cardsBrE /kɑːdz/ NAmE /kɑːrdz/► SEE ALLkeep/hold/play your cards close to your cheston the cardsput/lay your cards on the tableplay your cards righthave/hold (all) the acesa house of cardsthe cards/odds are stacked against sb/sththe cards/odds are stacked in favour of sb/sth ●keep/hold/play your cards ˌclose to your ˈchestnot tell others what you are intending to do（对意图）守口如瓶，秘而不宣◆He keeps his cards pretty close to his chest. I don’t know whether he plans to buy the house or not. 他捂着牌不亮，我不知道他是否准备买下那座房子。OPPshow/reveal your hand●on the ˈcards (BrE) (NAmEin the ˈcards) (informal) likely to happen可能发生；可能◆With a rail strike on the cards for next week, airline bookings have been high. 由于下周可能会发生铁路罢工，飞机票预订率非常高。●put/lay your ˈcards on the table (informal) talk honestly and openly about your thoughts and intentions, especially when these have been secret until now摊牌；（把想法或打算等）和盘托出◆It’s time I put my cards on the table; I can’t afford the price you’re asking. 我想现在该亮底了，我真的付不起你开的价。●play your ˈcards right (informal) deal successfully with a particular situation so that you achieve some advantage or sth that you want办事精明；做事有心计◆If you play your cards right you could get promotion in a year or two. 如果你办事得当，在一两年内应该会得到提升。●have/hold (all) the ˈaces ( hold all the ˈcards) be in a controlling position because you have certain advantages over another person握着（所有的）王牌；占有绝对优势◆The Labour Party candidate holds all the aces — he’s local and well liked.工党候选人占尽优势：他是本地人，而且深受公众喜爱。●a ˌhouse of ˈcardsa plan, an organization, etc., that is so badly arranged that it could easily fail不可靠的计划；摇摇欲坠的组织◆His plans collapsed like a house of cards when he was told he hadn’t won the scholarship.得知没有拿到奖学金，他的计划顿时化为泡影。●the cards/odds are stacked aˈgainst sb/sthit is not likely that sb/sth will succeed, because they/it will have many problems or difficulties情况对…不利；…处于困境◆The cards are stacked against this plan. The public are against it.情况对这项计划不利，公众反对该计划。●the cards/odds are stacked in ˈfavour of sb/sth (BrE) (NAmEthe cards/odds are stacked in ˈfavor of sb/sth) it is likely that sb/sth will succeed because the conditions are good or because sb/sth has an advantage情况对…有利；…处于有利境地◆The odds are heavily stacked in favour of Manchester United, who are having a very successful season and who will be playing in front of the home crowd.曼彻斯特联队处于有利境地，该队这一赛季一直表现优秀，而且又是在主场踢球。
