: a physical or mental activity or contest that has rules and that people do for pleasure

: a particular occurrence of a game

: one of the games that are part of a larger contest (such as a tennis match)

1
a (1) : activity engaged in for diversion or amusement : play (2) : the equipment for a game
b : often derisive or mocking jesting : fun, sport <make game of a nervous player>

2
a : a procedure or strategy for gaining an end : tactic
b : an illegal or shady scheme or maneuver : racket

3
a (1) : a physical or mental competition conducted according to rules with the participants in direct opposition to each other (2) : a division of a larger contest (3) : the number of points necessary to win (4) : points scored in certain card games (as in all fours) by a player whose cards count up the highest (5) : the manner of playing in a contest (6) : the set of rules governing a game (7) : a particular aspect or phase of play in a game or sport <a football team's kicking game>
b plural : organized athletics
c (1) : a field of gainful activity : line <the newspaper game> (2) : any activity undertaken or regarded as a contest involving rivalry, strategy, or struggle <the dating game> <the game of politics>; also : the course or period of such an activity <got into aviation early in the game> (3) : area of expertise : specialty 3 <comedy is not my game>

4
a (1) : animals under pursuit or taken in hunting; especially : wild animals hunted for sport or food (2) : the flesh of game animals
b archaic : pluck
c : a target or object especially of ridicule or attack —often used in the phrase fair game