beggar-my-neighbor
Noun: A card game for two players in which the objective is to capture all of the cards belonging to the opponent. The game is characterized by a simple, aggressive play style where players attempt to "beggar" or impoverish their neighbor (opponent) by taking their cards.
The term is used specifically to name this particular card game. It describes the core mechanic and objective of the game. * The children spent the afternoon playing beggar-my-neighbor. * Do you know the rules for beggar-my-neighbor?
- As a modifier: The term can be used adjectivally to describe policies, strategies, or behaviors that are aggressively self-interested at the expense of others, drawing a direct analogy from the game's objective.
- The economist criticized the beggar-my-neighbor trade policies that harmed global cooperation.
- The company's beggar-my-neighbor tactics ultimately destabilized the entire market.
- Beggar-my-neighbour: This is the British English spelling variant of the word.
- Strip Jack Naked: A common alternative name for the same card game.
- War: Another simple two-player card game with a similar objective of capturing all cards, though with different rules.
- Card game: A general term for any game played with playing cards.
- Zero-sum game: A situation where one participant's gain is equivalent to another's loss; this captures the metaphorical use of the term in economics and strategy.
The primary and literal meaning is the name of the card game. The secondary, metaphorical meaning applies to competitive strategies in economics, politics, or business that seek an advantage by harming others, creating a situation where one party's success necessitates another's loss. This usage directly extends from the game's win condition.
- a card game for two players in which the object is to win all of the other player's cards