playoff
/ˈpleɪ.ɒf/ (bre, ipa) · [plˈeˌɔf] /ˈpleɪ.ɑːf/ (ame, ipa) · [plˈeˌɔf] /ˈplā-ˌȯf/ (ame, mw)
playoff — noun
- playoffsingular
- playoffsplural
1. a deciding game, round, or extra period played after two sides finish level, use
a deciding game, round, or extra period played after two sides finish level, used to choose the winner
Dahlia and Ryo finished level after eighteen holes, so the tournament went to a playoff.
pattern: go to a playoff
The final ended 2-2, and the cup was settled by a playoff on Sunday.
pattern: settle by a playoff
Adaeze sank a short putt to force a playoff with the defending champion.
Heavy rain pushed the playoff between East Ridge and Harbor High into Monday.
The referee announced a ten-minute playoff after both fencers finished with twelve points.
- tiebreaker
more general; it can be one point or rule, not only a full extra game
- decider
broader and less specific about a tie causing the extra contest
- play-off
British spelling of the same sports term
文法句型
go to a playoff
force a playoff
a playoff between X and Y
用法筆記
This sense is for an extra deciding contest caused by a tie. Distinguish it from sense 2, which names the post-season championship rounds rather than one added tiebreak game.
常見錯誤
2. the championship rounds played after the regular season, especially in North Ame
the championship rounds played after the regular season, especially in North American sports, when the top teams try to win the title
The Lakers secured a playoff spot with two games still left on the schedule.
collocation: playoff spot
If Seattle loses tonight, the club will miss the playoffs again this year.
collocation: miss the playoffs
Vivek saved for months so he could take his son to a playoff game.
Boston bars stayed open late during the playoffs after every home win.
The rookie pitcher had never thrown in the playoffs before last October.
- post-season
broader and more neutral; it can describe the period, not only the games
- finals
narrower; it often means only the last round
- knockout stage
more common in soccer and international tournaments than in US leagues
- regular season
the scheduled part of the season before the playoffs begin
- preseason
the warm-up period before the official season starts
文法句型
the playoffs
make the playoffs
miss the playoffs
a playoff game
用法筆記
Usually plural with the. In North American sports writing it often refers to the whole elimination tournament, and the word is also common before another noun, as in playoff game or playoff spot.