trump

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 (also trump card) [C] (in some card games) a card that belongs to the SUIT (= one of the four sets in a pack/deck of cards) that has been chosen for a particular game to have a higher value than the other three suits: I played a trump and won the trick. 2 (trumps) [U+sing./pl.v.] (in some card games) the SUIT that has been chosen for a particular game to have a higher value than the other three suits: What's trumps? * Clubs are trumps. IDIOMS come up / turn up trumps to do what is necessary to make a particular situation successful, especially when this is sudden or unexpected: I didn't honestly think he'd pass the exam but he came up trumps on the day. * Just when we thought there was no hope, my parents turned up trumps with a large loan. verb [VN] 1 ~ sth (with sth) (in some card games) to play a trump card that beats sb else's card 2 to beat sth that sb says or does by saying or doing sth even better: They were trumped by another firm that made a lower bid. PHRASALVERBS trump sth<->up to make up a false story about sb/sth, especially accusing them of doing sth wrong: She was arrested on a trumped-up charge.