sports

I. sport¹ S2 W2 /spɔːt $ spɔːrt/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: adjective: ↑sporting, ↑unsporting, ↑sporty; verb: ↑sport; noun: ↑sport]
[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: disport]
1. GAMES
a) [countable] 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 English sports in general:
Why is there so much sport on TV?
I always hated sport at school.
GRAMMAR
The uncountable use of sport is British English only:
▪ I’m not interested in sport. In American English, the plural sports is used:
▪ He likes watching sports on TV.
2. HUNTING [countable] 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-fashioned a helpful cheerful person who lets you enjoy yourself
be a sport (=used when asking someone to help you)
Be a sport and lend me your bike.
4. a good sport someone who does not get angry when they lose at a game or sport
5. a bad/poor sport someone who gets angry very easily when they lose at a game or sport
6. MAN/BOY spoken
a) Australian English used when speaking to someone, especially a man, in a friendly way:
See you later, sport.
b) American English old-fashioned used when speaking to a boy in a friendly way
7. FUN [uncountable] old-fashioned fun or amusement:
Did she torment him merely for sport?
8. make sport of somebody old-fashioned to joke about someone in a way that makes them seem stupid
⇨ ↑field sports, ↑water sports, ↑winter sports
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ play (a) sport My ambition was to play sport at the highest level.
▪ take part in (a) sport Students are encouraged to take part in a sport of some kind.
▪ do sport British English, do sports American English I 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 + sport
▪ a team sport I liked playing team sports such as football and rugby.
▪ an individual sport You 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 + NOUN
▪ a sports team A lot of schools have their own sports teams.
▪ a sports club She joined her local sports club.
▪ a sports field/ground The village has its own sports field.
▪ a sports event Is 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 facilities All our holiday camps have wonderful sports facilities.
▪ sports equipment a new online store selling all kinds of sports equipment
▪ a sports injury The clinic specializes in treating sports injuries.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'make (a) sport'. Say do (a) sport or play (a) sport.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ places where people do sport
▪ field (also pitch British English) a large area of ground, usually covered with grass, where team sports are played: A few kids were playing on the football field. | a hockey field
▪ stadium a large sports field with seats all around it for people to watch team sports or track and field competitions: The atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium was amazing. | a football stadium
▪ ground British English a sports field and the seats and buildings around it, belonging to a particular football, rugby, or cricket team: I met my friends inside the ground.
▪ ballpark/park American English a stadium where baseball is played: Busch Stadium is one of the newest ballparks in Major League.
▪ court an area with lines painted on the ground, for tennis, badminton, basketball, or volleyball: The 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 field: The 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 on: In the relay, each runner runs once around the track.
▪ gym a room with machines which you can use to do exercises: He spends an hour in the gym every day.
▪ pool/swimming pool a place where you can swim: He 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 sports: Why not do exercise classes at your local sports centre?
▪ health club a small sports centre, where you pay to be a member: How much does it cost to join a health club?

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sport

sport [sport sports sported sporting] noun, verb [spɔːt] [spɔːrt]

noun

1. uncountable (BrE) (NAmE sports plural) activity that you do for pleasure and that needs physical effort or skill, usually done in a special area and according to fixed rules
• There are excellent facilities for sport and recreation.
• I'm not interested in sport.

• the use of drugs in sport

2. countable a particular form of sport
• What's your favourite sport?
• team/water sports
• a sports club

see also blood sport, field sports, spectator sport, winter sports

3. countable (AustralE, NZE, informal) used as a friendly way of addressing sb, especially a man
• How are you doing, sport?

• Good on you, sport!

4. uncountable (formal) enjoyment or fun
• The comments were only made in sport.

• to make sport of (= to joke about) sb/sth

5. countable (biology) a plant or an animal that is different in a noticeable way from its usual type
Word Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense ‘pastime, entertainment’): shortening of disport.
Culture:
sport and fitness
The British are very fond of sport, but many people prefer to watch rather than take part. Many go to watch football, cricket, etc. at the ground, but many more sit at home and watch sport on television.
Most people today take relatively little general exercise. Over the last 30 or 40 years lifestyles have changed considerably and many people now travel even the shortest distances by car or bus. Lack of exercise combined with eating too many fatty and sugary foods has meant that many people are becoming too fat. Experts are particularly concerned that children spend a lot of their free time watching television or playing computer games instead of being physically active. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in fitness among young adults and many belong to a sports club or gym.
In Britain most towns have an amateur football and cricket team, and people also have opportunities to play sports such as tennis and golf. Older people may play bowls. Some people go regularly to a sports centre or leisure centre where there are facilities for playing badminton and squash, and also a swimming pool. Some sports centres arrange classes in aerobics, step and keep-fit. Some people work out (= train hard) regularly at a local gym and do weight training and circuit training. A few people do judo or other martial arts. Others go running or jogging in their local area. For enthusiastic runners there are opportunities to take part in long-distance runs, such as the London marathon. Other people keep themselves fit by walking or cycling. Many people go abroad on a skiing holiday each year and there are several dry slopes and snowdomes in Britain where they can practise.
Membership of a sports club or gym can be expensive and not everyone can afford the subscription. Local sports centres are generally cheaper. Evening classes are also cheap and offer a wide variety of fitness activities ranging from yoga to jazz dancing. Some companies now provide sports facilities for their employees or contribute to the cost of joining a gym.
Sports play an important part in American life. Professional baseball and football games attract large crowds, and many people watch games on television. Although many parents complain about their children being couch potatoes (= people who spend a lot of time watching television), there are sports sessions at school for all ages. College students are usually also required to take physical education classes to complete their studies.
Many popular keep-fit activities began in the US. Charles Atlas, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others inspired people to take up bodybuilding (= strengthening and shaping the muscles). Many women joined the ‘fitness craze’ as a result of video workouts produced by stars such as Jane Fonda and Cindy Crawford which they could watch and take part in at home. New fitness books are continually being published and these create fashions for new types of exercise, such as wave aerobics, which is done in a swimming pool, and cardio kick-boxing, a form of aerobics which involves punching and kicking a punchbag. Many richer people employ their own personal trainer, either at home or at a fitness centre, to direct their exercise programme. Local YMCAs offer programmes which include aerobics, gym, running, weights, treadmills and rowing machines, as well as steam rooms and swimming. But many people just walk or jog in the local park or play informal games of baseball or football.
Thesaurus:
sport noun
1. U (BrE) (AmE sports)
• facilities for sport and recreation
exercise • • workout • • aerobics • |BrE PE • |AmE P. E. •
do sport/exercises/a workout/aerobics/PE
2. C
• skiing, skating and other winter sports
game •
play/take part in a sport/game
team sports/games
Example Bank:
• He does a lot of sport.
• I need to take up a sport to get fit.
• In the 1960s, the Soviet Union dominated the sport of gymnastics.
• In theory, basketball is a non-contact sport.
• She has a real passion for sport/sport.
• Sports coverage in the local newspaper is good.
• The council has allocated an extra £11 million to a new community sports club.
• We encourage the children to get involved in sport/sports.
• We played sports together when we were kids.
• a campaign to promote sport/sports among women
• a campaign to promote the sport among young people
• government funding for sports programmes/programs for girls and women
• popular field sports such as football
• sports betting on the Internet
• the construction of a new $250-million sports arena
• the inherent dangers of adventure sports such as mountaineering
• the school sports day
• the sport of boxing
• Did you do any sport at school?
• Did you play any sports in high school?
• Do you do a lot of sport?
• I'm not interested in sport.
• Which is the country's most popular spectator sport?
• skiing, skating and other winter sports
• sports shoes