a hole card
hole card
1. In poker, a card dealt face down to a player. It is common in stud poker for the player to receive a number of hole cards.
2. A secret advantage. Just when everyone thought Randy was going to lose the competition, he used his hole card and pulled into first place.
See also: card, hole
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
a hole card
mainly AMERICANA hole card is an advantage that you keep secret until you are ready to use it. The fact that I knew where she was and had in my possession a boxful of evidence were my only two remaining hole cards. Note: In five card `stud' poker, the `hole' card is the only card which is dealt to you face down so that the other players cannot see it.
See also: card, hole
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- hole card
- order (one) off the field
- order off the field
- ante up
- ante up, to
- penalty box
- second string
- third string
- one and one
- a wild card