A contest with rules to determine a winner.

Roget 861: courage, bravery, valor; resoluteness, boldness etc. adj.; spirit, daring, gallantry, intrepidity; contempt of danger, defiance of danger; derring-do; audacity; rashness etc. 863; dash; defiance etc. 715; confidence, self-reliance.    manliness, manhood; nerve, pluck, mettle, game; heart, heart of grace; spunk, guts, face, virtue, hardihood, fortitude, intestinal fortitude; firmness etc. (stability) 150; heart of oak; bottom, backbone, spine etc. (perseverance) 604.1. resolution etc. (determination) 604; bulldog courage.    prowess, heroism, chivalry.    exploit, feat, achievement; heroic deed, heroic act; bold stroke.    man, man of mettle; hero, demigod, Amazon, Hector; lion, tiger, panther, bulldog; gamecock, fighting-cock; bully, fire eater etc. 863.    ... show more

Roget 366: animal, animal kingdom; fauna; brute creation.    beast, brute, creature, critter [U.S.]; wight, created being; creeping thing, living thing; dumb animal, dumb creature; zoophyte.    [major divisions of animals] mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, crustacean, shellfish, mollusk, worm, insect, arthropod, microbe.    [microscopic animals] microbe, animalcule etc. 193.    [reptiles] alligator, crocodile; saurian; dinosaur (extinct); snake, serpent, viper, eft; asp, aspick^†.    [amphibians] frog, toad.    [fishes] trout, bass, tuna, muskelunge, sailfish, sardine, mackerel.    [insects] ant, mosquito, bee, honeybee.    [arthropods] tardigrade, spider.    [classification by number of feet] biped, quadruped; [web-footed animal] webfoot.    flocks and herds, live stock; domestic animals, wild animals; game, ferae naturae [Lat.]; beasts of the field, fowls of the air, denizens of the sea; black game, black grouse; blackcock^†, duck, grouse, plover, rail, snipe.    [domesticated mammals] horse etc. (beast of burden) 271; cattle, kine^†, ox; bull, bullock; cow, milch cow, calf, heifer, shorthorn; sheep; lamb, lambkin^†; ewe, ram, tup; pig, swine, boar, hog, sow; steer, stot^†; tag, teg^†; bison, buffalo, yak, zebu, dog, cat.    [dogs] dog, hound; pup, puppy; whelp, cur, mongrel; house dog, watch dog, sheep dog, shepherd's dog, sporting dog, fancy dog, lap dog, toy dog, bull dog, badger dog; mastiff; blood hound, grey hound, stag hound, deer hound, fox hound, otter hound; harrier, beagle, spaniel, pointer, setter, retriever; Newfoundland; water dog, water spaniel; pug, poodle; turnspit; terrier; fox terrier, Skye terrier; Dandie Dinmont; collie.    [cats--generally] feline, puss, pussy; grimalkin^†; gib cat, tom cat.    [wild mammals] fox, Reynard, vixen, stag, deer, hart, buck, doe, roe; caribou, coyote, elk, moose, musk ox, sambar^†.    [birds] bird; poultry, fowl, cock, hen, chicken, chanticleer, partlet^†, rooster, dunghill cock, barn door fowl; feathered tribes, feathered songster; singing bird, dicky bird; canary, warbler; finch; aberdevine^†, cushat^†, cygnet, ringdove^†, siskin, swan, wood pigeon.    [undesirable animals] vermin, varmint [U.S.], pest.    ... show more

Roget 840: amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games; diversion, divertissement; reaction, solace; pastime, passetemps [Fr.], sport; labor of love; pleasure etc. 827.    relaxation; leisure etc. 685.    fun, frolic, merriment, jollity; joviality, jovialness^†; heyday; laughter etc. 838; jocosity, jocoseness^†; drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery; mummery, pleasantry; wit etc. 842; quip, quirk.    [verbal expressions of amusement: list] giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout; horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh; guffaw; burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter; cachinnation^†; Kentish fire; tiger.    play; game, game at romps; gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine^†, escapade, echappee [Fr.], bout, espieglerie [Fr.]; practical joke etc. (ridicule) 856.    dance; hop, reel, rigadoon^†, saraband^†, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance; [ballroom dances: list], minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha; fandango, cancan; bayadere^†; breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis [U.S.], break dancing; nautch-girl; shindig [U.S.]; skirtdance^†, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance; galop^†, galopade^†; jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey^†; allemande [Fr.]; gavot^†, gavotte, tarantella; mazurka, morisco^†, morris dance; quadrille; country dance, folk dance; cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley; ballet etc. (drama) 599; ball; bal, bal masque, bal costume; masquerade; Terpsichore.    festivity, merrymaking; party etc. (social gathering) 892; blowout [U.S.], hullabaloo, hoedown, bat [U.S.], bum [U.S.], bust [Slang], clambake [U.S.], donation party [U.S.], fish fry [U.S.], jamboree [Slang], kantikoy^†, nautch^†, randy, squantum [U.S.], tear [Slang], Turnerfest^†, yule log; fete, festival, gala, ridotto^†; revels, revelry, reveling; carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks; feast, banquet etc. (food) 298; regale, symposium, wassail; carouse, carousal; jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre [Fr.], regatta, field day; treat.    round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making.    rejoicing etc. 838; jubilee etc. (celebration) 883.    bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker.    holiday; gala day, red letter day, play day; high days and holidays; high holiday, Bank holiday; May day, Derby day; Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday; Bairam^†; wayz-goos^†, bean feast; Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day; Mardi gras [Fr.], mi-careme [Fr.], feria [Lat.], fiesta.    place of amusement, theater; hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom^†; music hall.    park, plaisance^†; national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public) 737.1; arbor; garden etc. (horticulture) 371; pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground; tennis court, racket court; bowling alley, green alley; croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum^†, skating rink; roundabout, merry-go-round; swing; montagne Russe [Fr.].    game of chance, game of skill.    athletic sports, gymnastics; archery, rifle shooting; tournament, pugilism etc. (contention) 720; sports etc. 622; horse racing, the turf; aquatics etc. 267; skating, sliding; cricket, tennis, lawn tennis; hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball; rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace; pall-mall, tipcat^†, croquet, golf, curling, pallone^†, polo, water polo; tent pegging; tilting at the ring, quintain [Mediev.]; greasy pole; quoits, horseshoes, discus; rounders, lacrosse; tobogganing, water polo; knurr and spell^†.    [childrens' games] leapfrog, hop skip and jump; mother may I; French and English, tug of war; blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper^†, hide and seek, kiss in the ring; snapdragon; cross questions and crooked answers.   ; crisscross, hopscotch; jacks, jackstones^†, marbles; mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag &c.; billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle; bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain^†, American bowls^†; tenpins [U.S.], tivoli.    cards, card games; whist, rubber; round game; loo, cribbage, besique^†, euchre, drole^†, ecarte [Fr.], picquet^†, allfours^†, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit; boston, boaston^†; blackjack, twenty-one, vingtun [Fr.]; quinze [Fr.], thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino^†, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren^†, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs; banker; blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker; bluff, bridge, bridge whist; lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis^†, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my-neighbor; baccarat.    [cards: list] ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce; joker; trump, wild card.    [card suits: list] spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds; major suit, minor suit.    bower; right bower, left bower; dummy; jackpot; deck.    [hands at poker: list] pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush; misere &c.. [board games: list] chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles^†, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire; game of fox and goose; monopoly; loto &c.; [word games: list], scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman.    morra^†; gambling etc. (chance) 621.    toy, plaything, bauble; doll etc. (puppet ) 554; teetotum^†; knickknack etc. (trifle) 643; magic lantern etc. (show) 448; peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show^†; toy shop; quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles" [Milton]. entertainer, showman, showgirl; dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man; vaudeville act; singer; musician etc. 416.    sportsman, gamester, reveler; master of ceremonies, master of revels; pompom girl^†; arbiter elegantiarum [Lat.]; arbiter bibendi [Lat.], archer, fan [U.S.], toxophilite^†, turfman^†.    ... show more

Roget 692: conduct [actions of an individual agent]; behavior; deportment, comportment; carriage, maintien^†, demeanor, guise, bearing, manner, observance.    dealing, transaction etc. (action) 680; business etc. 625.    tactics, game, game plan, policy, polity; generalship, statesmanship, seamanship; strategy, strategics^†; plan etc. 626.    management; husbandry; housekeeping, housewifery; stewardship; menage; regime; economy, economics; political economy; government etc. (direction) 693.    execution, manipulation, treatment, campaign, career, life, course, walk, race, record.    course of conduct, line of conduct, line of action, line of proceeding; role; process, ways, practice, procedure, modus operandi, MO, method of operating; method &c.; path etc. 627.    ... show more

Roget 622: pursuit; pursuing etc. v.; prosecution; pursuance; enterprise etc. (undertaking) 676; business etc. 625; adventure etc. (essay) 675; quest etc. (search) 461; scramble, hue and cry, game; hobby; still-hunt.    chase, hunt, battue^†, race, steeple chase, hunting, coursing; venation, venery; fox chase; sport, sporting; shooting, angling, fishing, hawking; shikar (Geog loc:India). pursuer; hunter, huntsman; shikari (Geog loc:India), sportsman, Nimrod; hound etc. 366.    ... show more

Roget 620: intent, intention, intentionality; purpose; quo animo [Lat.]; project etc. 626; undertaking etc. 676; predetermination etc. 611; design, ambition.    contemplation, mind, animus, view, purview, proposal; study; look out.    final cause; raison d'etre [Fr.]; cui bono [Lat.]; object, aim, end; the be all and the end all;" drift etc. (meaning) 516; tendency etc. 176; destination, mark, point, butt, goal, target, bull's-eye, quintain [Mediev.]; prey, quarry, game.    decision, determination, resolve; fixed set purpose, settled purpose; ultimatum; resolution etc. 604; wish etc. 865; arriere pensee [Fr.]; motive etc. 615.    [Study of final causes] teleology.    ... show more

Roget 604a: perseverance; continuance etc. (inaction) 143; permanence etc. (absence of change) 141; firmness etc. (stability) 150.    constancy, steadiness; singleness of purpose, tenacity of purpose; persistence, plodding, patience; sedulity etc. (industry) 682; pertinacy^†, pertinacity, pertinaciousness; iteration etc. 104; bottom, game, pluck, stamina, backbone, grit; indefatigability, indefatigableness; bulldog courage.    ... show more

Roget 394: savoriness etc. adj.; good taste, deliciousness, delectability.    relish, zest; appetizer.    tidbit, titbit^†, dainty, delicacy, tasty morsel; appetizer, hors d'ouvres [Fr.]; ambrosia, nectar, bonne-bouche [Fr.]; game, turtle, venison; delicatessen.    ... show more

Roget 604: determination, will; iron will, unconquerable will; will of one's own, decision, resolution; backbone; clear grit, true grit, grit [U.S.]; sand, strength of mind, strength of will; resolve etc. (intent) 620; firmness etc. (stability) 150; energy, manliness, vigor; game, pluck; resoluteness etc. (courage) 861; zeal etc. 682; aplomb; desperation; devotion, devotedness.    mastery over self; self control, self command, self possession, self reliance, self government, self restraint, self conquest, self denial; moral courage, moral strength; perseverance etc. 604.1; tenacity; obstinacy etc. 606; bulldog; British lion.    ... show more

Roget 857: laughingstock, jestingstock^†, gazingstock^†; butt, game, fair game; April fool etc. (dupe) 547^†.    original, oddity; queer fish, odd fish; quiz, square toes; old monkey, old fogey, fogey monkey, fogy monkey; buffoon etc. (jester) 844; pantomimist etc. (actor) 599.    schlemiel.    jest etc. (wit) 842.    ... show more

Dutch: spel

A single play of a sport or other contest.

Dutch: partij, spel
Polish: gra

An amusement or pastime.

Dutch: spel, potje, spelletje

Animal hunted for food or sport.

Dutch: wild
Polish: zwierzę łowne

tennis A division of play during which one player serves.

Polish: gem

games The score at a particular point or the score needed to win.

Polish: gem

The flesh of wild animals that is used for food.

Dutch: wedstrijd, wildbraad
Polish: dziczyzna

A secret scheme to do something (especially something underhand or illegal):
— I saw through his little game from the start.

synonyms: plot, secret plan.

Dutch: collusie, complot, conjuratie, conspiratie, intrige, komplot, kuiperij, samenzwering
Polish: spisek, zmowa

The game equipment needed in order to play a particular game.

Polish: gra

Your occupation or line of work:
— He's in the plumbing game.

synonym: biz.

Frivolous or trifling behavior.

Place a bet on.

synonyms: back, bet on, gage, punt, stake.

Roget 840: amuse, entertain, divert, enliven; tickle the fancy; titillate, raise a smile, put in good humor; cause laughter, create laughter, occasion laughter, raise laughter, excite laughter, produce laughter, convulse with laughter; set the table in a roar, be the death of one.    recreate, solace, cheer, rejoice; please etc. 829; interest; treat, regale.    amuse oneself, game; play a game, play pranks, play tricks; sport, disport, toy, wanton, revel, junket, feast, carouse, banquet, make merry, drown care; drive dull care away; frolic, gambol, frisk, romp; caper; dance etc. (leap) 309; keep up the ball; run a rig, sow one's wild oats, have one's fling, take one's pleasure; paint the town red [Slang]; see life; desipere in loco [Lat.], play the fool.    make holiday, keep holiday; go a Maying.    while away the time, beguile the time; kill time, dally.    smile, simper, smirk; grin, grin like a Cheshire cat; mock, laugh in one's sleeve; laugh, laugh outright; giggle, titter, snigger, crow, snicker, chuckle, cackle; burst out, burst into a fit of laughter; shout, split, roar.    shake one's sides, split one's sides, hold both one's sides; roar with laughter, die with laughter.    ... show more

Roget 621: chance etc. (hap) 156; stand a chance etc. (be possible) 470.    toss up; cast lots, draw lots; leave to chance, trust to chance, leave to the chapter of accidents, trust to the chapter of accidents; tempt fortune; chance it, take one's chance, take a shot at it (attempt) 675; run the risk, run the chance, incur the risk, incur the chance, encounter the risk, encounter the chance; stand the hazard of the die.    speculate, try one's luck, set on a cast, raffle, put into a lottery, buy a pig in a poke, shuffle the cards.    risk, venture, hazard, stake; ante; lay, lay a wager; make a bet, wager, bet, gamble, game, play for; play at chuck farthing.    ... show more

Dutch: inzetten, zetten

Disabled in the feet or legs:
— A game leg.

synonyms: crippled, gimpy, halt, halting, lame.

Willing to face danger.

synonyms: gamey, gamy, gritty, mettlesome, spirited, spunky.