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card of ten. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
card of ten, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
card of ten in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Etymology
Apparently from the use of cards with a rank of 10 in early card games.
Noun
card of ten (plural cards of ten)
- (obsolete, idiomatic) A bold front, an instance of standing one's ground.
1499, John Skelton, The Bowge of Courte:Fyrste pycke a quarell and fall oute with hym then, / And soo outface hym with a carde of ten.
1561, John Awdely, The Fraternitye of Vacabondes, section XIX:And the noblemen and gentylmen, which shold be the ponysshers of theft, be the chefe mayntayners of robry; bi this meanys often thei robbe & be not taken; but in case he be taken, eyther he shal haue fauor for his masters sake, or els bragg it owt with a carde of .x […]
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):A vengeance on your crafty withered hide, / Yet I haue fac'd it with a card of ten […]
1629, Ben Jonson, The New Inn:Some must be knaves, some varlets, bawds, and ostlers, / As aces, deuces, cards o' ten, to face it / Out i' the game, which all the world is.