I have used the phrase “and they followed suit” in a conversation recently and only realised in retrospect that it is about card suits and you follow the suit of the leader.
2 Likes
Does Motörhead’s The Ace of Spades count?
“Checkmate”, of course
Lots from card games:
Poker face
We hold all the cards
I’ve got an ace up my sleeve
You’ve overplayed your hand
Time to put your cards on the table
(We need someone with class and she’s) got it in spades
I’m going to up the ante
2 Likes
Busted flush.
“UNO reverse” seems to have got into the more normal spaces
1 Like
Snake eyes, boxcars, more generally as good/bad luck.
1 Like
He’s got a “get out of jail free” card
2 Likes
There is a LOT of poker here…
Level pegging is from crib
5 Likes
Julius Caesar’s the Die is Cast (Alea Iacta Est) is one of the historical ones
I always thought this was referring to die as in mould. They could be cast in iron like you still get cast iron pans. So saying “the pattern has been set and can’t change”
the German translation goes to “The die has been thrown” so not cast. no I lie, but I think “iacta” means thrown.
it is usually in spoken German “die würfel sind gefallen” (the dice have fallen)
2 Likes
Blackjack has some presence. “Are you doubling down on this?” came from Blackjack from what i can see.
“Monopoly money” is another one
1 Like
Is it bad that I thought the origin of this was a broken toilet?
3 Likes
Snap…
(it wont let me post this without more words)
1 Like
Couldn’t think of any besides some obvious card-based ones, so turned to internet research.
The most interesting one I found was “left in the lurch”, which apparently comes from a 16th century French backgammonesque game called Lourche, in which it was possible for a player to get into an unwinnable situation.
“No dice” comes from early 20th century failed court proceedings against street gamblers in the USA, where gambling was illegal.
“Streets ahead” might come from Cribbage, although it doesn’t seem like the origin of the phrase is definitively known.
Card-based ones I hadn’t thought of until seeing them: “above board” and “sweeten the pot”.
2 Likes
‘I’ve got wood’ I -think- is from Settlers of Catan?
1 Like
“I’ve got wood for sheep”, particularly.
2 Likes
Oh, I picked that up in vet school.
2 Likes
…along with knowledge of how to treat it.
2 Likes
Thats from Wales… (I’m Welsh, I’m allowed to say this!)
2 Likes