football

American  

[foot-bawl] / ˈfʊtˌbɔl /

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 British  

/ 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

Etymology

Origin of football

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

Example Sentences

It’s a way to get the campus leaders—football players, theater kids, student council members—to follow the rules, which then influences everyone else, Huckaby said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Why does Scotland lead the way on football headers?

From BBC

He launched his head coaching career in 1969 at William & Mary, then in college football’s top division, before moving on to more prominent schools, such as North Carolina State, Arkansas, and Minnesota.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, they did what football players do — button their chin strap and play as long as their name remained on a roster.

From Los Angeles Times

Over the road from the pool are the playing fields where people walk their dogs and play football at weekends.

From Literature

Related Words

• soccer