.: The new boy at school seemed to be fair game for practical jokers.

14. Informal. a business or profession: He's in the real-estate game.

15. Archaic. fighting spirit; pluck.

16. make game of, to make fun of; ridicule: to make game of the weak and defenseless.

17. play games, to act in an evasive, deceitful, manipulative, or trifling manner in dealing with others: Don't play games with me - I want to know if you love me or not!

18. play the game, Informal.

a. to act or play in accordance with the rules.

b. to act honorably or justly: We naively assumed that our allies would continue to play the game.

adj.

19. pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.

20. having a fighting spirit; plucky.

21. Informal. having the required spirit or will (often fol. by for or an infinitive): Who's game for a hike through the woods?

22. die game,

a. to die after a brave struggle.

b. to remain steadfast or in good spirits at the moment of defeat: He knew that as a candidate he didn't have a chance in the world, but he campaigned anyway and died game.

v.i.

23. to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.

v.t.

24. to squander in gaming (usually fol. by away).

[bef. 1000; ME gamen, OE gaman; c. OHG gaman glee]

Syn. 3. sport, contest, competition. 9. scheme, artifice, stratagem, plan, plot, venture. 11, 13. prey, quarry. 20. brave, bold, intrepid, dauntless, fearless.

game²

/gaym/, adj.

lame: a game leg.

[1780-90; perh. shortening of GAMMY, though change in vowel unclear]

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(as used in expressions)

game show

game theory

Great Game

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      a universal form of recreation generally including any activity engaged in for diversion or amusement and often establishing a situation that involves a contest or rivalry. Card games (card game) are the games most commonly played by adults. Children's games (children's game) include a wide variety of amusements and pastimes primarily for children.

▪ meat

      in gastronomy, the flesh of any wild animal or bird. Game is usually classified according to three categories: (1) small birds, such as the thrush and quail; (2) game proper, a category that can be subdivided into winged game, such as the goose, duck, woodcock, grouse or partridge, and pheasant; and ground game, such as the squirrel, hare, and rabbit; (3) big game, predominantly venison, including roebuck, deer, elk, moose, and caribou but also including other large animals such as bear and wild boar.

      In general, game is drawn and allowed to cool after being killed and then hung for several days. Whether or not game birds should be drawn is a debated issue. A common practice is not to draw birds with slender, tapering beaks, such as the thrush or corncrake.

      The meat (meat processing) of young game is generally easily digested. Small birds, usually eaten within a short time after the kill, are considered to be as digestible as poultry. Ground game, which is classed among red meats, is usually readily digestible, but some such meat, like that from hare, may be rich in elements that make it more resistant to digestion than domestic meat acquired from a butcher. Meat from older game, or from an animal exhausted in the chase, is less desirable, but it can be improved by marinating it for several hours, usually in a mixture of wine, vinegar, and spices.

      While most game is cooked in simple country fashion, this class of foods has given rise to numerous renowned, sometimes very elaborate gourmet dishes. Young boar, or wild pig, that has been roasted, grilled, braised, or smoked is considered a delicacy, as is pheasant. bear steak was a popular dish among North American trappers; as served today in wilderness lodges and urban restaurants, it is usually prepared like beef, except that it is marinated for a few days prior to cooking. A favourite dish in Russia is braised bear, served with sour cream.

       hare and rabbit are among the most widely eaten game. Young hare is usually roasted, and older hare is made into pâtés and pies, potted, jugged, and casseroled. Rabbit can be stuffed with bread and herbs before baking, potted with layers of bacon or ham, and stewed with vegetables.

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