game

ahead of the game: seeahead.

anyone's game: seeanyone.

beat someone at their own game: seebeat.

the beautiful game: seebeautiful.

chase the game: seechase.

fair game someone or something considered a reasonable target for criticism, exploitation, or attack.

fun and games: seefun.

as game as Ned Kelly very brave. Australian

☞ Ned Kelly (1855–80) was a famous Australian outlaw, the leader of a band of horse and cattle thieves and bank raiders operating in Victoria; he was eventually hanged at Melbourne. An alternative Australian formulation is as game as a meatant (meatants are truculent Australian insects with a fierce bite).

have (or put) your game face on have (or adopt) a look or manner characterized by single-minded dedication, determination, or seriousness. chiefly North American

2012New York Times Whether he is shooting pool, preparing for a meeting on world affairs or trying to pick up a tough spare at the bowling alley, President Obama seemingly always has his game face on.

the game is up the plan, deception, or crime is revealed or foiled.

game on

1 a signal for play to begin in a game or match.

2 said when a contest seems about to begin in earnest.

3 said when you feel that a situation is about to develop in your favour. informal

☞ The expression seems to have originated in the game of darts.

❷2006Sunday Mail (Brisbane) It's game on as Australia's largest car makers, Holden and Toyota, clash with their locally made sedans.

game over said when a situation is regarded as hopeless or irreversible.

☞ This expression probably comes from the use of the phrase at the conclusion of a computer game.

2009Shaun Ellis & Penny JunorThe Man Who Lives with Wolves If you inadvertently surprised a bear…it could be game over very quickly.

game, set, and match used to indicate a decisive victory.

☞ The expression comes from the formula for announcing the result at the end of a tennis match.

give the game away inadvertently reveal something secret or concealed.

the Great Game

1 spying.

2 the rivalry between Britain and Russia in central Asia during the 19th century.

☞ The phrase was first used by Rudyard Kipling in Kim (1901).

have skin in the game: seeskin.

a mug's game: seemug.

the name of the game: seename.

off (or on) your game playing badly (or well).

on the game involved in prostitution. British informal

☞ The phrase itself apparently dates from the late 19th century, but game in the sense of 'sexual activity' is much older. Shakespeare talks of 'daughters of the game' in Troilus and Cressida (1606) and from the early 17th century gamester was a term used to describe a lewd person.

the only game (or show) in town the best or most important of its kind; the only thing worth concerning yourself with. informal

2012The Australian Australia needs to move quickly … and not remain fixated on China as the only game in town.

play games deal with someone or something in a way that lacks due seriousness or respect or deviates from the truth.

2000Mike GayleTurning Thirty I couldn't stand him at first. I'd have a conversation with him and would come away feeling like he was playing games with me.

play someone's game advance another's plans, whether intentionally or not.

play the game behave in a fair or honourable way; abide by the rules or conventions.

1993Andy McNabBravo Two Zero Shorncliffe was a nightmare, but I learned to play the game. I had to-there was nothing else for me.

play a waiting game: seewaiting.

talk a good game: seetalk.

two can play at that game: seetwo.

up your game: seeup.

what's your (or the) game? what's going on?; what are you up to? informal