football

[foot-bawl]

noun

1. a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goal posts.

2. the ball used in this game, an inflated oval with a bladder contained in a casing usually made of leather.

3. Chiefly British.,  Rugby.

4. Chiefly British.,  soccer.

5. something sold at a reduced or special price.

6. any person or thing treated roughly or tossed about.

   They're making a political football of this issue.

7. (initial capital letter),  a briefcase containing the codes and options the president would use to launch a nuclear attack, carried by a military aide and kept available to the president at all times.

verb (used with object)

1. Informal.,  to offer for sale at a reduced or special price.

football

/ ˈfʊtˌbɔːl /

noun

1. 1. any of various games played with a round or oval ball and usually based on two teams competing to kick, head, carry, or otherwise propel the ball into each other's goal, territory, etc See association football rugby Australian Rules American football Gaelic football

   2. ( as modifier )

      a football ground

      a football supporter

2. the ball used in any of these games or their variants

3. a problem, issue, etc, that is continually passed from one group or person to another and treated as a pretext for argument instead of being resolved

   he accused the government of using the strike as a political football

Other Word Forms

• footballer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of football¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, football is from Middle English fut ball. See foot, ball ¹

Example Sentences

This orientation allows him to play his best football - attacking more directly, dribbling with momentum and playing passes in-field.

Read more on BBC

Washington said the Bruins for Life website was temporarily inactive as part of that transition and that it would still have an NIL component providing community outreach opportunities for football players.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"There's nothing left to motivate me in football, I've already achieved everything I wanted to," he told reporters on Wednesday evening after playing in a charity match in Curitiba.

Read more on Barron's

He’s also a part owner of the Washington Commanders football team and has amassed a real estate portfolio estimated to be worth several hundred million dollars.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There have been large periods of time in Welsh history when football has had to live in the shadow of its oval-balled cousin, rugby union.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• soccer