to take the game to them

8.1

Play aggressively to attack the other team rather than defend

idiom

Informal

: tomar la iniciativa

The coach urged the players to take the game to them right from the start.

Examples

The team decided to take the game to them instead of sitting back and defending.
The coach told us to take the game to them in the second half.
If we take the game to them, we might force them into making mistakes.
We need to take the game to them right from the start!
The coach urged the players to take the game to them right from the start.
If we take the game to them, we might force them into making mistakes.
The team decided to take the game to them instead of sitting back and defending.

Synonyms

to take on

vsto take the game to them

133 2.8

Compete against someone, for example in a sport or game

aims to assertively challenge an opponent instead of merely facing them

to go at it

vsto take the game to them

Informal

56 6.7

Act with a lot of energy, often fighting, arguing, or working hard

prefers planned aggression focused on an opponent rather than general energetic fighting

to play hardball

vsto take the game to them

Informal

26 7.0

Act aggressively to get what you want when you compete with others

uses an assertive aggressive strategy against an opponent rather than staying defensive

to take the offensive

vsto take the game to them

5 6.4

Begin attacking or acting aggressively to gain an advantage

approaches an opponent proactively instead of waiting defensively

Antonyms

to wait on

83 3.9

To delay doing something until someone answers or a situation changes

How Aggressive

all-out

68 4.1

to attack

∞ 1.3

to take the game to them

Informal

8.1

to counter

190 4.3

defending

3.1

to hold back

16 3.5

Surface Forms

take the game to them infinitive

took the game to them past

taken the game to them past participle

taking the game to them present participle

takes the game to them third person singular

Morphology

take + the + game + to + them

The phrase maps from the literal meanings of 'take' + 'game' + 'to them' via a spatial/metaphorical extension—bringing the contest to the opponents suggests playing on their turf and thus adopting an offensive approach. However, the specific strategic nuance ('be assertive/aggressive rather than defensive') is a pragmatic, sports-discourse inference not fully predictable from the words alone, so learners need some exposure to the idiomatic sports usage.

Etymology

The phrase take the game to them comes from sports. Imagine a team taking the game to them by moving play into the opponent's area so the other team must defend, so it means 'to attack or be aggressive'.