we guess we have used this word in this way many a time but we

Game or gameness is a trait most often attributed to fighting dogs, working terriers, and fighting cocks that are selectively bred, referring to their ability to persevere in a fight even when losing. Dogs that demonstrate this trait can also be described as “ready and willing”, “full of fight”, “spirited”, or “plucky”, and are able to resist mental and physical challenges in order to win a fight. Gameness contrasts with prey drive insofar as gameness refers to a dog’s motivation to fight other dogs, and prey drive refers to a dog’s motivation to hunt prey.

hadn’t really previously thought to define it