playing cards idioms

PLAYING CARDS IDIOMS AND

EXPRESSIONS

#1. CALL A SPADE A SPADE

• - TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING AS IT REALLY IS, TO SPEAK PLAINLY

• I DECIDED TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE AND TELL OUR SUPERVISOR WHAT I THINK IS WRONG WITH OUR WORKPLACE. 

#2. DEAL (SOMEONE) A BAD HAND

• - TO RECEIVE BAD CARDS IN A CARD GAME, TO RECEIVE DISADVANTAGES IN SOMETHING

• THE BOY WAS DEALT A BAD HAND WHEN HE WAS A CHILD AND WAS ALWAYS AT A DISADVANTAGE IN HIS LIFE. THE MAN WAS DEALT A VERY BAD HAND IN THE CARD GAME. 

#3. CASH IN ONE‘S CHIPS

• - TO DIE, TO PASS AWAY

• AFTER AN HONORABLE AND FRUITFUL CAREER THE JUDGE CASHED IN HIS CHIPS AT THE AGE OF NINETY YEARS OLD. 

#4. NOT PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK• - TO BE MENTALLY DEFICIENT (LIKE A DECK OF PLAYING CARDS WITH ONE OR

MORE CARDS MISSING)

• THE MAN'S STORIES ABOUT HIS LIFE WERE VERY UNLIKELY WHICH MADE US BELIEVE THAT HE WAS NOT PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK.

#5. AS COCKY AS THE KING OF SPADES

• - BOASTFUL, OVERLY PROUD

• MY FRIEND IS AS COCKY AS THE KING OF SPADES. HE THINKS THAT HE CAN DO ANYTHING. 

#6. HAVE THE CARDS STACKED AGAINST YOU

• - TO HAVE THINGS ARRANGED UNFAIRLY AGAINST YOU SO THAT YOU HAVE AN UNFAIR DISADVANTAGE

• I HAD THE CARDS STACKED AGAINST ME WHEN I WENT TO THE JOB INTERVIEW.

#7. JOKER IN THE PACK

• - SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT IS LIKELY TO CHANGE A SITUATION IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY (THE JOKER IS ONE OF THE CARDS IN A DECK OF CARDS THAT CAN BE USED AS ANY CARD THAT YOU WANT IN SOME GAMES)

• THE SMALL COMPANY WAS ALMOST BANKRUPT. HOWEVER, THEIR NEW PRODUCT WAS THE JOKER IN THE PACK THAT COULD SAVE THEIR BUSINESS. 

#8. NO DICE

• - NO, CERTAINLY NOT (THIS EXPRESSION IS USED AS A REFUSAL TO A REQUEST)

• "NO DICE. I WILL NOT LEND YOU ANY MONEY." 

#9. SHUFFLE THE CARDS/DECK

• - TO CHANGE POLICY

• THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ECONOMIC CRISIS SO THEY DID NOT WANT TO SHUFFLE THE DECK AND CAUSE ANY MORE UNCERTAINITY. 

#10. ACE IN THE HOLE

• - SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT IS HELD IN RESERVE, SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF AND THAT CAN BE USED TO YOUR ADVANTAGE WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT (IN STUD POKER A PLAYER GETS SEVERAL CARDS WITH ONE OF THE CARDS PLACED FACE DOWN - THE HOLE CARD - AND IF THIS CARD IS AN ACE THEN THE PLAYER HAS A HIDDEN ADVANTAGE)

• THE FOOTBALL TEAM HAD AN ACE IN THE HOLE. IT WAS THEIR STAR GOALKEEPER WHO THEY WERE PLANNING TO USE.