I. ˈtrəmp noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English trumpe, trompe, from Old French trompe, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German trumpa, trumba trumpet, Old Norse trumba; probably of imitative origin like Middle High German trumme drum — more at drum
1.
a. : trumpet
b. chiefly Scotland : jew's harp
2. : a sound of or as if of trumpeting
would pick up this same shell … and wind a trump that was heard in the far corner of the field — S.H.Holbrook
roaring like the trump of judgment — H.L.Davis
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: alteration of triumph (I)
1.
a. : any of various cards and usually all the cards of a suit designated by chance or by an auction or declaration that if legally played will win over a card that is not of this suit
b. or trump suit : the suit whose cards are all trumps — often used in plural
c. : a card (as a heart or tarot) with a special function or value in a game (as hearts or tarok)
d. : trump card
2. : an old English card game that is a precursor of whist
3.
a. : an influential factor or final resource
kept a political trump up his sleeve — Economist
you put me to my trumps by asking me for additional matter … for I considered myself exhausted on that score long ago — Harper's
b. : a dependable and exemplary individual : crackerjack , peach
my father came out a trump … he offered to pay for the furniture — H.J.Laski
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to take with a trump
trump a trick
2. : to get the better of : outdo , top
giving the young men spades in years and effortlessly trumping them with Old World charm — R.L.Shayon
intransitive verb
1. : to play a trump
2. : to take a trick with a trump