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ace

Pronunciation: /eɪs/

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Definition of ace

noun

  • 1a playing card with a single spot on it, ranked as the highest card in its suit in most card games:the ace of diamonds figurativelife had started dealing him aces again
  • 2 informal a person who excels at a particular sport or other activity:a motorcycle ace
  • a pilot who has shot down many enemy aircraft: a Battle of Britain ace
  • 3(in tennis and similar games) a service that an opponent is unable to return and thus wins a point: Nadal banged down eight aces in the set
  • Golf, informal a hole in one: his hole in one at the 15th was Senior’s second ace as a professional

adjective

informal
  • very good:an ace swimmer [as exclamation]:Ace! You’ve done it!

verb

[with object] informal
  • 1(in tennis and similar games) serve an ace against (an opponent): he can ace opponents with serves of no more than 62 mph
  • Golf score an ace on (a hole) or with (a shot): there was a prize for the first player to ace the hole
  • 2North American achieve high marks in (a test or exam):I aced my grammar test
  • (ace someone out) outdo someone in a competitive situation: the magazine won an award, acing out its rivals

Phrases

an ace up one's sleeve (or North American in the hole)

a plan or piece of information kept secret until it becomes necessary to use it: the prime minister has several other aces up his sleeve

hold all the aces

have all the advantages: he held all the aces: he was the Director, he could lecture on whomever he liked

play one's ace

use one’s best resource:deciding to play her ace, Emily showed the letter to Vic

within an ace of

British very close to:they came within an ace of death

Origin:

Middle English (denoting the ‘one’ on dice): via Old French from Latin as 'unity, a unit'

ace in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ace in the US English dictionary

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