hold all the aces
hold all the aces
Meaning
- be in a winning position.
- to have a significant advantage over opponents in a competition, contest, etc.
- to have all the advantages over your rivals or opponents, who are in a weak position.
Example Sentences
- Agriculture-wise, the Green Revolution holds all the aces.
- The boxer in the red shorts holds all the aces, being so much younger and in such good shape.
- The Houston Texans hold all the aces, playing in their home stadium and having no players on the injured list.
- In the battle between chemical manufacturers and environmentalists, the activists seem to hold all the aces.
Origin
The idiom “holding all the aces” became a metaphor used by writers and the general public. This happens when a phrase is found to be useful, clever, and/or interesting enough to eventually become part of the common vernacular. These phrases become a fixed part of the English language.
This phrase originated from card playing. Many idioms originated from playing cards and the gamblers who played those cards. As a matter of fact, “holding all the aces” was first published in a book titled “The Gambler” by Fyoder Dustoeveski.
However, it was Edmond Hoyle, a British writer from London, England, who wrote a treatise about card games such as whist and its various versions, explaining strategy and how the various versions differed. His book of strategy and rule variations was updated by several other writers. Hoyle became the go-to authority whenever card game strategy came up.
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