CARD


Meaning of CARD in English

/ kɑːd; NAmE kɑːrd/ noun , verb

■ noun

PAPER

1.

[ U ] ( BrE ) thick stiff paper :

a piece of card

The model of the building was made of card.

WITH INFORMATION

2.

[ C ] a small piece of stiff paper or plastic with information on it, especially information about sb's identity :

a membership card

an appointment card

—see also green card , identity card , loyalty card , red card , report card , yellow card

3.

[ C ] = business card :

Here's my card if you need to contact me again.

4.

[ C ] = visiting card

FOR MONEY

5.

[ C ] a small piece of plastic, especially one given by a bank or shop / store, used for buying things or obtaining money :

I put the meal on (= paid for it using) my card.

a phone card

—see also cash card , charge card , cheque card , chip card , credit card , smart card , swipe card

WITH A MESSAGE

6.

[ C ] a piece of stiff paper that is folded in the middle and has a picture on the front of it, used for sending sb a message with your good wishes, an invitation, etc. :

a birthday / get-well / good luck card

—see also Christmas card , greetings card

7.

[ C ] = postcard :

Did you get my card from Italy?

IN GAMES

8.

[ C ] = playing card :

Let's have a game of cards.

( BrE )

a pack of cards

( NAmE )

a deck of cards

—see also trump card , wild card

9.

cards [ pl. ] a game or games in which playing cards are used :

Who wants to play cards?

I've never been very good at cards.

She won £20 at cards.

COMPUTING

10.

[ C ] a small device containing an electronic circuit that is part of a computer or added to it, enabling it to perform particular functions :

a printed circuit card

a graphics / network / sound card

—see also expansion card

PERSON

11.

[ C ] ( old-fashioned , informal ) an unusual or amusing person

HORSE RACES

12.

[ C ] a list of all the races at a particular race meeting (= a series of horse races) :

a race card

FOR WOOL / COTTON

13.

[ C ] ( technical ) a machine or tool used for cleaning and combing wool or cotton before it is spun

IDIOMS

- sb's best / strongest / winning card

- get your cards

- give sb their cards

- have a card up your sleeve

- hold all the cards

- hold / keep / play your cards close to your chest

- lay / put your cards on the table

- on the cards

- play the ... card

- play your cards right

—more at show verb , stacked

■ verb [ vn ]

1.

( technical ) to clean wool using a wire instrument

2.

( NAmE , informal ) to ask a person to show their identity card as a means of checking how old they are, for example if they want to buy alcohol

••

WORD ORIGIN

noun senses 1 to 12 and verb sense 2 late Middle English (originally in sense 8 of the noun): from Old French carte , from Latin carta , charta , from Greek khartēs papyrus leaf.

noun sense 13 and verb sense 1 late Middle English : from Old French carde , from Provençal carda , from cardar tease, comb, based on Latin carere to card.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.