- [uncountable] (British English) (North American English 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.
- It's very difficult to make a career in professional sport.
- (British English) Do you do any sport?
- (North American English) Do you play any sports?
- the use of drugs in sport
Culture sport and fitnesssport and fitnessThe British like sport very much, but many people prefer to watch rather than take part. Many go to watch football, rugby, 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 much fat and sugar 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 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. Many sports centres arrange classes in activities such as aerobics , step Spinning™ (= exercise on a bike), Zumba™ (= dance based exercise) and keep-fit. Some people work out (= train hard) regularly at a local gym and do weight training and circuit training . Some people do judo or other martial arts . Others go running or jogging in their local area or on a treadmill at the gym. 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 snow domes in Britain where they can practise.Membership of a sports club or gym can be expensive and not everyone can afford it. Local sports centres are generally cheaper. Evening classes are also cheap and offer a wide variety of fitness activities ranging from yoga and Pilates 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 (= shaping the muscles and making them strong). Some richer people employ their own personal trainer, either at home or at a fitness centre, to direct their exercise programme. But many people just walk or jog in the local park or play informal games of baseball or football.Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: other sportsa1, Sports: ball and racket sportsa1- Australians love sport.
- He enjoys sport, reading and travelling.
- His only hobby is watching sport on TV.
- He's a sporting icon even for people who don't like sport.
- Playing competitive sport helped me develop as a person.
- There are a lot of job opportunities in the sport and leisure industry.
- She has a real passion for sport.
- We encourage the children to get involved in sport.
- a campaign to promote sports among women
- (British English) He does a lot of sport.
- Did you do any sport at school?
- (North American English) We played sports together when we were kids.
- Did you play any sports in high school?
- Sports coverage in the local newspaper is good.
- government funding for sports programmes for girls and women
- The council has allocated an extra £11 million to a new community sports club.
- sports betting on the internet
- the construction of a new $250-million sports arena
- the school sports day
- sports shoes
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- amateur
- pro
- professional
- …
- do
- play
- be involved in
- …
- event
- arena
- bar
- …
- in sport
- love for sport
- love for sports
- love of sport
- …
- [countable] a particular form of sport
- What's your favourite sport?
- Netball is the number one team sport played by women in England.
Extra ExamplesTopics Sports: other sportsa1, Sports: ball and racket sportsa1- I need to take up a sport to get fit.
- Why not learn to paint or play a sport?
- In the 1960s, the Soviet Union dominated the sport of gymnastics.
- In theory, basketball is a non-contact sport.
- After a serious knee injury the player was advised to quit the sport.
- We started a bodybuilding magazine to promote the sport.
- popular field sports such as football
- the sport of boxing
- Football has been a professional sport for a long time.
- Taekwondo became an official Olympic sport at the 2000 Sydney Games.
- Many dancers also take part in a competitive sport such as volleyball.
- Two of the most popular sports among the boys are basketball and Thai boxing.
- Outdoor sports enthusiasts, such as climbers and skiers, often use handheld GPS devices.
- In winter we prefer an indoor sport like squash or badminton.
- She claimed fox-hunting continues even though the sport has been banned.
- the inherent dangers of adventure sports such as mountaineering
- Which is the country's most popular spectator sport?
- skiing, skating and other winter sports
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- mainstream
- major
- popular
- …
- take up
- dominate
- promote
- …
- sport of
- love for a sport
- love of a sport
- passion for a sport
- …
- [countable] (Australian English, New Zealand English, informal) used as a friendly way of addressing somebody, especially a man
- How are you doing, sport?
- Good on you, sport!
- [uncountable] (old-fashioned) pleasure or fun
- in sport The comments were only made in sport.
- to make sport of (= to joke about) somebody/something
- [countable] (biology) a plant or an animal that is clearly and definitely different from its usual type
Word Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘pastime, entertainment’): shortening of disport.
Idioms
See sport in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sport in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe a bad sport
- (informal) to be unpleasant or unhelpful, especially in a difficult situation or when you have lost a game
be a (good) sport
- (informal) to be generous, cheerful and pleasant, especially in a difficult situation or when you have lost a game
- She's a good sport.
- Go on, be a sport (= used when asking somebody to help you).
Check pronunciation:
sport