ace of spades
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. The playing card in the spade suit marked with a single large pip (♠A): This is the ace card from the spade suit in a standard deck of playing cards. 2. A symbol sometimes associated with death or bad luck: In some cultural and superstitious contexts, this specific card has been interpreted as an omen or portent of death.
Usage
- The term "ace of spades" is used to identify the specific card in games, magic tricks, and discussions about playing cards.
- When used symbolically, it often carries a dark or ominous connotation.
Examples
- Literal use:
- He drew the ace of spades from the deck.
- In many card games, the ace of spades is the highest-ranking card in its suit.
- Symbolic use:
- Finding an ace of spades on his doorstep was seen as a grim warning.
- The soldier had an ace of spades painted on his helmet as a personal emblem.
Advanced Usage
- "To hold the ace of spades": To be in a position of decisive power or to possess a crucial, often unbeatable, advantage in a situation.
- In the negotiation, their patent gave them the ace of spades.
- Cultural Reference: The card was famously used by American troops during the Vietnam War as a psychological tool and a unit symbol.
Variants and Related Words
- Ace: A playing card with a single symbol, often the highest or lowest in its suit.
- Spade: One of the four suits in a deck of playing cards, symbolized by a black ♠ shape.
Synonyms
- The death card (in symbolic/folkloric contexts).
- The spade ace.
Idioms and Phrases
- "As black as the ace of spades": Used to describe something that is completely black or very dark.
- The night was as black as the ace of spades.
- "To turn up the ace of spades": For an unexpected and typically negative event to occur.
- Just when we thought the project was safe, the ace of spades turned up with this new regulation.
Noun
- the ace in the spade suit; sometimes taken as a portent of death