on the game

English

Etymology

UK late-19th century.^[1] However, the game as a euphemism for sexual activity dates to at least Troilus and Cressida (1602):^[1] "Set them down / For sluttish spoils of opportunity / And daughters of the game." Compare with the similar euphemism sport.^[2]

Pronunciation

Audio (General Australian): (file)

Prepositional phrase

on the game

(UK, idiomatic, slang, euphemistic) Working as a prostitute.
Synonyms: in the racket, on the bash, on the beat, on the turf
- 1986 January 9, Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, Bells (Blackadder II), episode 1, spoken by Kate's Father (Edward Jewesbury):
  Oh please go on the game. It's a steady job and you'd be working from home.
- 1990 November 18, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs, House of Cards, season 1, episode 1:
  What's he want it for anyway? Don't tell me he's going on the game.

Synonyms

See also Thesaurus:prostitute

Related terms

gamester (“prostitute”)

Translations

working as a prostitute (euphemism)

Chinese:
Mandarin: 卖淫 (zh) (màiyín)
Finnish: alalla (fi)
Russian: на пане́ли (na panɛ́li)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Siefring, Judith, editor (2005), The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN
^ Holder, R. W. (2008) Dictionary of Euphemisms, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, game (the), page 191

[Siefring-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Siefring, Judith, editor (2005), The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN

[2] Holder, R. W. (2008) Dictionary of Euphemisms, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, game (the), page 191

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