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

1. a playing card in the suit that has been declared trumps
   • the ace of trumps is a sure winner