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.
2.
one of a set of thin pieces of cardboard with spots, figures, etc., used in playing various games; playing card.
3.
cards, (usually used with a singular verb)
a.
a game or games played with such a set.
b.
the playing of such a game: to win at cards.
c.
Casino. the winning of 27 cards or more.
d.
Whist. tricks won in excess of six.
4.
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.
5.
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 crew of shearers working in a particular woolshed.
c.
sheep about to be sheared.
18.
Obsolete. the edge, border, or side of anything.
–verb (used with object)
19.
to cover or close with boards (often fol. by up or over): to board up a house; to board over a well.
20.
to furnish with meals, or with meals and lodging, esp. for pay: They boarded him for $50 a week.
21.
to go on board of or enter (a ship, train, etc.).
22.
to allow on board: We will be boarding passengers in approximately ten minutes.
23.
to come up alongside (a ship), as to attack or to go on board: The pirate ship boarded the clipper.
24.
Obsolete. to approach; accost.
–verb (used without object)
25.
to take one's meals, or be supplied with food and lodging at a fixed price: Several of us board at the same rooming house.
26.
Ice Hockey. to hit an opposing player with a board check.
—Idioms
27.
across the board,
a.
Racing. betting on a horse or dog to finish first, second, or third, so that any result where a selection wins, places, or shows enables the bettor to collect.
b.
applying to or affecting every person, class, group, etc.
28.
go by the board,
a.
to go over the ship's side.
b.
to be destroyed, neglected, or forgotten: All his devoted labor went by the board.
29.
on board,
a.
on or in a ship, plane, or other vehicle: There were several movie stars on board traveling incognito.
b.
Baseball. on base: There were two men on board as the next batter came up.
c.
present and functioning as a member of a team or organization.
Origin: bef. 900; ME, OE bord board, table, shield; c. D boord board, bord plate, G Bort, ON borth, Goth -baurd
Related forms:
board⋅a⋅ble, adjective
boardlike, adjective
calling card
–noun
1.
Also called card, visiting card.a small card with the name and often the address of a person or of a couple, for presenting when making a business or social call, for enclosing in gifts, etc.
2.
Informal. any mark, sign, trace, characteristic, or the like by which someone or something can be recognized.
3.
Also called phone card.a prepaid card or charge card that can be used to make a telephone call at home or away from home.
A flat, usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, cardboard, or plastic, especially:
One of a set or pack bearing significant numbers, symbols, or figures, used in games and in divination.
A greeting card.
A post card.
One bearing a person's name and other information, used for purposes of identification or classification.
One bearing the image and often the statistics of a sports figure.
A business card.
A credit card.
A magnetic card.
One used for recording information in a file: an index card; a recipe card.
A game played with cards.
The playing of games with cards.
A menu, as in a restaurant.
A wine list.
A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.
A punch card.
Something, such as an advantageous circumstance or tactical maneuver, that can be used to help gain an objective. Often used with play:"[He believed that] Soviet Russia ... had far more Iranian cards to play than the United States"(Theodore Draper).
An appeal to a specified issue or argument, usually one involving strong emotions. Often used with play:"His exposure as a racist ... allowed the defense to play the race card"(New York Times).
cards(used with a sing. or pl. verb)Games
A game played with cards.
The playing of games with cards.
A menu, as in a restaurant.
A wine list.
A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.
A punch card.
Something, such as an advantageous circumstance or tactical maneuver, that can be used to help gain an objective. Often used with play:"[He believed that] Soviet Russia ... had far more Iranian cards to play than the United States"(Theodore Draper).
An appeal to a specified issue or argument, usually one involving strong emotions. Often used with play:"His exposure as a racist ... allowed the defense to play the race card"(New York Times).
A program, especially for a sports event.
A menu, as in a restaurant.
A wine list.
A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.
A punch card.
Something, such as an advantageous circumstance or tactical maneuver, that can be used to help gain an objective. Often used with play:"[He believed that] Soviet Russia ... had far more Iranian cards to play than the United States"(Theodore Draper).
An appeal to a specified issue or argument, usually one involving strong emotions. Often used with play:"His exposure as a racist ... allowed the defense to play the race card"(New York Times).
Computer Science
A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.
A punch card.
Something, such as an advantageous circumstance or tactical maneuver, that can be used to help gain an objective. Often used with play:"[He believed that] Soviet Russia ... had far more Iranian cards to play than the United States"(Theodore Draper).
An appeal to a specified issue or argument, usually one involving strong emotions. Often used with play:"His exposure as a racist ... allowed the defense to play the race card"(New York Times).
A compass card.
Informal An eccentrically amusing person.
Something, such as an advantageous circumstance or tactical maneuver, that can be used to help gain an objective. Often used with play:"[He believed that] Soviet Russia ... had far more Iranian cards to play than the United States"(Theodore Draper).
An appeal to a specified issue or argument, usually one involving strong emotions. Often used with play:"His exposure as a racist ... allowed the defense to play the race card"(New York Times).
tr.v.
card·ed, card·ing, cards
To furnish with or attach to a card.
To list (something) on a card; catalog.
To check the identification of, especially in order to verify legal age.
Sports To warn or eject (a soccer player who has committed a flagrant foul) by showing a yellow card or a red card.
Phrasal Verb(s): card inTo sign in, as at a place of business, by use of a magnetic card. card outTo sign out, as from a place of business, by use of a magnetic card.
Idiom(s):
card up (one's) sleeveA secret resource or plan held in reserve: a tough negotiator who had a number of cards up his sleeve.
Idiom(s):
in the cardsLikely or certain to happen: My promotion to a higher position just isn't in the cards.
Idiom(s):
put/lay (one's) cards on the tableTo make frank and clear revelation, as of one's motives or intentions.
[Middle English carde, from Old French carte, from Latin charta, paper made from papyrus, from Greek khartēs.]
card 2 (kärd) n.
A wire-toothed brush or a machine fitted with rows of wire teeth, used to disentangle fibers, as of wool, prior to spinning.
A device used to raise the nap on a fabric.
tr.v.
card·ed, card·ing, cards To comb out or brush with a card.
[Middle English carde, from Medieval Latin cardus, from Latin carduus, thistle.] card'er n.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History
card (v.)
"to comb wool," 1393, from O.Prov. carda, from cardar "to card," from V.L. *caritare, from L. carrere "to clean or comb with a card," from PIE base *kars- "to scrape."
board (2)
"side of ship," O.E. bord "border, rim, ship's side," from P.Gmc. *bordaz, perhaps from PIE *bhrtos "raised, made projecting." Connected to border (q.v.). See also starboard. Etymologically not related to board (1), but the two forms represented in Eng. by these words were more or less confused at an early date in most Gmc. languages, a situation made worse in Eng. because this Gmc. root was also adopted as M.L. bordus, I. and Sp. bordo, and Fr. bord, in which form it came over with the Normans. By now the senses are inextricably tangled.
[kahrd] 
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