stack the cards (against someone or something)
stack the cards (against someone or something)
To make surreptitious arrangements that result in an unfair advantage over someone or something else. (Likened to fixing a deck of playing cards in one's favor during a card game.) Of course, simply by virtue of his being the boss's son, Jeremy has stacked the cards against the rest of us for an early promotion. The mega corporation has been accused of trying to stack the cards with billions of dollars spent putting political pressure on members of congress.
See also: card, someone, stack
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
stack the cards
If you stack the cards, you give someone or something an unfair advantage or disadvantage. The Government appears to have used the study in order to stack the cards in favour of a new runway at Heathrow. The current prime minister hates me! He stacks the cards against me. Note: A stacked deck of cards is one that has been altered before a game in order to give one player an advantage.
See also: card, stack
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- stack the cards
- steal a march
- steal a march on
- steal a march on (someone or something)
- steal a march on somebody
- steal a march over (someone or something)
- steal a march upon (someone or something)
- steal the march on (someone or something)
- steal the march over (someone or something)
- steal the march upon (someone or something)