football

[ foo t-bawl ]

/ ˈfʊtˌbɔl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR football ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

the ball used in this game, an inflated oval with a bladder contained in a casing usually made of leather.

Chiefly British. Rugby(def 3).

Chiefly British. soccer.

something sold at a reduced or special price.

any person or thing treated roughly or tossed about: They're making a political football of this issue.

(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)

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

Origin of football

First recorded in 1350–1400, football is from the Middle English word fut ball. See foot, ball¹

Words nearby football

foot-pound-second system, foot-poundal, foot-ton, footage, footbag, football, footballer, footbath, footboard, footboy, footbridge

Example sentences from the Web for football

The quote is apocryphal, but that has not changed its significance for Army football players.

A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down |Nicolaus Mills |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
A football player killed himself after saying he was ‘all f----- up’ from a head injury.

Will the NCAA Let Ohio State’s Kosta Karageorge Die in Vain? |Robert Silverman |December 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Thank you, FCC, for all the football that is broadcast on Thanksgiving Day.

Up to a Point: Thanks to the Biggest Turkey, Uncle Sam |P. J. O’Rourke |November 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The truth is, there was football to watch, and 30,000 emails is a heavy lift.

The IRS Email Double Standard |Matt Lewis |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

In the beginning of the film, we see a group of girls, Mariame included, walking home from football practice.

‘Girlhood’: Coming of Age in France’s Projects |Molly Hannon |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Another thing I was surprised at was the way they go at football here.

Quarter-Back Bates |Ralph Henry Barbour
Once every term the cricket and football committees assembled to transact business.

Dr. Jolliffe's Boys |Lewis Hough
This was rarer at football than at cricket, for at football the better team generally wins.

The Gold Bat |P. G. Wodehouse
Doggie had not kicked it because he had never kicked a football in his life and shrank from an exhibition of incompetence.

The Rough Road |William John Locke
Youre out of football until you get back your class standing.

Full-Back Foster |Ralph Henry Barbour

British Dictionary definitions for football

football

/ (ˈfʊtˌbɔːl) /

noun

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, etcSee association football, rugby, Australian Rules, American football, Gaelic football
(as modifier)a football ground; a football supporter

the ball used in any of these games or their variants

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

Derived forms of football

footballer, noun

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

football

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of football

Words nearby football

Example sentences from the Web for football

British Dictionary definitions for football

noun

Derived forms of football

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

football

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of football

Words nearby football

Words related to football

Example sentences from the Web for football

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noun

Derived forms of football

British Dictionary definitions for football