game day

game day (plural game days)

1. (sports) The day of a competition, as opposed to practice games.
   • 2001, Derek Jeter, Game Day, →ISBN, page 13:

     I loved the whole ritual of game day; putting on my uniform, driving to the field, doing our warm-ups, hearing the crowd cheer and my name called, and taking my place at shortstop.

   • 2012, Thomas Nelson, Inspired Faith: 365 Days a Year: Daily Motivation in God's Word, →ISBN:

     Game days are what you work for, what you live for as an athlete.

   • 2014, Mark Verstegen, Peter Williams, Every Day Is Game Day, →ISBN:

     There's a tendency to think professional athletes get graded only on game day. In reality, they're graded every day in practice.

2. (by extension, figurative) The day when something important is scheduled to happen.
   • 2006, Gary Gagliardi, Making Money by Speaking, →ISBN:

     This brings us at last to game day. You are going to speak. You are prepared to speak, but you still have some work to do before, during, and right after your presentation.

   • 2011, Stephen Knipstein, Taking Flight: Inspirational Stories of Lung Transplantation - More Journeys:

     Thanks to my wonderful team at Brigham and Women's and the awesome folks at the Pulmonary Rehab Department at Concord Hospital, Concord, New Hampshire, as the “game day” approached; it actually looked like I could make it.

   • 2016 August 5, Michael Bassik, “Make Marketing Great Again: 3 Lessons from the Campaign Trail”, in Entrepreneur:

     Every day is game day when you're running for president. Every hand shaken, baby kissed, event attended and door knocked is a chance to influence a vote and change the fate of your campaign.

   • 2016 October 6, Doug Ohlemeier, “Florida growers, PMA preparing for Hurricane Matthew”, in The Packer:

     This is the first big area that will be hit and conditions will arrive in just a few hours. This is game day. This is going to hit.