card

[ kahrd ]

/ kɑrd /

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noun

a usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, thin pasteboard, or plastic for various uses, as to write information on or printed as a means of identifying the holder: a 3″ × 5″ file card; a membership card.

one of a set of thin pieces of cardboard with spots, figures, etc., used in playing various games; playing card.

cards, (usually used with a singular verb)

a game or games played with such a set.
the playing of such a game: to win at cards.
Casino. the winning of 27 cards or more.
Whist. tricks won in excess of six.

Also called greeting card . a piece of paper or thin cardboard, usually folded, printed with a message of holiday greeting, congratulations, or other sentiment, often with an illustration or decorations, for mailing to a person on an appropriate occasion.

something useful in attaining an objective, as a course of action or position of strength, comparable to a high card held in a game: If negotiation fails, we still have another card to play.

a specified topic that elicits strong reactions, brought up as part of a strategic move to gain an advantage: She was accused of playing the gender card when her male boss passed her over for promotion.He pulled the race card by branding his Muslim opponent as radical.

postcard.

calling card (def. 1).

Commerce.

a program of the events at races, boxing matches, etc.

scorecard.

a menu or wine list.

compass card.

Computers.

trading card.

Informal.

a person who is amusing or facetious.
any person, especially one with some indicated characteristic: a queer card.

verb (used with object)

to provide with a card.

to fasten on a card.

to write, list, etc., on cards.

Slang. to examine the identity card or papers of: The bartender was carding all youthful customers to be sure they were of legal drinking age.

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Idioms about card

in / on the cards, impending or likely; probable: A reorganization is in the cards.

play one's cards right, to act cleverly, sensibly, or cautiously: If you play your cards right, you may get mentioned in her will.

put one's cards on the table, to be completely straightforward and open; conceal nothing: He always believed in putting his cards on the table.

Origin of card

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English carde, unexplained variant of Old French carte carte

Other definitions for card (2 of 3)

card²

[ kahrd ]

/ kɑrd /

noun Also called carding machine .

a machine for combing and paralleling fibers of cotton, flax, wool, etc., prior to spinning to remove short, undesirable fibers and produce a sliver.

a similar implement for raising the nap on cloth.

verb (used with object)

to dress (wool or the like) with a card.

Origin of card

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English card(e), from Middle French: literally, “teasel head,” from Late Latin cardus “teasel,” from Latin carduus “thistle”

OTHER WORDS FROM card

carder, noun

Other definitions for card (3 of 3)

Card.

abbreviation

Cardinal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use card in a sentence

Police say they eventually identified Erasquin through cellphone, credit card, Uber and PayPal records showing he had communicated with the girls, sent them cash and bought them first-class plane tickets, expensive cameras and luxury handbags.
Matthew Erasquin, Arlington lawyer, accused of paying underage girls for sex|Rachel Weiner|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
While CB Insights notes the online banks are benefiting from tailwinds in the form of increased online commerce and a bounce back in debit card spending, it’s an open question if there are enough debit swipes to go around.
‘Challenger banks’ are on track for a record year even as business model remains uncertain|Jeff|November 18, 2020|Fortune
Maybe you need to pay off a few credit cards and get your credit score up a few points.
At home during COVID|Joseph Hudson|November 13, 2020|Washington Blade
Policy-makers use these statistics when they decide on stimulus packages to help people and businesses during a recession and interest rates that affect how much interest we pay on our credit cards and mortgages.
In defense of pollsters|jakemeth|November 13, 2020|Fortune

From card games to planners to jewelry, this season there’s no need to shorten your accessibility to grabbing a gift.
12 Trendy Gifts Your Friends Will Love This Season|Nandi Howard|November 11, 2020|Essence.com
Carded wool becomes woolen goods; combed wool, worsted goods.
A Civic Biology|George William Hunter
When they had spun the flax and carded it, the little mouse wove a beautiful piece of fine linen.
Mighty Mikko|Parker Fillmore
This wool was scoured, carded, spun by the family in the farmhouse, and then woven into cloth for the winter's wear.
American Inventions and Inventors|William A. Mowry
For her soul was white like to thrice-carded wool, and so his soul was red with all that was of courage or knightly pride.
The Story of the Champions of the Round Table|Howard Pyle
The warp and filling are made of carded wool so that the web (cloth) will shrink or full evenly.
Textiles|William H. Dooley

British Dictionary definitions for card (1 of 3)

card¹

/ (kɑːd) /

noun

a piece of stiff paper or thin cardboard, usually rectangular, with varied uses, as for filing information in an index, bearing a written notice for display, entering scores in a game, etc

such a card used for identification, reference, proof of membership, etclibrary card; identity card; visiting card

such a card used for sending greetings, messages, or invitations, often bearing an illustration, printed greetings, etcChristmas card; birthday card

one of a set of small pieces of cardboard, variously marked with significant figures, symbols, etc, used for playing games or for fortune-telling

short for playing card
(as modifier)a card game
(in combination)cardsharp

informal a witty, entertaining, or eccentric person

short for cheque card, credit card

See compass card

Also called: race card horse racing a daily programme of all the races at a meeting, listing the runners, riders, weights to be carried, distances to be run, and conditions of each race

a thing or action used in order to gain an advantage, esp one that is concealed and kept in reserve until needed (esp in the phrase a card up one's sleeve)

short for printed circuit cardSee printed circuit board

Word Origin for card

C15: from Old French carte, from Latin charta leaf of papyrus, from Greek khartēs, probably of Egyptian origin

British Dictionary definitions for card (2 of 3)

card²

/ (kɑːd) /

verb

(tr) to comb out and clean fibres of wool or cotton before spinning

noun

(formerly) a machine or comblike tool for carding fabrics or for raising the nap on cloth

Derived forms of card

carding, nouncarder, noun

Word Origin for card

C15: from Old French carde card, teasel, from Latin carduus thistle

British Dictionary definitions for card (3 of 3)

Card.

abbreviation for

Cardinal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with card

card

In addition to the idioms beginning with card

card in
cards are stacked against
card up one's sleeve

also see:

hold all the aces (the trump card)
house of cards
in the cards
lay one's cards on the table
play one's cards close to one's chest

play one's cards righttrump cardwild card.

card

Idioms about card

Origin of card

Other definitions for card (2 of 3)

Origin of card

OTHER WORDS FROM card

Other definitions for card (3 of 3)

Words related to card

How to use card in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for card (1 of 3)

Word Origin for card

British Dictionary definitions for card (2 of 3)

Derived forms of card

Word Origin for card

British Dictionary definitions for card (3 of 3)

Other Idioms and Phrases with card