put (one's) cards on the table

A flat, usually rectangular piece of stiff paper, cardboard, or plastic, especially:

1. One of a set or pack bearing significant numbers, symbols, or figures, used in games and in divination.

2. A greeting card.

3. A post card.

4. One bearing a person's name and other information, used for purposes of identification or classification.

5. One bearing the image and often the statistics of a sports figure.

6. A business card.

7. A credit card.

8. A magnetic card.

9. One used for recording information in a file: an index card; a recipe card.

10. A game played with cards.

11. The playing of games with cards.

12. A menu, as in a restaurant.

13. A wine list.

14. A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.

15. A punch card.

16. 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).

17. 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

1. A game played with cards.

2. The playing of games with cards.

3. A menu, as in a restaurant.

4. A wine list.

5. A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.

6. A punch card.

7. 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).

8. 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.

1. A menu, as in a restaurant.

2. A wine list.

3. A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.

4. A punch card.

5. 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).

6. 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

1. A circuit board, especially for use in a computer.

2. A punch card.

3. 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).

4. 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.

1. 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).

2. 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).

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.