gambit

[gam-bit]

noun

1. Chess.,  an opening in which a player seeks to obtain some advantage by sacrificing a pawn or piece.

2. any maneuver by which one seeks to gain an advantage.

   Synonyms: ruse, scheme, stratagem, ploy

3. a remark made to open or redirect a conversation.

gambit

/ ˈɡæmbɪt /

noun

1. chess an opening move in which a chessman, usually a pawn, is sacrificed to secure an advantageous position

2. an opening comment, manoeuvre, etc, intended to secure an advantage or promote a point of view

Word History and Origins

Origin of gambit¹

1650–60; < French < Spanish gambito or Italian gambetto (akin to Old French gambet, jambet ), equivalent to gamb ( a ) leg + -etta -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of gambit¹

C17: from French, from Italian gambetto a tripping up, from gamba leg

Example Sentences

Democrats’ gambit to tie an agreement to end the federal government shutdown to an extension of the subsidies could now scramble those expectations.

Read more on Barron's

Portraying yourself as a fresh start is a crucial part of any aspiring presidential candidate’s opening gambit.

Read more on Salon

A dominant Silicon Valley model is to move fast and break things; the entirety of the “Alien” franchise demonstrates how little potential human cost factors into such gambits.

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Texas Republicans and California Democrats are both banking on Latinos to be the swing votes that make their gambits successful.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The timing of Habit’s latest marketing gambit coincides with In-N-Out’s continued decline in the annual USA Today rankings.

Read more on Los Angeles Times