Longman Dictionary English

Explore Sport Topic
Word family noun sport adjective sporting unsporting sporty verb sport
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Related topics: Sport, Outdoor
ldoce_310_hsportsport1 /spɔːt $ spɔːrt/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 games a) [countable]DSSPORT/GAME a physical activity in which people compete against each other My favourite sports are tennis and swimming. a sports team All students are encouraged to take part in a sport. He picked up the newspaper and turned to the sports pages. b) [uncountable] British EnglishSPORT/GAME sports in general Why is there so much sport on TV? I always hated sport at school.GRAMMAR: Countable or uncountable?• In British English, you say: I like watching sport on TV. Sport is an uncountable noun in this meaning.• In American English, you say: I like watching sports on TV. Sports is a plural noun in this meaning.2 hunting [countable]DLOSPORT/GAME an activity that people do in the countryside, especially hunting or fishing the sport of falconry a demonstration by people opposed to blood sports (=sports that involve killing animals)3 helpful person [countable usually singular] (also good sport) old-fashionedHELP a helpful cheerful person who lets you enjoy yourselfbe a sport (=used when asking someone to help you) Be a sport and lend me your bike.4 → a good sport5 → a bad/poor sport6 man/boy spoken a) AusETALK TO somebodyMAN used when speaking to someone, especially a man, in a friendly way See you later, sport. b) American English old-fashionedTALK TO somebody used when speaking to a boy in a friendly way7 fun [uncountable] old-fashionedENJOY/LIKE DOING something fun or amusement Did she torment him merely for sport?8 → make sport of somebody → field sports, water sports, winter sportsCOLLOCATIONSverbsplay (a) sportMy ambition was to play sport at the highest level.take part in (a) sportStudents are encouraged to take part in a sport of some kind. do sport British English, do sports American EnglishI did a lot of sport at school.take up a sport (=start doing it)I took up the sport six years ago.compete in a sport (=do that sport in competitions)She competed in various sports when she was young.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + sporta team sportI liked playing team sports such as football and rugby.an individual sportYou have to be mentally tough to compete in individual sports.a spectator sport (=one that people enjoy watching)Football is the most popular spectator sport.competitive sport(s) (=in which people compete and try to win)Competitive sport teaches valuable lessons which last for life.a contact sport (=one in which players have physical contact with each other)People get hurt in contact sports, but they also have fun.a winter sport (=skiing, ice skating etc)More and more people are taking up winter sports.an extreme sport (=one that is dangerous)Many teenagers are attracted to extreme sports such as snowboarding.professional sport(s) (=which people are paid to do)The kind of money involved in professional sport makes cheating inevitable.a minority sport (=one that very few people do)Minority sports rarely feature on TV.sports + NOUNa sports teamA lot of schools have their own sports teams.a sports clubShe joined her local sports club.a sports field/groundThe village has its own sports field.a sports eventIs this country able to stage a major sports event?a sports fan (=someone who enjoys watching sport)He was a big sports fan.a sports personality (=someone who is famous for playing sport)The event will be opened by a well-known sports personality.sports facilitiesAll our holiday camps have wonderful sports facilities.sports equipmenta new online store selling all kinds of sports equipmenta sports injuryThe clinic specializes in treating sports injuries.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make (a) sport’. Say do (a) sport or play (a) sport. THESAURUSplaces where people do sport field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are playedA few kids were playing on the football field.a hockey fieldstadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitionsThe atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing.a football stadiumground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket teamI met my friends inside the ground.ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is playedBusch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyballThe hotel has four tennis courts and a volleyball court.diamond the area in a baseball field that is within the shape formed by the four bases. The diamond can also be the whole fieldThe pitcher stands in the middle of the diamond.There’s a playground, a picnic area, and a baseball diamond.track a circular path with lines on it, for running onIn the relay, each runner runs once around the track. gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercisesHe spends an hour in the gym every day.pool/swimming pool a place where you can swimHe jumped into the deep end of the pool.I’ll meet you outside the swimming pool.sports centre British English, sports center American English a building where you can play many types of indoor sportsWhy not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a memberHow much does it cost to join a health club?
Examples from the Corpus
sport• Sport has always been very important in this part of the country.• She's interested in cinema, music and sport.• They include My Yahoo!, a Web site providing personalized news, weather and sports.• Motorcycle racing can be a dangerous sport.• Soccer is Mark's favorite sport.• His favourite sports are swimming and tennis.• Many sports are a form of disciplined warfare.• We don't do much sport at my school.• I think everyone should do at least one sport, in order to keep fit.• Today's kids need to spend less time watching television, and more time playing sports.• Will the state promote sport as a safe, numbing kind of nationalistic cocoon for healthy, obedient citizens?• Minnie's been a real sport about all the houseguests.• But first with the weekend's sport here's Tim Russon.• The Sporting News recently had the nerve to name Woods the most powerful man in all of sports.• The special place that they had enjoyed in traditional sports was much reduced.• Which sports do you play at school?blood sports• The centre actively campaigns to abolish blood sports and cares for sick foxes.• The ban on hunting has been welcomed by anti blood sports campaigners.• An extreme example of Western attitude towards animals is the so-called blood sports, most of which have now died out.• There is an aesthetic, if we can dignify it with that word, which distinguishes blood sports from each other.• Then the person you are speaking to slips in words like blood sports, slaughter, cruel, fluffy creatures.• This is the question of field or blood sports.• Has the blood sports lobby lost the argument?• The antipathy to blood sports is more profound because it is unethical to torment and kill any sentient creature for mere entertainment.be a sport• The Notting Hill star, 39, was sporting his new spiky hairdo.• But baseball is a sport with deep roots in the past.• But then most of the police - even the ones in cars - are sporting red noses for the occasion.• His clients were sports stars like jockey Pat Eddery and boxer Lennox Lewis.• His father was a sports writer covering boxing for the Chicago Journal and the Chicago Times.• Gary Healea was a sports fan in the original sense of the word: a fanatic.• A super gift idea is a sports movie video.• Lets face it, most of us are sports fans.sportsport2 verb 1 → be sporting something2 [intransitive] literaryENJOY/LIKE DOING something to play together happily the sight of dolphins sporting amidst the waves→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
sport• Will came back from his trip sporting a mustache and a beard.• The ancient gas refrigerator sports a screwdriver for a door handle.• It seems that every police car is brand-new, and Hussein's soldiers sport crisp, new uniforms.• When it finally is released, the new Windows will sport some cool new features.• Whales were spouting and sporting with each other.• Even fewer pull it off while sporting zoot suits.Origin sport1 (1300-1400) disport
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