- [countable]
an activity that you do to have fun, often one that has rules and that you can win or lose; the equipment for a game 娱乐；消遣；玩耍 The kids were playing a game with their balloons. 孩子们正在用他们的气球玩游戏。 The children invented a new game. 孩子们发明了一种新游戏。 a video/computer game 视频/电脑游戏 I play online games with my friends. 我和朋友一起玩网络游戏。 a game of chance/skill 靠运气决定胜负／凭技巧取胜的游戏 Buy your games and software from us. 从我们这里购买您的游戏和软件。
Synonyms interestinterest- hobby
- game
- pastime
- interest an activity or a subject that you do or study for pleasure in your spare time:
Her main interests are music and gardening. 她的主要爱好是音乐和园艺。
- hobby an activity that you do for pleasure in your spare time:
His hobbies include swimming and cooking. 他爱好游泳和烹饪。
- game a children’s activity when they play with toys, pretend to be somebody else, etc.; an activity that you do to have fun:
- pastime an activity that people do for pleasure in their spare time:
Eating out is the national pastime in France. 在法国，下馆子是全国性的消遣活动。
interest, hobby or pastime? 用 interest、hobby 还是 pastime？ - a popular interest/hobby/pastime
- to have/share interests/hobbies
- to take up/pursue a(n) interest/hobby
Culture toys and gamestoys and gamesMost young children are given toys for their birthday or at Christmas. Many regularly spend their pocket money on smaller toys. Popular toys include building bricks such as Lego, plastic farm animals, toy cars, model railways and dressing-up costumes. Many children have dolls, and several sets of clothes to dress them in. Particularly popular are Action Man figures and Barbie dolls. Babies are given rattles (= toys that make a noise when shaken), soft toys and teddy bears. Action figures, small plastic models of characters from television shows or films, are also popular. Some parents do not allow their children to have guns or other toys that represent weapons because they do not want them to think it is fun to injure or kill people.Among traditional games that are still popular are board games such as snakes and ladders and Cluedo, card games such as Happy Families and Snap, and word games such as hangman and Scrabble.Children play outside with skipping ropes, bicycles, skateboards, scooters and Rollerblades. In playgrounds there are often swings, a slide, a see-saw and a climbing frame (NAmE jungle gym) to climb on. Traditional games played outside include hopscotch, a game in which children hop over squares drawn on the ground to try to pick up a stone, and tag, in which one child runs after the others until he or she catches one of them and then that child has to chase the rest.Few people give up games completely when they become adults. Many people play card games like bridge and poker, and board games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, backgammon and chess.Games consoles and apps are very popular. Games can be played online, either against a real opponent, who is playing somewhere else on their own device, or against a computer program that can be set to a suitable level of difficulty.Extra ExamplesTopics Shoppinga1Children love learning new games. 孩子喜欢学着玩新游戏。 Chess is a game of skill. 国际象棋是讲究技巧的游戏。 The company is developing games to play on mobile phones. 这家公司正在开发可在手机上玩的游戏。 It's hard to find indoor games for children. 很难找到适合儿童的室内游戏。 This is a good game for getting people to mix. 这是一个不错的让人互相交流的游戏。 children's party games like Musical Chairs 抢座位之类的儿童集体游戏 I have been an avid roleplaying game fan for more than 20 years. 20多年来，我一直是一个狂热的角色扮演游戏迷。 competitive games in which there is always a winner and a loser 总有输赢的竞争性比赛 Millions of people buy racing games every year. 每年有数百万人购买赛车游戏。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- ball
- board
- card
- …
- learn
- create
- design
- …
- player
- designer
- developer
- …
- [countable]
a sport with rules in which people or teams compete against each other （有规则的）游戏，运动，比赛项目 
ball games, such as football or tennis 诸如足球或网球等球类运动 How I hated team games at school! 我上学时曾经那么痛恨团体活动！ - the game of something
the game of golf/cricket/basketball 高尔夫球/板球/篮球比赛 Broadcasters have injected vast amounts of money into the game of football. 广播公司在足球比赛中投入了大量资金。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- ball
- board
- card
- …
- learn
- create
- design
- …
- player
- designer
- developer
- …
- [countable]
an occasion of playing a game （一项）游戏，运动，比赛 to win/lose a game 赢得/输掉一场比赛 They lost their first home game of the season. 他们输掉了本赛季的第一场主场比赛。 a baseball/basketball game 棒球/篮球比赛 - (especially North American English)
a football game 足球比赛
- (North American English)
We're going to the ball game (= baseball game). 我们要去看棒球比赛。 Are you coming to watch the game? 你要来看比赛吗？ - a game of something
to play a game of chess 下国际象棋 Let's have a game of table tennis. 咱们来打场乒乓球赛吧。 - game against somebody
Saturday’s League game against Swansea 联赛中星期六对斯旺西队的比赛 - game with somebody
today's game with Manchester United 今天与曼联的比赛 They're in training for the big game. 他们正在为大赛进行训练。
Extra ExamplesThe defence are coming under pressure for the first time in this game. 这场比赛中，后防线第一次面临压力。 their first League game of the season 他们本赛季的首场联赛 United are playing a home game this week. 联队本周在主场比赛。 The team fought back to level the game. 该队进行了反击，将比分扳平。 The early stages of the game were dominated by the home team. 主队控制了比赛的前几个阶段。 Last night he played the final game of his career. 他昨晚打了自己职业生涯的最后一场比赛。 It's going to be a close game. 这将是一场势均力敌的比赛。 He's hoping to be fit before next week's game with Liverpool. 他希望能在下周跟利物浦队比赛之前保持状态。 Trescothick had a good game and was man of the match. 特莱斯科斯克表现得很好，是这场比赛的英雄。 We won the first game and drew the second. 我们赢了第一场，平了第二场。 He pitched a perfect game at Atlanta. 他在亚特兰大比赛中的表现堪称完美。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- close
- tight
- …
- have
- play
- lose
- …
- game against
- game with
- game of
- …
- [singular] somebody’s game
the way in which somebody plays a game 比赛（或游戏）时用的手法；比赛（或游戏）技巧 Maguire raised his game to collect the £40 000 first prize. 马圭尔的比赛技巧有所提高，得到了 4 万英镑的头等奖。 Stretching exercises can help you avoid injury and improve your game. 伸展运动有助于防止身体受伤，并能提高比赛技巧。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- fine
- good
- great
- …
- have
- play
- pitch
- …
- winner
- Games[plural]
a large organized sports event 运动会 She's hoping to participate in the next Olympic Games. 她希望参加下一届奥运会。 To stage the Games (= the Olympic Games or a similar event) is an honour. 举办奥运会是一种荣誉。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- Commonwealth
- Olympic
- etc.
- …
- compete in
- participate in
- take part in
- …
- games[plural] (old-fashioned, British English)
sport as a lesson or an activity at school （学校的）体育课，体育活动 - [countable]
a section of some games, such as tennis, which forms a unit in scoring （网球等比赛的）一局，一场 two games all (= both players have won two games) 各赢两局 Zverev won the opening game of the third set. 泽维雷夫赢得了第三盘的首场比赛。
- [countable]
a type of activity or business 行当；行业；职业 How long have you been in this game? 你干这行当多长时间了？ the game of politics 政治活动 I'm new to this game myself. 我本人对这个不熟悉。 Getting dirty was all part of the game to the kids. 对孩子来说弄脏是很正常的事。
Extra ExamplesLufthansa entered the game with a 25% stake in the company. 汉莎航空公司进入该行业时持有这家公司 25% 的股份。 Predicting the outcome of the election is a game of chance. 预测选举结果是一场碰运气的游戏。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + game- be in
- enter
- game of
- all part of the game
- new to this game
- [singular] (informal)
a secret and clever plan; a trick 诡计；策略；花招 Extra ExamplesHe was unwittingly caught up in a dangerous game of lies and betrayals. 他无意中卷入了一场充满谎言和背叛的危险计谋中。 I realized that he had been playing a stupid game with me. 我意识到他一直在和我玩一个愚蠢的把戏。 I'll soon put an end to her silly little games. 我会立刻制止她愚蠢的鬼把戏。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- little
- silly
- stupid
- …
- play
- put an end to
- give away
- …
- [uncountable]
wild animals or birds that people hunt for sport or food 猎物；野禽；野味 
fun娱乐
sport体育运动
activity/business活动；行业
secret plan秘密计划
wild animals/birds野生鸟兽
Word OriginOld English gamen ‘amusement, fun’, gamenian ‘play, amuse oneself’, of Germanic origin.
Idioms
ahead of/behind the game
at an advantage/disadvantage because you have done more/less preparation or know more/less than other people, especially those you are competing against 游戏： 处于优势/劣势，因为您比其他人，尤其是您与之竞争的人做更多/更少的准备或了解更多/更少We'll be able to extract insights out of the data that will enable us to stay ahead of the game. 我们将能够从数据中提取见解，从而保持领先地位。 Politicians are behind the game in understanding how fast the world is changing. 政客们在幕后理解世界变化的速度。
beat somebody at their own game
to defeat or do better than somebody in an activity which they have chosen or in which they think they are strong 赢某人的看家本领；打败某人的强项
be a game
be on the game
- (British English, slang)
to be a prostitute 卖淫；当 “野鸡”
be out of the game
to no longer have a chance of winning a game or succeeding in an activity that you are taking part in 被淘汰出局
be still/back in the game
to still/once again have a good chance of winning a game or succeeding in an activity that you are taking part in 没有出局；仍有获胜（或成功）的机会 The team was still in the game, just one goal down. 这个队还没出局，只落后一球。 - (figurative)
He’s been fighting to get the struggling company back in the game. 他一直在努力让这家苦苦挣扎的公司重回正轨。
fun and games
- (informal)
activities that are not serious and that other people may think are bad 嬉戏；欢闹；寻欢作乐 Teaching isn't all fun and games, you know. 教学并非全是嬉戏和玩耍，你晓得吧。
the game is up
- (informal)
said to somebody who has done something wrong, when they are caught and the crime or trick has been discovered （对做坏事被抓或罪行败露者说的话）戏该收场了，别再演戏了 Maggie knew that he had recognized her and the game was up. 玛吉知道他已经认出了她，游戏结束了。
game on
game over
- (informal)
used to say that it is no longer possible for somebody/something to succeed, survive or continue 游戏： 过去曾说某人/某事不再可能成功，生存或继续Given her recent slump in form, it might be game over already this season. 鉴于她最近状态不佳，这个赛季可能已经结束了。 This technology could mean game over for gasoline-powered vehicles. 这项技术可能意味着汽油动力汽车的游戏结束。 The slightest mistake and it's game over for him. 稍有差错，他就玩完了。
give the game away
to tell a secret, especially by accident; to show something that should be kept hidden 不慎泄露；露馅；露马脚 Don't let him talk to anybody or he'll give the game away. 不要让他和任何人谈话，否则他会泄露秘密的。
a mug’s game
- (disapproving, especially British English)
an activity that is unlikely to be successful or make a profit 徒劳无功的事；不易成功的事；不易获利的事
the name of the game
(the game is) not worth the candle
- (old-fashioned, saying)
the advantages to be gained from doing something are not great enough, considering the effort or cost involved 得不偿失；代价太高 If the price goes up again, he may decide that the game’s not worth the candle. 如果价格再次上涨，他可能会认为这个游戏不值这个价钱。
numbers game
off/on your game
performing badly/well, especially when compared with how well you usually perform 儿童游戏 He was off his game and missed two early penalties. 他缺席了比赛，错过了两个点球。
the only game in town
- (informal)
the most important thing of a particular type, or the only thing that is available 同类中最重要的事物；唯一的选择
play (a game of) cat and mouse with somebody | play a cat-and-mouse game with somebody
to play a cruel game with somebody in your power by changing your behaviour very often, so that they become nervous and do not know what to expect 和某人玩起猫捉老鼠的游戏；耍弄 He thought the police were playing some elaborate game of cat and mouse and waiting to trap him. 他以为警察在玩精心设计的猫捉老鼠的游戏，等着诱捕他。 Young car thieves enjoy playing cat and mouse with the police. 年轻的盗车贼喜欢与警察玩猫捉老鼠的把戏。
play somebody’s game
to do something that helps somebody else’s plans, especially by accident, when you did not intend to help them （无意中）促成某人的计划
play the game
to behave in a fair and honest way 办事公道；为人诚实 You can’t do that—it’s not playing the game! 你不能那样做——这不是在玩游戏！
play (silly) games (with somebody)
the rules of the game
the standards of behaviour that most people accept or that actually operate in a particular area of life or business 游戏规则；大家共同遵守的行为标准
talk a good game
to talk in a way that sounds convincing, but may not be sincere 说得好听；说得天花乱坠 The senior managers talk a good game about customer relations, but really they don't care about the customer. 高级管理人员说起客户关系头头是道，但实际上他们不在乎客户。
two can play at that game
- (saying)
used to tell somebody who has played a trick on you that you can do the same thing to them （表示也会对方耍的花招）这一套你会我也会
what’s somebody’s/your game?
- (informal)
used to ask why somebody is behaving as they are 在干什么；怎么啦