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Glite Dictionary
to take the game to them

to take the game to them

8.1
Play aggressively to attack the other team rather than defend
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : 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
  • US
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'.