FOOTBALL


Meaning of FOOTBALL in English

I. ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English fotbal, footbal, from fot, foot + bal ball — more at foot , ball

1. : any of several games played with a football on a rectangular field having two goalposts at each end by two teams whose object is to get the ball over a goal line or between goalposts: as

a. Britain : soccer

b. Britain : rugby

c. : a game played between two teams of 11 players each in which the ball is in recognized possession of one side at a time and is advanced by running or passing, in which opposing players may stop the ballcarrier by tackling him, and in which teammates of the ballcarrier may precede him down the field to block off opponents — see australian rules football , canadian football , gaelic football , six-man football , touch football

2.

a. : an inflated oval ball made of a bladder encased usually in leather, rubber, or plastic and used for throwing and kicking in the game of football

b. Britain : a soccer ball

3.

a. : something that is tossed or kicked about : something or someone subjected to rough or irresponsible treatment

sorry to see the GI made the football of politics — New York Herald Tribune

b. : an item of merchandise priced to serve as a loss leader

II. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

intransitive verb

: to play football

transitive verb

: to sell (an item of merchandise) below cost as a loss leader

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.