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View synonyms for

football

[ foot-bawl ]

noun

  1. a game in which two opposing teams of 11 players each defend goals at opposite ends of a field having goal posts at each end, with points being scored chiefly by carrying the ball across the opponent's goal line and by place-kicking or drop-kicking the ball over the crossbar between the opponent's goal posts. Compare conversion ( def 13 ), field goal ( def 1 ), safety ( def 6 ), touchdown.
  2. the ball used in this game, an inflated oval with a bladder contained in a casing usually made of leather.
  3. Chiefly British. Rugby ( def 1 ).
  4. Chiefly British. soccer.
  5. something sold at a reduced or special price.
  6. any person or thing treated roughly or tossed about:

    They're making a political football of this issue.

  7. (initial capital letter) U.S. Government Slang. a briefcase containing the codes and options the president would use to launch a nuclear attack, carried by a military aide and kept available to the president at all times.


verb (used with object)

  1. Informal. to offer for sale at a reduced or special price.

football

/ ˈʊˌɔː /

noun

    1. any of various games played with a round or oval ball and usually based on two teams competing to kick, head, carry, or otherwise propel the ball into each other's goal, territory, etc See association football rugby Australian Rules American football Gaelic football
    2. ( as modifier )

      a football ground

      a football supporter

  1. the ball used in any of these games or their variants
  2. a problem, issue, etc, that is continually passed from one group or person to another and treated as a pretext for argument instead of being resolved

    he accused the government of using the strike as a political football

“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈڴǴdzˌ, noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of football1

First recorded in 1350–1400, football is from Middle English fut ball. See foot, ball 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There was a time when Carson Schwesinger had zero stars, zero college scholarship offers, seemingly zero hope to amount to much in football.

From

With Hansi Flick at the helm, Barca have rediscovered that sometimes football isn't just about the result but also about the importance and value of the journey.

From

Sports media rights executive David Kogan has been named as the government's preferred choice as chair of the English football's new independent regulator.

From

It's always been very hard to win a game of football.

From

"I made a conscious decision, when I didn't feel well enough to focus on the football, to give Jason and all the coaches full responsibility," he said.

From

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