trump card
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A decisive advantage or resource held in reserve: A "trump card" is a hidden or final advantage that can be used to ensure success, especially in a difficult situation. This meaning originates from card games. 2. A playing card in the suit that has been declared trump: In card games like bridge or whist, a "trump card" is any card from the suit that outranks all other suits for the duration of a hand.
Examples
- Noun (Decisive Advantage):
- Her extensive experience in negotiations was her trump card during the difficult talks.
- The company kept the new technology as a trump card to use against its competitors.
- Noun (Card Game):
- He won the trick by playing his trump card, the king of hearts.
- In this hand, clubs are trumps, so any club is a trump card.
Advanced Usage
- "To play/have/use a trump card": To deploy or possess a decisive advantage.
- The lawyer played her trump card by calling a surprise witness to the stand.
- We need to hold a trump card in reserve for the final round of discussions.
Variants and Related Words
- Trump (verb): To beat a card by playing a card from the trump suit. Figuratively, to outdo or surpass someone.
- Her story of adventure trumped all of his travel anecdotes.
- Trumps (plural noun): The suit that is declared to have temporary superiority in a card game.
- What are trumps for this hand?
Synonyms
- Ace in the hole: A hidden advantage.
- Secret weapon: A decisive resource kept secret until needed.
- Clincher: A fact, argument, or event that settles a matter conclusively.
Related Idioms
- To trump something up: To invent a false story or accusation (Note: This phrasal verb is unrelated to the "advantage" meaning of "trump card").
- The charges against him were completely trumped up.
Noun
- a playing card in the suit that has been declared trumps
- the ace of trumps is a sure winner