# play all one's cards

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/play-all-ones-cards
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To use all one's resources.

## Examples

- I have to play all my cards to win this game.
- The company played all its cards to finish the project before the deadline.
- Faced with an impossible situation, the negotiator played all his cards in a final attempt to reach a peaceful agreement.

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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.