giocare

Italian

Alternative forms

• giuocare (literary)
• giucare (obsolete)

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *iocāre, present active infinitive of *iocō, from Latin iocor (“I joke, jest; play”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒoˈka.re/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -are
• Hyphenation: gio‧cà‧re

Verb

giocare

1. to play, specifically:
   1. (intransitive) to play a game, for fun or as a pastime

      I bambini giocano in giardino ― The children play in the garden

   2. (intransitive) to do something for fun

      Il gatto gioca col topo ― The cat plays with the mouse [letting it go to catch it again]

      Synonym: scherzare

   3. (intransitive) to partake in a sport or game

      Oggi giochiamo a tennis ― Today we'll play tennis

      Fortunato in amor non giochi a carte ― One can be lucky in either card games and love, but not both (proverb) (literally, “Let [he who is] lucky in love not play cards”)

   4. (intransitive) to act as required from a game

      Tocca a te giocare ― It's your turn to play (e.g. in a card game)

   5. (intransitive) to participate in a sporting match

      Domani la Roma giocherà col Napoli ― Tomorrow, Roma will play Napoli

   6. (transitive) to put into action (in a game)

      Giocare una carta ― To play a card

2. (intransitive, hunting, of birds) to respond to bait
3. (intransitive) to have a gambling addiction
4. (transitive) to put as stake (in a game)
   1. (by extension) to bet, wager
5. (transitive) to spend or waste (time) playing.
6. (figurative, transitive) to deceive or manipulate
7. (figurative, intransitive):
   1. (with di) to use (something) skillfully
   2. (mechanics, of a mechanism) to have backlash

      Questo ingranaggio gioca un po' troppo ― This gear has a bit too much backlash

   3. to be important, to matter
   4. to make the most of, to take advantage of

Derived terms

• giocare con il fuoco
• giocare d'azzardo
• giocare in borsa
• giocarsi
• giocata
• giocatore
• giocattolo
• giocherellare
• giochicchiare
• giocolone

 

Related terms

• giocolare
• gioco

Anagrams

• giacerò