card1

 
Pronunciation: /kɑːd/

noun

  • 1a piece of thick, stiff paper or thin pasteboard, in particular one used for writing or printing on: some notes jotted down on a card [mass noun]: a piece of card
  • a card printed with a picture and used to send a message or greeting: a birthday card
  • a card with a person’s name and other details printed on it for purposes of identification, for example a business card: a membership card entitled you to library services she dug into her bag and produced her card
  • 2a small rectangular piece of plastic containing personal data in a machine-readable form and used to obtain cash or credit or to pay for a telephone call, gain entry to a room or building, etc.: your card cannot be used to withdraw more than your daily limit from cash machines she paid for the goods with her card
  • 3a playing card: a pack of cards
  • (cards) a game played with playing cards: they were playing interminable cards
  • 5 (cards) British informal documents relating to an employee, especially for tax and national insurance, held by the employer.
  • 6a programme of events at a race meeting: a nine-race card
  • a record of scores in a sporting event; a scorecard.
  • 7 informal, dated a person regarded as odd or amusing: He laughed: ‘You’re a card, you know’

verb

[with object]
  • 1write (something) on a card, especially for indexing.
  • 2 informal (in golf and other sports) score (a certain number of points on a scorecard): he carded 68 in the final round
  • 3North American check the identity card of (someone), in particular as evidence of legal drinking age: we were carded at the entrance to the club
  • 4 (be carded) Canadian (of an amateur athlete) be in receipt of government funding to pursue training: in 1986-7 all carded athletes received a basic $450 monthly allowance

Phrases

a card up one's sleeve

a plan or asset that is kept secret until it is needed: the alliances have been the key card up our sleeve

get one's cards

British informal be dismissed from one’s employment: he got his cards on his 50th birthday

give someone their cards

British informal dismiss someone from employment: the firm has just given 74,000 workers their cards

hold all the cards

be in a very strong or advantageous position: he held all the cards and made all the decisions

on (or North American in) the cards

British informal possible or likely: our marriage has been on the cards from day one

play (or use) the —— card

exploit the specified issue or idea mentioned, especially for political advantage: the government tried to play the nationalist card

play one's cards right

make the best use of one’s assets and opportunities: you have a chance of success if you play your cards right

put (or lay) one's cards on the table

be completely open and honest in declaring one’s resources, intentions, or attitude: I would have a confrontation with him and put my cards on the table

Origin:

late Middle English (in sense 3 of the noun): from Old French carte, from Latin carta, charta, from Greek khartēs 'papyrus leaf'