Word
trump
US/ˈtɹəmp/
UK/tɹˈʌmp/
Definitions
01to be better than
v. to be more important, powerful, or successful than something else.
v. to surpass, outrank, or prove more decisive than a competing factor.
“In the end, safety concerns trumped the desire to finish the project quickly.”
“The environmental benefits of the new policy eventually trumped the initial economic concerns raised by the local manufacturing sector.”
02card games
n. in a card game, a suit or card that is higher and stronger than all the others.
n. a playing card of the suit chosen to rank above all others in a particular game.
“He won the final round because he still had one high trump left in his hand.”
“The player strategically held back his last trump, waiting for the opponent to lead with an Ace before seizing the trick.”
03a hidden advantage
n. something helpful that you keep secret until you need it to win.
n. a valuable resource or piece of information held in reserve to gain an advantage.
“The lawyer kept the new evidence as a trump card for the end of the trial.”
“The CEO played his final trump during the negotiations, revealing a patent that the rival company desperately needed.”
Informal
04a fart
n. a word for gas that comes out of your bottom.
n. an instance of flatulence. This sense is specific to British English and is generally considered childish or mild.
“The little boy let out a loud trump and then started laughing.”
“The schoolboy's accidental trump during the quiet assembly caused a ripple of suppressed giggles among his classmates.”
British English · Informal
Synonyms
05to fart
v. to release gas from your bottom.
v. to expel intestinal gas through the anus. Intransitive use.
“The dog trumped loudly while sleeping on the rug.”
“He tried to pretend he hadn't trumped, but the sudden smell in the lift made it obvious to everyone else.”
British English · Informal
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Believing that the power of art trumped laws, Simon resisted Belafonte’s recommendation.” “Rejecting a legal request for him to stay using family ties, a Swedish court ruled that immigration interests trumped human rights.” Etymology
Possibly from French triomphe (“triumph”) or Old French triumphe. If so, it is a doublet of triumph and thriambus. Compare German Trumpf.
From Middle English trumpe, trompe (“trumpet”), from Old French trompe (“horn, trump, trumpet”), from Frankish *trumpa (“trumpet”), from a common Germanic word of imitative origin. Doublet of tulumba and tromp. Akin to Old High German trumpa, trumba (“horn, trumpet”), Middle Dutch tromme (“drum”), Middle Low German trumme (“drum”). More at trumpet, drum.
Ellipsis of Jew's-trump, which may be from French jeu-trompe (literally “toy trumpet”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
put someone to their trumps — To put someone in a difficult situation.
trump up — To create falsely, to fabricate (particularly applied to accusations, (legal) charges or evidence).
turn up trumps — To end up being successful when doing so was uncertain or unlikely.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/trump