# hand someone their cards

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hand-someone-their-cards
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To dismiss someone from employment; to fire or make redundant.

## Examples

- The manager had to hand him his cards after the store closed.
- After the company lost its biggest client, the boss had to hand several employees their cards.
- The sudden downturn in the market forced the board to hand their cards to the entire marketing department without prior warning.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.