long suit

noun

1. Cards.

   1. the suit in which the most cards are held in a hand.

   2. (in bridge) a suit in which four or more cards are held in a hand.

2. the quality, activity, endeavor, etc., in which one excels.

   Diligence is his long suit.

long suit

noun

1. 1. the longest suit in a hand of cards

   2. a holding of four or more cards of a suit

2. informal,  an outstanding advantage, personal quality, or talent

Word History and Origins

Origin of long suit¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Idioms and Phrases

One's strong point or advantage, as in Organizing has never been Nancy's long suit. This expression alludes to whist, bridge, and other card games in which holding numerous cards in a single suit may convey a strong advantage. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Transparency about the building plan is not the museum’s long suit.

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I love trumping an opponent’s high card, I love establishing long suits, and I love putting others on tilt by talking about reduced Medicare benefits.

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Denim in the shape of long suit jackets and dropped-waist dresses with high halter necks, denim in A-line skirts torqued just ever so slightly askew.

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Rachel and Adah were assigned any number of hope-chest projects to work on, but the domestic arena was never my long suit, so I was to focus on a single, big project: a cross-stitch tablecloth.

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Finesse, needless to say, is not a Trump long suit.

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