(~s)
1.
In the time of the Roman Empire, a ~ was a man who had to fight against other men or wild animals in order to entertain an audience.
N-COUNT
2.
You can refer to a sports player or a performer as a ~ in order to emphasize how brave or dangerous their actions are. (JOURNALISM)
As the ~s rolled away from the starting gates, a gasp went up when the Scottish cyclist’s left foot clicked out of the pedal.
N-COUNT emphasis