trump

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
trump
    n 1: a playing card in the suit that has been declared trumps;
         "the ace of trumps is a sure winner" [syn: {trump}, {trump
         card}]
    2: (card games) the suit that has been declared to rank above
       all other suits for the duration of the hand; "clubs were
       declared trumps"; "a trump can take a trick even when a card
       of a different suit is led"
    3: a brass musical instrument with a brilliant tone; has a
       narrow tube and a flared bell and is played by means of
       valves [syn: {cornet}, {horn}, {trumpet}, {trump}]
    v 1: produce a sound as if from a trumpet
    2: get the better of; "the goal was to best the competition"
       [syn: {outdo}, {outflank}, {trump}, {best}, {scoop}]
    3: play a trump [syn: {trump}, {ruff}]
    4: proclaim or announce with or as if with a fanfare [syn:
       {trump}, {trump out}]
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, n. [OE. trumpe, trompe, F. trompe; probably fr.
   L. triumphare to triumph, to exult, hence, probably, to make
   a joyous sound or noise. See {Triumph}, v. i. & n., and cf.
   {Trombone}, {Tromp}, {Trump} at cards, {Trumpery}, {Trumpet},
   {Trunk} a proboscis.]
   A wind instrument of music; a trumpet, or sound of a trumpet;
   -- used chiefly in Scripture and poetry.
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         We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling
         of an eye, at the last trump.            --1 Cor. xv.
                                                  51, 52.
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         The wakeful trump of doom.               --Milton.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Trumped}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Trumping}.]
   To play a trump card when one of another suit has been led.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, v. t.
   To play a trump card upon; to take with a trump card; as, she
   trumped the first trick.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, v. t. [F. tromper to deceive, in OF., to blow a
   trumpet, se tromper de to mock. See {Trump} a trumpet.]
   1. To trick, or impose on; to deceive. [Obs.] "To trick or
      trump mankind." --B. Jonson.
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   2. To impose unfairly; to palm off.
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            Authors have been trumped upon us.    --C. Leslie.
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   {To trump up}, to devise; to collect with unfairness; to
      fabricate; as, to trump up a charge.
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, v. i. [Cf. OF. tromper. See {Trump} a trumpet.]
   To blow a trumpet. [Obs.] --Wyclif (Matt. vi. 2).
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from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Trump \Trump\, n. [A corruption of triumph, F. triomphe. See
   {Triumph}, and cf. {Trump} a trumpet.]
   1. A winning card; one of a particular suit (usually
      determined by chance for each deal) any card of which
      takes any card of the other suits.
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   2. An old game with cards, nearly the same as whist; --
      called also {ruff}. --Decker.
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   3. A good fellow; an excellent person. [Slang]
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            Alfred is a trump, I think you say.   --Thackeray.
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   {To put to one's trumps}, or {To put on one's trumps}, to
      force to the last expedient, or to the utmost exertion.
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            But when kings come so low as to fawn upon
            philosophy, which before they neither valued nor
            understood, it is a sign that fails not, they are
            then put to their last trump.         --Milton.
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            Put the housekeeper to her trumps to accommodate
            them.                                 --W. Irving.
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from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
110 Moby Thesaurus words for "trump":
      ace, action, ad hoc measure, answer, artifice, beat, best,
      best bower, better, bower, brick, cap, cards, clubs, contrivance,
      countermove, coup, course of action, crackerjack, deck, demarche,
      deuce, device, diamonds, dodge, doll, dummy, effort, exceed, excel,
      expedient, face cards, flush, full house, gimmick, go one better,
      good Joe, good egg, good guy, hand, hearts, improve on,
      improvisation, jack, joker, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, king,
      knave, last expedient, last resort, last shift, left bower,
      likely lad, makeshift, maneuver, means, measure, move, nice guy,
      no slouch, outdo, outstrip, outweigh, overbalance, overbear,
      overcome, overpass, overtop, pack, pair, pass, perfect,
      picture cards, pis aller, playing cards, predominate, preponderate,
      prevail, pussycat, queen, resort, resource, round, royal flush,
      rubber, ruff, shake-up, shift, singleton, solution, spades, step,
      stopgap, stout fellow, straight, stratagem, stroke,
      stroke of policy, surpass, tactic, temporary expedient, top,
      tower above, tower over, transcend, trey, trick,
      working hypothesis, working proposition

    

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