card in

Idioms

Sign in to one's place of business by use of a magnetic card, as in I told him I'd card in for him if he was late tomorrow. Similarly, card out means to sign out of one's place of business, as in I want to sneak out early, so could you please card out for me at the end of the day? This term arose in the 1940s with the invention of automated check-in systems.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

card in

The cards shown on any pack-ripping app are, in theory, backed by an actual physical, authenticated copy of that card in storage.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026

Woolley said social media companies are the "wild card" in the influencer ecosystem.

From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2026

Paul will headline a card in Dubai on Christmas Eve, with several names understood to be in contention to be his opponent.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

This all brings me back to why I feel compelled to drop the card in the first place.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Abandoning the remaining condolences, Celia takes the card in hand and leaves the room, ascending a winding stair that leads to the upstairs parlor.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023