ace

UK: /ˈeɪs/ US: /eɪs/ ,(ās)

Inflections of 'ace' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

aces

v 3rd person singular

acing

v pres p

aced

v past

aced

v past p

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

ace /eɪs/   n., v., aced, ac•ing, adj. 
n. [countable]

1. Games a playing card with a single spot:
   an ace of hearts.
2. Sport (in tennis, etc.) a point made on an untouched serve.
3. Military a fighter pilot who downs at least five enemy aircraft.
4. an expert:
   the ace of the pitching staff.

v. [~ + object]

5. Sport to win a point against (an opponent) with an ace:
   aced his opponent ten times in the match.
6. Slang Terms to defeat, esp. easily: [~ (+ out) + object]
   She aced (out) her opponent.
   [ ~ + obj + out]:
   aced him out.
7. Slang Terms Slang. to receive a grade of A in or on:
   aced the course.

adj. 

8. excellent:
   [before a noun] an ace player.

Idioms

9. Idioms, Games ace in the hole, [countable] an advantage held in reserve:
   His ace in the hole was the secret report he had on their finances.
   Also, ace up one's sleeve.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ace  (ās), n., v., aced, ac•ing, adj. 
n. 

1. Games a playing card or die marked with or having the value indicated by a single spot:
   He dealt me four aces in the first hand.
2. Games a single spot or mark on a playing card or die.
3. Sport (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.)
   • Also called service ace. a placement made on a service.
   • any placement.
   • a serve that the opponent fails to touch.
   • the point thus scored.
4. Military a fighter pilot credited with destroying a prescribed number or more of enemy aircraft, usually five, in combat.
5. a very skilled person;
   expert;
   adept:
   an ace at tap dancing.
6. Slang Terms a one-dollar bill.
7. Slang Terms a close friend.
8. Sport [Golf.]
   • Also called hole in one. a shot in which the ball is driven from the tee into the hole in one stroke:
     He hit a 225-yard ace on the first hole.
   • a score of one stroke made on such a shot:
     to card an ace.
9. Slang Terms, Drugs a barbiturate or amphetamine capsule or pill.
10. a very small quantity, amount, or degree;
    a particle:
    not worth an ace.
11. Slang Terms a grade of A;
    the highest grade or score.
12. ace up one's sleeve, an important, effective, or decisive argument, resource, or advantage kept in reserve until needed.
13. Slang Terms be aces with, to be highly regarded by:
    The boss says you're aces with him.
14. Games easy aces, Auction Bridge. aces equally divided between opponents.
15. within an ace of, within a narrow margin of;
    close to:
    He came within an ace of winning.

v.t. 

16. Sport (in tennis, badminton, handball, etc.) to win a point against (one's opponent) by an ace.
17. Sport [Golf.] to make an ace on (a hole).
18. Slang Terms to cheat, defraud, or take advantage of (often fol. by out):
    to be aced out of one's inheritance; a friend who aced me out of a good job.
19. Slang Terms
    • to receive a grade of A, as on a test or in a course (sometimes fol. by out).
    • to complete easily and successfully:
      He aced every physical fitness test they gave him.
20. Slang Terms ace it, to accomplish something with complete success:
    a champion who could ace it every time.

adj. 

21. excellent;
    first-rate;
    outstanding.

• 4
• Latin: a unit; compare as²; sense 4 after French as in World War I; sense 5
• Old French as
• 1250–1300; 1915 for def. 4; Middle English as, aas

ACE, 

1. American Council on Education.
2. Army Corps of Engineers.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ace / eɪs/ noun

1. any die, domino, or any of four playing cards with one spot
2. a single spot or pip on a playing card, die, etc
3. a winning serve that the opponent fails to reach
4. a fighter pilot accredited with destroying several enemy aircraft
5. an expert or highly skilled person: an ace at driving
6. an ace up one's sleeve, an ace in the hole ⇒ a hidden and powerful advantage

adjective

1. superb; excellent

Etymology: 13th Century: via Old French from Latin as a unit, perhaps from a Greek variant of heis one

ace / eɪs/ adjective

(of a person) not or not often sexually attracted to other people

noun

a person who experiences little or no sexual attraction to other people

Etymology: C21: shortened from asexual