CARDS, GENERAL
ADJECTIVES
► ABOVE-BOARD in cards: with one’s cards visible above the level of the playing table, so as to avoid suspicion of cheating → 1594 obs.
► BAFF of cards: valueless, worthless; not a trump → 1898 Sc. (Bk.)
► BEHIND THE LOG of a betting style in poker: conservative, even when winning → 1971 US sl.
► FUNNY of playing cards: tampered with → 20C sl.
► ICED of a pack of cards: stacked or marked → 1925 US sl.
► IN partaking in a game of cards or pool → 20C sl.
► LOCKERED of playing cards: in disorder → 1824 Eng. dial.
► SICK in card-playing: without trumps → c1870 Aust. sl.
NOUNS
► A in cards: an ace → 1988 US sl.
► ACT the disguise and staged personality assumed by an expert card counter playing blackjack in a casino in the hope of avoiding detection and ejection → 1991 US sl.
► ALIEN CARD a card not belonging to the deck in play → 20C sl.
► ANTE an amount of money that must be contributed before playing certain card games such as poker → 1814 orig US
► BABBY-CARDS picture or court cards → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BABY in cards: a jack → 19C sl.
► BASTON in cards: a club → 1593 obs.
► BATCH a deck of cards → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BEGGAR applied to the small cards 2 to 10→ 1888 (Bk.)
► BEST BOWER in cards: the joker → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► BIG ONE in cards: the joker → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► BITCH in cards; a queen → 1904 Amer. students’ sl. (Bk.)
► BLACKJACK the ace of spades → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► BLISTER a bump placed on a playing card by pressing it against a small sharp object; used by card cheats to identify the value of the card → 1991 US sl.
► BOARDS playing cards; a deck of playing cards → 1975 US sl. (Bk.)
► BOOK OF FOUR KINGS a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► BROADS playing cards → 1812 sl.
► BULL-DOG in cards: a king → 1904 Amer. students’ sl. (Bk.)
► BULLET in cards: an ace → 1904 students’ sl. (Bk.)
► BUM-CARD a marked playing card, used to enable a player to cheat or to facilitate conjuring tricks → 1555 obs.
► BUNCH a deck of cards → 1563 obs.
► BUTTON a small rubber suction-cap to make a card stick to the underside of a table → 1926 criminals’ sl.
► C in cards: clubs → 20C
► CALAMITY JANE in cards: the queen of spades → 1968 US sl.
► CALIFORNIA BIBLE a deck of cards → M19 US sl.
► CALIFORNIAN PRAYERBOOK ► CALIFORNIA PRAYERBOOK a deck of cards, esp. as used during the ‘gold rush’ days in California → 1851 Amer. dial. jocular usage
► CARTE a playing-card → 1497 Sc.
► CARTING card-playing → 1535 Sc. obs.
► CHEATERS marked cards → 1968 Amer. dial.
► CHEATS marked cards → 20C Amer. sl.
► CHILD’S BEST GUIDE TO THE GALLOWS ► CHILD’S GUIDE TO THE GALLOWS a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► COLD DECK a stacked deck of cards → 1857 US sl.
► COLDSTREAM GUARDS ► COLDSTREAMS playing cards → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► COURT CARD a playing card that is a king, queen, or jack of a suit → 1606 chiefly Brit.
► COWBOY a king in a pack of playing cards, esp. in the game of poker → 1951 sl.
► CURSE OF SCOTLAND in cards: the nine of diamonds → 1715
► CUTOR in cards: the joker → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DAME in cards; a queen → 1996 US sl.
► DARBS playing cards → L19 sl.
► DAUB a spot of grease used to mark a card → 1960s sl.
► DEAD in card games: cards that have been discarded → 1973 US sl.
► DEVIL’S BEDSTEAD ► DEVIL’S POST in cards: the four of clubs → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► DEVIL’S BIBLE a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEVIL’S BOOK a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEVIL’S BOOKS playing cards → 1790 Sc.
► DEVIL’S PAINTED BOOKS playing cards → 1812 Sc.
► DEVIL’S PASTEBOARDS playing cards → 1986 Amer. dial.
► DEVIL’S PICTURE BOOK a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DEVIL’S PICTURE BOOKS playing cards → 1786 Sc.
► DEVIL’S PICTURES playing cards → 1930 Amer. dial.
► DEVIL’S PLAY BOOK a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► DIGGUMS in cards: the suit of spades → L19 gamesters’ sl.
► DISBAND a discarded playing card → 1970 Amer. dial.
► DUCK in cards: a two → 1988 US sl.
► DUKE high cards cut wedge-shape, a little wider than the rest, so as to be easily drawn in a crooked game → 1967 US sl.
► EAR a bent corner used by a cheat to identify the card → 1950 US sl.
► EARL OF CORK in cards: the ace of diamonds → M19 Anglo-Irish
► FACING the act of turning a card face upwards → 1674
► FUZZY in cards: the joker → 1988 US sl.
► GADGET any cheating device used in a card game → 1988 US sl.
► GAFF a ring worn on the forefinger of the dealer, and used in order to deal specific cards to this or that person → c1830 US card-sharpers’ sl.
► GIRL the queen of playing cards → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► GOLD RING in cards: a king → 1992 UK rhyming sl.
► GOLDEN GLOW a luminous daub used by card cheats to mark cards → 1988 US sl.
► GRACE-CARD in cards: the six of hearts → 1913 Irish sl. (Bk.)
► GREEK SHUFFLE in card trickery: a cut of the deck that leaves the cards in the same order as before the cut → 2003 US sl.
► GREEKERY cheating, card-sharping → 1823
► HARRYS ► KING HARRYS playing cards of the second quality → 1842
► HIGHLAND FLING in cards: a king → 1960s rhyming sl.
► HISTORY OF THE FOUR KINGS, THE a deck of cards → 1903 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► HOLDOUT a playing card sneakily kept from the deck by the dealer → 1894 US gambling sl.
► JACK OF OAKS in cards: the jack of clubs → 1888 Eng. dial.
► JESTER in cards: the joker → 1896 sl. (Bk.)
► JUICE in cards: a two → 1951 US sl.
► KING’S BOOKS a deck of cards → M17 sl.
► LADDIE in cards: a jack → c1988 US sl.
► LADY in cards; a queen → 1900 US sl.
► LITTLE CASINO in cards: the two of spades → 1988 US sl.
► LONGS AND BROADS cards → 1823 Brit. sl.
► LONGS AND SHORTS cards manufactured so that all above the eight are a trifle longer than those below it → c1860 cardsharpers’ sl.
► MADAM in cards; a queen → 1988 US sl.
► MAGGIE in cards: the ace or queen of hearts → 20C Irish sl.
► MECHANIC’S GRIP in card trickery: a method of holding the deck that favours cheating → 2003 US sl.
► MICK in cards; a queen → 1910s Aust. sl.
► MITT a hand of cards → 1896 US sl.
► MOP-SQUEEZER in cards; a queen → 1949 US sl.
► MOSSYFACE ► OLD MOSSYFACE in cards: the ace of spades → L19 Brit. sl.
► MULLIGANS playing cards → 20C Aust. sl.
► MUNSIE the knave of a suit in a set of playing cards → 1819 Sc.
► NAB ► NABE in cards: the joker → 1990s Irish sl.
► NAG a queen in cards → 1987 US sl.
► NAILER, THE in cards: the joker → L19 Anglo-Irish
► NED STOKES in cards: the four of spades → 1791 Eng. dial.
► NEWSPAPER marked playing cards → 1908 US sl.
► NUTS, THE an unbeatable hand → 1917 US sl.
► OAK ► OAKS in cards: the suit of clubs → 1825 Eng. dial.
► OAK-WUCK 1. an exciting venture at cards or betting → 1873 Eng. dial.
2. in cards: a club → 1873 Eng. dial.
► OIL WELL in cards: an ace → 1988 US sl.
► OLD FRIZZLE in cards: the ace of spades → 18C sl.
► OLD GENT a card that is slightly longer than the rest of the pack and thus identifiable by cheats → 1935 US gambling sl.
► OLD GENTLEMAN a card that is slightly wider than the rest of the pack and thus identifiable by cheats → 1828 card-sharpers’ sl.
► OLD GENTLEMAN’S BED-POSTS the four of clubs, considered an unlucky card → 1873 sl.
► OLD GENTLEMAN’S FOUR-POSTER the four of clubs, considered an unlucky card → 1873 sl.
► OLD LADY a card that is slightly wider than the rest of the pack and thus identifiable by cheats → 1828 card-sharpers’ sl.
► OLD MAN in cards: the King → 1887 sl.
► OLD NICK in cards: the joker → L19 Anglo-Irish
► OLD RUFFLER in cards: the ace of spades → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► OLD SOL a card game for one player → 1966 Amer. dial.
► OLD WOMAN in cards; a queen → 1878 US sl.
► ONE-EYE in a deck of playing cards: a face card drawn in profile, the jack of hearts, the jack of spades, or the king of diamonds → 1967 US sl.
► ORANGE JUICE in cards: a two → 1983 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘deuce’
► PACKET a small pile or set of cards → 1887
► PADDY’S POKE a cut made to a deck of cards by pushing out the middle section with a finger and placing those cards on top → 20C Aust. sl.
► PAINT playing cards, usually the royal cards; a face card or a ten → 1929 US tramps’ sl.
► PAINTED MISCHIEF playing cards → 1879 sl.
► PAIR OF CARDS a deck of cards → 1530 obs.
► PALM in cards: a jack → 1824 Sc.
► PALM SHINER an object that reflects the image of cards, small enough to be held in the user’s hand → 1997 US gambling sl.
► PAM in cards: the jack of clubs → 1685
► PAMPHIE in cards: the jack of clubs → 1825 Sc.
► PAPER 1. playing cards → M19 US sl.
2. marked cards for sharpers → 1894 US sl.
► PAPERWORK any alteration of playing cards as part of a cheating scheme → 1962 US sl.
► PAWMIE in cards: the jack of clubs → 1825 Sc.
► PIG’S EYE the ace of diamonds → 1864 sl.
► POWER HOUSE a good hand at cards → 1934 students’ sl. (Bk.)
► PRAYER BOOK a deck of cards → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► PUGGY a kitty in a card game → 1985 Sc. sl.
► PUPPY PAWS the suit of clubs → 1968 Amer. dial.
► PUPPYFOOT the ace of clubs in a deck of playing cards → 1907 Amer. dial.
► Q in cards; a queen → 1991 US sl.
► QUEEN BESS in cards: the queen of clubs → 1791 Eng. dial.
► RAG a low playing card in a suit → 1930s NZ sl.
► RAILROAD BIBLE a deck of cards → L19 US sl.
► READER a marked card → L19 sl.
► READERS a crooked deck of cards that a cheat can read from the backs → L19 gambling sl.
► RENEAGUE a refusal to follow suit at a game of cards → 1904 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SANDPAPER playing cards that have been altered for cheating by a minute sanding of the edges → 1962 US sl.
► SCADDIN the smallest or least valuable playing-cards in a game → 1921 Sc.
► SIGHTER in card-sharping: a minute dot on a card → 1894 criminals’ sl.
► SIMPLE SIMON in cards: a diamond → 1910s sl.
► SINGLE-TEN in cards: the ten of a card-suit → 1829
► SLICK ACE a card in a crooked deck → 1920s US criminals’ sl.
► SLIPPERY ANNE in cards: the queen of spades → 1950 US sl.
► STRIPPERS a deck of fraudulent playing cards from which narrow strips have been trimmed off certain cards; a marked deck → 1887 US gambling sl.
► TAKE a trick at cards → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TALON the remainder of the pack after the hands have been dealt → 1891
► THIRTEEN in cards: any king → 1996 US sl.
► THREE-SPOT a playing card, an upward face of a die, or a domino half bearing three pips → 1960s
► TRICK a round of cards → 20C US, Civil War usage
► TYPEWRITER the queen in cards → 1897 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► VALET in cards: a jack → 1988 US sl.
► VARLET in cards: a jack → 1508 obs.
► VICAR OF BRAY in cards: a three → 20C rhyming sl. for ‘tray’
► WARP a bent card used by a card cheat to identify the value of the card → 1996 US sl.
► WASH to shuffle a deck of cards → 1965 US sl.
► WHORE in a deck of playing cards: a queen → 1967 US sl.
► WHORE HOUSE CUT cutting a deck of cards by removing a section from the middle of the deck and moving it to the top or bottom → 1951 US sl.
► WIDOW in cardplaying: a spare hand dealt in certain card games → 1891 sl.
► WIGWAM in a deck of cards: an ace → 1988 US sl.
► WILD ONE in cards: the joker → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► WINDOW in card games: the card at the end of a player’s hand → 1967 US sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
► AGE in cards: the player to the dealer’s immediate left, who receives cards first → 19C sl.
► ALONE PLAYER a card cheat who works alone → 1961 US sl.
► BAND-HOUSE PLAYER a bad card-player → 1997 Irish sl. (Bk.)
► BASE DEALER a person who deals from the bottom of a deck of cards → 1992 gambling sl. (Bk.)
► BASEMENT DEALER a cheating gambler who deals from the bottom of the deck → 1997 gambling cheats’ sl. (Bk.)
► BEARER-UP a decoy-duck at cards who induces strangers to play with sharpers by persuasion or by seeing him win → 1873 UK sl.
► BEATER a person who lures a victim into a crooked game of cards or dice → 1592 UK criminals’ sl.
► BEAU-TRAP a card-sharp; a well-dressed sharper on the lookout for raw country visitors and the like → a1674 sl.
► BIDDER in cards: a person who makes a bid → 1880
► BIG MITT MAN a cheater at cards → 1936 gambling sl.
► BISMARCKER ► BISMARQUER a cheat at cards or billiards → c1866
► BITER a card-sharp → 1674 UK sl.
► BLACKLEG a cheat at cards or billiards → 1891 sl. (Bk.)
► CAPPER in cards: a person who makes false bids in order to encourage a genuine player → 1871 Amer. thieves’ sl.
► CARD MECHANIC a card-sharp; a person who is skilled at manipulating playing cards → 1906 US sl.
► CARDER a card player → c1530 obs.
► CARTER a card player → 1566 Sc. obs.
► CELLAR DEALER a card cheat who deals from the bottom of a deck → 1988 US sl.
► COLD DECKER a person who uses a stacked deck of cards; a cheat → 1920 Amer. dial.
► DUKE PLAYER a person who cheats at cards or checkers → 1937 US criminals’ sl.
► ELDER HAND in cards: the first player → 1589
► FAKIR a street card-sharp → 1900s sl.
► GAMBLER a cheating card-player or dice-player → 1796 sl.
► GENTLEMAN OF THE GREEN BAIZE ROAD a card-sharp → 1889 UK sl.
► HAND MUCKER a cheater at playing cards, who reaches into his own supply of good and bad cards during a game → 1979 US gambling sl.
► HAND in cards: the person holding the cards; the player holding a particular hand → 1589
► HEAVY a big-money card player → 1938 US gambling sl.
► MAGSMAN a card-sharp or other cheating gamester → M19 sl.
► MITT MAN a cheat who switches cards → 1997 US sl.
► MUCKER a person who uses sleigh-of-hand to cheat at cards → 1996 US sl.
► NAIL NICKER a cheat who marks cards by nicking them with his fingernails → 1997 US sl.
► NEEDLE-POINT a card-sharp or dice cheat → 1725 US sl. (Bk.)
► NEEDLE-POINTER a card-sharp → 1698 US sl.
► NICKUM a card sharp or dice fraud → 1698 sl.
► NIP a cardsharp, a cheat → 1698 sl.
► NUMBER TWO MAN a skilled card cheat adept at dealing the second card instead of the top card in a deck → 1979 US sl.
► OPERATOR a card-sharp; a cheat at cards → 1731 obs.
► PAINTER a card cheat who marks cards for identification in another player’s hand → 1993 US sl.
► PHILOSOPHER a card cheat → 1967 US sl.
► SHARP a fraudulent card player or other gambler → 1797 colloq.
► SHARPER a fraudulent card player; a person who habitually cheats, swindles, or tricks another → 1681 colloq.
► SHARPSTER a person who habitually cheats at card games; one who swindles or tricks another → 1942
► SITTER in cards: a person who actually takes part in a game, as distinct from one who stands by and bets on it → 1748 obs.
► SITTER-IN a participant in a card game → 1913
► SPIELER a card-sharp, a gambler, a professional swindler → 1859 sl., orig. US
► TAME-CHEATER a professional card-sharper; a card cheat → 1890 criminals’ sl. obs.
► TOWN SHIFT a card-sharp; a scoundrel → M17 sl.
► TUG a fraudulent card player or other gambler → 1896 Aust. sl.
► WHEADLE a card-sharp, a trickster, a swindler → 1675 criminals’ sl.
► WORKMAN a card-sharp → M19 sl.
► YOUNGER HAND in cards: the second player in a two-handed game → 1744
► YOUNGEST HAND in cards: the last player, or the last except the dealer → 1674
PHRASES
► BACKED AND BREASTED said of one who has lost heavily at cards → 1912 Sc.
► HAVE HEADS ON THEM LIKE BOILS ► HAVE HEADS ON THEM LIKE MICE of a hand at cards: to be strong → 1940s Aust. sl.
VERBS
► ADVERTISE to make a bluff with the intention of being exposed → 20C sl.
► BAIT to make a bluff with the intention of being exposed for later strategic advantage → 20C sl.
► BIFF to take or win a card or trick in a card game, or a checker, or chess piece → 1975 US sl. (Bk.)
► BOX to make a blunder; to mix something up; to shuffle cards → 1920 Aust. & NZ sl.
► BUCK THE TIGER to play cards; to gamble → 1851 US sl.
► CRANK to deal the cards → 1988 US sl.
► DEBONE 1968 to bend a playing card so that it can be identified later in another player’s hand → US sl.
► DECORATE THE POT to put money in the pot → 1967 Amer. jocular usage
► DISBAND to discard a playing card → 1970 Amer. dial.
► FAINAIGUE ► FINAGUE to revoke at cards → 1888 Eng. dial.
► FAKE THE BROADS ► WORK THE BROADS to ‘stack’ the cards; to cheat, to work a three-card trick → c1840 criminals’ sl.
► FAT UP to increase a stake at cards → 1893 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► FIGHT THE TIGER to play cards; to play against a gambling establishment, esp. at faro; to gamble → 1837 Amer. dial.
► FLUNK to fold one’s cards → M19 US sl.
► FUZZ to shuffle a deck of playing cards by simultaneously drawing cards from the bottom and top of the deck → 1753 sl.
► GREEK to cheat at cards → 1817 sl.
► HEAVE to play a card → 1902 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► KIBITZ to comment while others play a game → 1927 US sl.
► LAKE IN to lead, to begin a game of cards → 1902 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► LIFT to raise the bet of (someone) → 1859 Amer. sl.
► MAKE to shuffle cards → 1876
► MITT SOMEONE IN to inveigle someone into a cheating card-game → 1900s US criminals’ sl.
► MUSHLE to shuffle cards → 1952 Amer. dial.
► NIG ► RE-NIG to revoke at cards → 1902 Amer sl. (Bk.)
► PACK CARDS ► PACK THE CARDS ► PUT UP THE CARDS ► STOCK THE CARDS to arrange or shuffle cards so as to cheat or secure a fraudulent advantage → 1599
► PALM to conceal in the palm of the hand, as in cheating at cards or dice → 1673
► PART to cut at cards → 1892 Eng. dial.
► PAUCHLE to shuffle cards → 1930 Sc.
► RAKE A GAME to charge card players for the privilege of playing → 1977 US sl.
► RAMJOLLOCK to shuffle cards → 19C Eng. dial.
► RENEAGUE to refuse to follow suit at a game of cards → 1891 Eng. dial.
► RING IN 1. to add to, or substitute, cards in a pack surreptitiously → 1903 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
2. to win at cards → 1903 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► RING IN A COLD DECK to substitute a prepared pack of cards → 1887 sl.
► SAND to mark the edges of playing cards with sandpaper or another abrasive for the purpose of cheating → 1979 US sl.
► SHARP to cheat, swindle or trick a person at cards → L17 colloq.
► SHELL OUT to take an opponent’s money when playing cards or dice → 1923 UK sl.
► SNAKE to cheat at cards → a1861
► SPUD to play cards for a small amount of money → 1920s African-American sl.
Lexicophilia 