trump

[tɹʌmp]

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An election trump means something that gives someone an advantage or makes their choice more popular. Think of it like having a special card that you can play to win at cards.

The word "trump" has a few different uses, but one of its most common meanings is related to politics and elections. When a politician says they have a trump card, they mean something that will make them look good in front of voters. This could be an announcement about jobs, a promise to lower taxes, or even a scandal about their opponent. It's like having an ace up your sleeve that you can pull out at the right moment to win over people's support.

In everyday language, when someone says "I trumped my friend," they might mean they won at a game or did something better than them. This use of "trump" comes from playing cards, where the suit of trumps is higher in rank than all other suits.

A less common meaning of "trumpet" (not "trump") is a musical instrument that makes loud, blaring sounds.

How common is "trump"?

Word trump is considered rare in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

The suit, in a game of cards, that outranks all others.
Example: Diamonds were declared trump(s).
A playing card of that suit.
Example: He played an even higher trump.
Something that gives one an advantage, especially one held in reserve.
An excellent person; a fine fellow, a good egg.
An old card game, almost identical to whist; the game of ruff.
A card of the major arcana of the tarot.

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verb

To play on (a card of another suit) with a trump.
Example: He knew the hand was lost when his ace was trumped.
To play a trump, or to take a trick with a trump.
To get the better of, or finesse, a competitor.
To impose unfairly; to palm off.
To supersede.
Example: In this election, it would seem issues of national security trumped economic issues.
To outweigh; be stronger, greater, bigger than or in other way superior to.