card

card

card¹ [kärd]

n.

[ME carde < OFr carte < ML carta, card, paper < L charta, leaf of paper, tablet < Gr chartēs, layer of papyrus; prob. < Egypt]

1. a flat, stiff piece of thick paper or thin pasteboard, usually rectangular, as

a) any of a pack of small, specially marked cards used in playing various games; specif., any of a pack of PLAYING CARDS: see also CARDS

b) COMPASS CARD

☆ c) a pasteboard with a number of small articles attached for sale [a card of thumbtacks]

d) POSTCARD

e) CALLING CARD

f) a card identifying a person as an agent, member, patron, etc.

g) CREDIT CARD

h) an illustrated or decorated card bearing a message or greeting for some occasion [a birthday card]

i) a card to advertise or announce an event, product, etc. [a window card]

j) any of a series of cards on which information is recorded [file card, index card ]

☆ k) SCORE CARD (sense 1)

☆ 2. a series of contests making up a program, esp. in boxing

3. an event or attraction as described in a printed program [drawing card]

4. Electronics

a) a PUNCH CARD or a card with a strip encoded magnetically

b) a printed circuit board that plugs into a main circuit board

5. Informal a witty, comical, or clowning person

6. Informal a diplomatic maneuver or a force or resource that can be used to help achieve a goal

vt.

1. to provide with a card

2. to put on a card

3. to list on cards for filing, cataloging, etc.

4. to make as a score in golf

5. Slang to ask (a young person) for identification, as an ID card, as to establish proof of legal age to drink alcohol

adj.

of or involving PLAYING CARDS [a card trick]

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card up one's sleeve

a plan or resource kept secret or held in reserve

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☆ in the cards Brit. or on the cards

likely or seemingly destined to happen: from the use of cards in fortunetelling: also Brit. on the cards

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put one's cards on the table or lay one's cards on the table

to reveal frankly one's intentions, schemes, resources, etc.

card² [kärd]

n.

[ME & OFr carde < OProv carda < cardar, to card < VL * caritare < L carrere, to card < IE base * kars-, to scrape; sp. infl. by assoc. with ML cardus, a card, thistle < L carduus, thistle, of same orig.]

1. a wire brush for raising the nap on cloth

2. a machine with rollers covered with metal spikes, used to brush, clean, and disentangle the short fibers of wool, cotton, flax, etc.

3. a hand-held implement for this, with short, fine spikes set in leather with a stiff backing

vt.

to use a card on (fibers) in preparation for spinning

carder

n.

carding

n., adj.