trumps

UK: /trʌmps/

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

trumps / trʌmps/ noun:plural

1. (sometimes singular) any one of the four suits, decided by cutting or bidding, that outranks all the other suits for the duration of a deal or game
2. turn up trumps ⇒ (of a person) to bring about a happy or successful conclusion (to an event, problem, etc), esp unexpectedly

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

trump¹ /trʌmp/   n. 

[countable]
1. Games
   • any playing card of a suit that for a time outranks the other suits.
   • Often, trumps. [plural] the suit itself.
2. Informal Terms a fine person.

v. 

3. Games to play or take (a card) with a trump: [~ + object]
   He led a queen and so she trumped it.
   [no object]
   On the next round he trumped.
4. to outdo;
   surpass;
   excel:
   [~ + object] Although the prosecutor seemed to have an advantage with her expert witness, the defense attorney trumped her by bringing in a more qualified expert.
5. trump up, [~ + up + object] to make up (an accusation, etc.), esp. as a lie:
   They trumped up charges against him.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

trump¹  (trump), n. 

1. Games [Cards.]
   • any playing card of a suit that for the time outranks the other suits, such a card being able to take any card of another suit.
   • Often, trumps. (used with a sing. v.) the suit itself.
2. Informal Terms a fine person;
   brick.

v.t. 

3. Games [Cards.] to take with a trump.
4. to excel;
   surpass;
   outdo.

v.i. 

5. Games [Cards.]
   • to play a trump.
   • to take a trick with a trump.
6. trump up, to devise deceitfully or dishonestly, as an accusation;
   fabricate:
   Try as they might, they were unable to trump up a convincing case against him.

• unexplained variant of triumph 1520–30

trump′less, adj. 

trump² (trump), [Literary.]
n. 

1. Slang Terms a trumpet.
2. Slang Terms its sound.

v.i. 

3. Slang Terms to blow a trumpet.

• Old French tromper, derivative of trompe
• Old High German trumpa, variant of trumba trumpet; (verb, verbal) Middle English trompen
• Old French
• (noun, nominal) Middle English trompe 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

trump / trʌmp/ noun

1. Also called: trump card any card from the suit chosen as trumps
2. this suit itself; trumps
3. Also called: trump card a decisive or advantageous move, resource, action, etc
4. a fine or reliable person

verb

1. to play a trump card on (a suit, or a particular card of a suit, that is not trumps)
2. (transitive) to outdo or surpass

Etymology: 16th Century: variant of triumph

trump / trʌmp/ noun

1. a trumpet or the sound produced by one
2. the last trump ⇒ the final trumpet call that according to the belief of some will awaken and raise the dead on the Day of Judgment

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French trompe, from Old High German trumpa trumpet; compare trombone