hole card


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hole card

1. In poker, a card dealt face down to a player. It is common in stud poker for the player to receive a number of hole cards. No, no, turn those cards face down again and shuffle them again. We're all supposed to get hole cards. Every player gets seven hole cards to start? OK, gotcha.
2. A secret advantage. Just when everyone thought Randy was going to lose the competition, he used his hole card and pulled into first place. His embarrassing secret is my hole card, and I plan to reveal it to everyone the next time he mocks me publicly. She's keeping all the details of their unscrupulous business practices as a hole card should they ever try to fire her.
See also: card, hole
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a hole card

mainly AMERICAN
A hole card is an advantage that you keep secret until you are ready to use it. The fact that I knew where she was and had in my possession a boxful of evidence were my only two remaining hole cards. Note: In five card `stud' poker, the `hole' card is the only card which is dealt to you face down so that the other players cannot see it.
See also: card, hole
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
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