card up sleeve
have a card up sleeve
Meaning
- to have a secret advantage that is suddenly revealed to change the game
- a hidden resource
Example Sentences
- He did not just leave his house. He had a card up his sleeve that he did not even reveal to his family, which was his new flat in a posh locality.
- The competition should always be checked for cards up their sleeves when you can.
- The card up her sleeve was her only son, now that he is all grown up, her life has become extremely luxurious.
- Brexit may seem like a poor decision to the rest of the world but England is always known to have a card up its sleeve in such matters.
- Before coming to a conclusion please check the card up his sleeve. You will know that he always had a back-up plan and did not trust you so much.
- The lawyer who is good, always keeps one card up his sleeve to ensure that he wins the case.
- Before he make a decision, let's see if the rivals have another card up their sleeve.
Origin
Seemingly obvious, this phrase originates from the world of cards and especially poker where having a secret resource could be a winning factor. The literary origin of this phrase cannot be traced accurately.