card sharp
Definition
Noun: A person who is skilled at manipulating cards and uses this skill to cheat others in card games, typically to earn money. A card sharp is a professional or habitual cheat who relies on deception and sleight of hand.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The casino security was always on the lookout for known card sharps.
- He lost his entire savings to a card sharp in a backroom poker game.
- In the old western film, the hero exposed the card sharp who was cheating the townspeople.
Advanced Usage
- The term often implies a level of professional skill and deliberate dishonesty. It is not used for a novice or occasional cheater.
- Historically associated with gambling saloons and riverboats.
- Can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is cunning and deceptive in non-gambling contexts, though this is less common.
- In the business negotiation, he was a real card sharp, always hiding his true intentions.
Variants and Related Words
- Card shark: A more common modern variant with the same meaning. Some distinguish "shark" as a highly skilled but honest player, but in general usage, both terms imply cheating.
- Cardsharp: A common alternative spelling as a single word.
- Sharper: An older, more general term for a swindler or cheat, of which "card sharp" is a specific type.
Synonyms
- Cheat: A person who acts dishonestly to gain an advantage.
- Cardsharp / Card shark: Direct variants.
- Swindler: A person who uses deception to deprive someone of money or possessions.
- Hustler: A person who uses aggressive or deceptive tactics, often in gambling or sales.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Sharp practice: Dishonest or barely honest business dealings. This phrase shares the root word "sharp" meaning clever in a dishonest way.
- The company was accused of sharp practice in its accounting methods.
- To have a card up one's sleeve: To have a secret plan or advantage. While not exclusive to cheating, it originates from the practice of hiding cards.
- Don't worry about the competition; I have a card up my sleeve.
Noun
-
a professional card player who makes a living by cheating at card games
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