house of cards

noun

1. a structure or plan that is insubstantial and subject to imminent collapse, as a structure made by balancing playing cards against each other:

   The scheme is so overly complicated that it's likely to prove to be just another house of cards.

house of cards

noun

1. a tiered structure created by balancing playing cards on their edges
2. an unstable situation, plan, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of house of cards¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Idioms and Phrases

A weak and fragile structure, plan, or organization, as in Her scheme to reorganize the school sounds like another house of cards , or Jerry built his entire business on what turned out to be a house of cards . This metaphoric expression alludes to the structure made by balancing playing cards against one another. [First half of 1600s]

Example Sentences

It is a little  house-of-cards cube whose four sides are lead plates, three inches by three, that each weigh one quarter pound.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• chiffon
• decrepit
• feeble
• insubstantial
• rickety
• shaky
• tacky