The game is afoot

What's the meaning of the phrase 'The game is afoot'? The phrase 'the game is afoot' means 'the process is underway'; for example, 'The teams are on the pitch - the whistle blows - the game is afoot.'

What's the origin of the phrase 'The game is afoot'?

The first use of 'the game is afoot' is found in Shakespeare's King Henry IV Part I, 1597:

"Before the game is afoot, thou still let'st slip."

See other phrases and sayings from Shakespeare.