gaming

[ gey-ming ]

/ ˈgeɪ mɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR gaming ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

gambling.

the playing of games developed to teach something or to help solve a problem, as in a military or business situation.

the playing of computer or video games.

Nearby words

Origin of gaming

First recorded in 1495–1505; game¹ + -ing¹

Definition for gaming (2 of 2)

game

[ geym ]

/ geɪm /

noun

an amusement or pastime: children's games.

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

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.

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.

the number of points required to win a game.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Archaic. fighting spirit; pluck.

adjective, gam·er, gam·est.

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

having a fighting spirit; plucky.

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.

to play games of chance for stakes; gamble.

to play computer or video games.

verb (used with object), gamed, gam·ing.

to squander in gaming (usually followed by away).

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.

Origin of game

before 1000; Middle English gamen, Old English gaman; cognate with Old High German gaman glee

SYNONYMS FOR game

3 sport, contest, competition.

9 scheme, artifice, stratagem, plan, plot, venture.

11, 13 prey, quarry.

17 brave, bold, intrepid, dauntless, fearless.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR game ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsgame·less, adjectivegame·like, adjectivegame·ness, nounun·game·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for gaming

Both parties are now equal opportunity offenders when it comes to gaming the system.
The 100 Rich People Who Run America|Mark McKinnon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Desert Golfing is the gaming equivalent of putting TV on in the background.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art|Alec Kubas-Meyer|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Women like (gaming blogger Anita Sarkeesian) were threatened, doxxed, and driven from their homes.
10 Things That Made Us Want to Turn Off the Internet Forever in 2014|The Daily Beast|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The lure and addiction of gaming—which went back to pinball, of course—became a sensation with Asteroids.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Magic and gaming involve in-depth worlds that feature both male and female characters.
Is ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Immune to GamerGate Misogyny?|David Levesley|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
High play went on in the gaming hall; Claudia was lucky with the artist's gold.
A Word Only A Word, Complete|Georg Ebers
The play-acting and gaming was only the fringe that Society had tacked on to him.
The Yeoman Adventurer|George W. Gough
Whenever he had gotten up from the gaming tables, each time with winnings, he had never felt any temptation to return.
The Enemies of Women|Vicente Blasco Ibez
Such is often the fate of the speculative miner, whose vocation is closely allied to gaming, and equally precarious.
Early Western Travels 1748-1846, Volume XX|Various
Even vain recreations and gaming shall have more bestowed on them, than church or poor (as to any voluntary gift).
A Christian Directory (Part 4 of 4)|Richard Baxter

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (1 of 3)

gaming

/ (ˈɡeɪmɪŋ) /

noun

gambling on games of chance
(as modifier)gaming house; gaming losses

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (2 of 3)

game

/ (ɡeɪm) /

noun

an amusement or pastime; diversion

a contest with rules, the result being determined by skill, strength, or chance

a single period of play in such a contest, sport, etc

the score needed to win a contest

a single contest in a series; match

(plural; often capital) an event consisting of various sporting contests, esp in athleticsOlympic Games; Highland Games

equipment needed for playing certain games

short for computer game

style or ability in playing a gamehe is a keen player but his game is not good

a scheme, proceeding, etc, practised like a gamethe game of politics

an activity undertaken in a spirit of levity; jokemarriage is just a game to him

wild animals, including birds and fish, hunted for sport, food, or profit
(as modifier)game laws

the flesh of such animals, used as food: generally taken not to include fish

an object of pursuit; quarry; prey (esp in the phrase fair game)

informal work or occupation

informal a trick, strategy, or deviceI can see through your little game

obsolete pluck or courage; bravery

slang, mainly British prostitution (esp in the phrase on the game)

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

make game of or make a game of to make fun of; ridicule; mock

off one's game playing badly

on one's game playing well

play the game to behave fairly or in accordance with rules

the game is up there is no longer a chance of success

adjective

informal full of fighting spirit; plucky; brave

game as Ned Kelly or as game as Ned Kelly Australian informal extremely brave; indomitable

(usually foll by for) informal prepared or ready; willingI'm game for a try

verb

(intr) to play games of chance for money, stakes, etc; gamble

Derived Formsgamelike, adjective

Word Origin for game

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

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (3 of 3)

game

/ (ɡeɪm) /

adjective

a less common word for lame 1 game leg

Word Origin for game

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 gaming (1 of 5)

gaming

c.1500, "gambling," verbal noun from present participle of game (v.).

Word Origin and History for gaming (1 of 5)

game

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.

Word Origin and History for gaming (2 of 5)

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.)).

Word Origin and History for gaming (3 of 5)

game

adj.2

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

Word Origin and History for gaming (4 of 5)

game

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

Idioms and Phrases with gaming

game

In addition to the idioms beginning with game

game is not worth the candle, the
game is up, the
game that two can play, that's a

also see:

ahead of the game
at this stage (of the game)
badger game
beat someone at his or her own game
call someone's bluff (game)
confidence game
end game
fair game
fun and games

give away (the game)losing battle (game)name of the gameonly game in townplay a waiting gameplay gamesplay the gamewaiting gamewhole new ball game.

gaming

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of gaming

Definition for gaming (2 of 2)

game

noun

adjective, gam·er, gam·est.

verb (used without object), gamed, gam·ing.

verb (used with object), gamed, gam·ing.

Origin of game

Examples from the Web for gaming

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (1 of 3)

gaming

noun

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (2 of 3)

game

noun

adjective

verb

Word Origin for game

British Dictionary definitions for gaming (3 of 3)

game

adjective

Word Origin for game

Word Origin and History for gaming (1 of 5)

gaming

Word Origin and History for gaming (1 of 5)

game

Word Origin and History for gaming (2 of 5)

game

Word Origin and History for gaming (3 of 5)

game

Word Origin and History for gaming (4 of 5)

game

Idioms and Phrases with gaming

game