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gamer

[gey-mer]
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noun
  1. a person who plays games, especially computer or video games.

Origin of gamer

First recorded in 1610–20; game1 + -er1

game1

[geym]
noun
  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.
adjective, gam·er, gam·est.
  1. pertaining to or composed of animals hunted or taken as game or to their flesh.
  2. having a fighting spirit; plucky.
  3. Informal. having the required spirit or will (often followed by for or an infinitive): Who's game for a hike through the woods?
verb (used without object), gamed, gam·ing.
  1. to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.
  2. to play computer or video games.
verb (used with object), gamed, gam·ing.
  1. to squander in gaming (usually followed by away).
  2. to manipulate to one's advantage, especially by trickery; attempt to take advantage of: The policy is flawed and many people try to game the system.
Idioms
  1. die game,
    1. to die after a brave struggle.
    2. 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.
  2. make game of, to make fun of; ridicule: to make game of the weak and defenseless.
  3. off (or on) one’s game,
    1. Sports.playing very badly (or very well).
    2. not functioning (or functioning) at one’s usual level: She’s been off her game since she came back from vacation.
  4. 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!
  5. play the game, Informal.
    1. to act or play in accordance with the rules.
    2. to act honorably or justly: We naively assumed that our allies would continue to play the game.

Origin of game1

before 1000; Middle English gamen, Old English gaman; cognate with Old High German gaman glee
Related formsgame·less, adjectivegame·like, adjectivegame·ness, nounun·game·like, adjective

Synonyms

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3. sport, contest, competition. 9. scheme, artifice, stratagem, plan, plot, venture. 11, 13. prey, quarry. 17. brave, bold, intrepid, dauntless, fearless.

game2

[geym]
adjective
  1. lame: a game leg.

Origin of game2

1780–90; perhaps shortening of gammy, though change in vowel unclear
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for gamer

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Gamer or better fish than these bream no fisherman could desire.

    Australian Pictures

    Howard Willoughby

  • "My, but you're gamer than ever, Fatty," retorted Barney with admiration.

  • No boy that ever lived was gamer than the little tan-faced cub.

    The Grizzly King

    James Oliver Curwood

  • And never had Duane bestrode a gamer, swifter, stancher beast.

  • "There ain't a gamer old bird in the valley than Pop," Jeff cried.

    Cow-Country

    B. M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for gamer

gamer

noun
  1. a person who plays computer games or participates in a role-playing game

game1

noun
  1. an amusement or pastime; diversion
  2. a contest with rules, the result being determined by skill, strength, or chance
  3. a single period of play in such a contest, sport, etc
  4. the score needed to win a contest
  5. a single contest in a series; match
  6. (plural; often capital) an event consisting of various sporting contests, esp in athleticsOlympic Games; Highland Games
  7. equipment needed for playing certain games
  8. short for computer game
  9. style or ability in playing a gamehe is a keen player but his game is not good
  10. a scheme, proceeding, etc, practised like a gamethe game of politics
  11. an activity undertaken in a spirit of levity; jokemarriage is just a game to him
    1. wild animals, including birds and fish, hunted for sport, food, or profit
    2. (as modifier)game laws
  13. the flesh of such animals, used as food: generally taken not to include fish
  14. an object of pursuit; quarry; prey (esp in the phrase fair game)
  15. informal work or occupation
  16. informal a trick, strategy, or deviceI can see through your little game
  17. obsolete pluck or courage; bravery
  18. slang, mainly British prostitution (esp in the phrase on the game)
  19. give the game away to reveal one's intentions or a secret
  20. make game of or make a game of to make fun of; ridicule; mock
  21. off one's game playing badly
  22. on one's game playing well
  23. play the game to behave fairly or in accordance with rules
  24. the game is up there is no longer a chance of success
adjective
  1. informal full of fighting spirit; plucky; brave
  2. game as Ned Kelly or as game as Ned Kelly Australian informal extremely brave; indomitable
  3. (usually foll by for) informal prepared or ready; willingI'm game for a try
verb
  1. (intr) to play games of chance for money, stakes, etc; gamble
Derived Formsgamelike, adjective

Word Origin

Old English gamen; related to Old Norse gaman, Old High German gaman amusement

game2

adjective
  1. a less common word for lame 1 game leg

Word Origin

C18: probably from Irish cam crooked
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for gamer

n.

1620s, "an athlete," agent noun from game (v.). Meaning "one devoted to playing video or computer games" is attested from 1999. Gamester is attested from 1590s but meant "prostitute" (cf. old slang the first game ever played "copulation"), later "a man fit and ready for anything, a player" (mid-17c.).

game

n.

Old English gamen "game, joy, fun, amusement," common Germanic (cf. Old Frisian game "joy, glee," Old Norse gaman, Old Saxon, Old High German gaman "sport, merriment," Danish gamen, Swedish gamman "merriment"), regarded as identical with Gothic gaman "participation, communion," from Proto-Germanic *ga- collective prefix + *mann "person," giving a sense of "people together."

Meaning "contest played according to rules" is first attested c.1300. Sense of "wild animals caught for sport" is late 13c.; hence fair game (1825), also gamey. Game plan is 1941, from U.S. football; game show first attested 1961.

game

adj.1

"lame," 1787, from north Midlands dialect, of unknown origin, perhaps a variant of gammy (tramps' slang) "bad," or from Old North French gambe "leg" (see gambol (n.)).

game

adj.2

"brave, spirited," 1725, especially in game-cock "bird for fighting," from game (n.). Middle English had gamesome (adj.) "joyful, playful, sportive."

game

v.

Old English gamenian "to play, jest, joke;" see game (n.). Modern usages probably represent recent formations from the noun. Related: Gamed; gaming.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with gamer

game

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.