cards
cards — verb
- cardspresent simple I / you / we / they
- cardses3rd person singular
- cardsing-ing form
- cardsedpast simple
1. to ask someone to show their identity card, especially to check whether they are
to ask someone to show their identity card, especially to check whether they are old enough to buy alcohol or enter a place such as a bar or club
The bouncer carded Dario before letting him into the club.
transitive: card + person being checked
Romi felt nervous when the bartender carded her at the counter.
Justin was carded at the liquor store even though he is over thirty.
Most bars in this area card every customer regardless of how old they look.
Talia got carded at the theatre bar and had to show her driving licence.
- check ID
more general and descriptive; any authority figure can check ID, not just for age verification
文法句型
card + person
get + carded (passive)
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be carded / get carded). The person who asks for ID is often a bouncer, bartender, or security guard.
常見錯誤
2. to attach a small piece of thick paper or cardboard containing information, such
to attach a small piece of thick paper or cardboard containing information, such as a price, a name, or a short note, to an object
The shop assistant carded a price tag onto each item before the sale began.
card + object + onto + noun phrase
Daichi carded his name tag to his shirt pocket before the conference started.
Each piece of luggage was carded with the passenger's name and flight number.
The florist carded a short message onto the bouquet for the customer.
文法句型
card + object + onto/to + noun
be carded with + noun
用法筆記
The object that is attached is usually a small piece of card (thick paper) containing written information. The destination is introduced by onto or to.
3. to give someone an identity card, membership card, library card, or similar docu
to give someone an identity card, membership card, library card, or similar document that officially records membership, identity, or permission
The university library cards every new student during orientation week.
transitive: card + person (recipient)
All employees are carded with a security pass on their first day of work.
passive: be carded with + document type
Faisal was carded as a club member right after he paid the annual fee.
The hospital cards each new patient with an identification wristband upon admission.
文法句型
card + person
be carded as + noun
用法筆記
Common in formal contexts such as institutions, companies, and clubs. Unlike sense 1 (CHECK ID), this sense is about giving someone a card, not asking to see one.
常見錯誤
4. to write or record information on a small rectangular card, especially for filin
to write or record information on a small rectangular card, especially for filing or organising purposes in an office, library, or research setting
The researcher carded each survey response onto a separate index card for analysis.
card + information + onto + card type
Before computers, librarians carded every book title by hand into the catalogue system.
Constanza carded the patient's medical history onto a record card and filed it alphabetically.
The laboratory technician carded the experiment results for easier sorting and later review.
文法句型
card + information + on + noun phrase (index card, record card)
用法筆記
This sense is largely historical or formal; in modern contexts, digital databases have mostly replaced card-based recording. Typically used with onto or on.
5. to prepare wool, cotton, or similar natural fibres for spinning by using a tool
to prepare wool, cotton, or similar natural fibres for spinning by using a tool with fine metal teeth that cleans, straightens, and separates the tangled strands
The artisan carded the raw wool by hand before spinning it into yarn.
card + fibre type (wool)
Layla carded the cotton fibres until they were soft and free of tangles.
The mill workers carded large batches of alpaca wool every morning before breakfast.
Before modern machinery existed, women carded flax fibres using wooden paddles with wire teeth.
文法句型
card + fibre type (wool, cotton, flax)
用法筆記
Technical term used in textile crafts and manufacturing. Do not confuse with any other sense of card — this meaning comes from the noun card meaning a wire-toothed tool used to comb fibres.
cards — noun
1. one of a set of 52 small rectangular pieces of stiff paper with numbers, letters
one of a set of 52 small rectangular pieces of stiff paper with numbers, letters, or pictures on them, used for playing games such as poker or bridge
Kofi shuffled the deck of cards and asked Owen to pick one from the middle.
shuffle + deck of cards
Amelia kept the ace of hearts from that set as a lucky souvenir.
The children learned to play Go Fish with a deck of colourful playing cards.
Esteban noticed that one card had a bent corner and set it aside before the game.
用法筆記
Usually used in the plural (cards) when referring to a full set, but singular (card) for one piece. A standard deck has 52 cards divided into four suits: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades.
常見錯誤
2. any game that uses a set of playing cards, such as poker, bridge, or rummy, espe
any game that uses a set of playing cards, such as poker, bridge, or rummy, especially when played for fun or competition
Every Friday night, Sven meets friends from the neighbourhood to play cards.
play + cards (no article)
Padma learned to play cards from her grandmother during summer holidays.
Darius won three rounds of cards by bluffing with a very weak hand.
Playing cards is a good way to pass the time on a long train journey.
Every Friday night, the Okonkwo family gathers around the table to play cards together.
Yuki learned to play cards from her grandmother during the long summer afternoons.
Diego prefers playing cards with his cousins over watching television.
Amara brought a deck of cards to the party so everyone could play after dinner.
Nadia taught her younger brother how to play cards during the school break.
- card game
more specific term for a particular game, e.g. poker, bridge
- game of cards
emphasises the match or session rather than the general activity
用法筆記
In this sense, cards is treated as an uncountable noun (do not say 'a cards'). Use the phrase play cards for the activity. Specific games are referred to by name: play poker, play bridge. The singular form 'play a card' refers to placing a single card from your hand onto the table during a specific game, which is a different sense.
常見錯誤
3. a condition or piece of information that puts someone in a stronger position tha
a condition or piece of information that puts someone in a stronger position than others in a negotiation, competition, or difficult situation — similar to holding the best cards in a hand during a game
If Nikhil plays his cards right, he could be promoted to manager next year.
idiom: play one's cards right
The supplier held all the cards in the price negotiation and refused to lower the cost.
idiom: hold all the cards
Yuna decided to lay her cards on the table and explain her real reasons for leaving.
Minh kept his cards close to his chest during the interview so the other candidates would not know his plans.
文法句型
play one's cards right
hold all the cards
lay one's cards on the table
keep one's cards close to one's chest
用法筆記
Nearly always used in fixed idiomatic expressions drawn from card game metaphors. Does not refer to an actual playing card. Common in business, sports, and competitive contexts.
4. a particular topic or issue that someone uses deliberately to gain support or sy
a particular topic or issue that someone uses deliberately to gain support or sympathy from others, especially in a political campaign or public argument, by appealing to people's emotions rather than their reason
The senator played the security card to win votes for the new border policy.
phrase: play the ___ card
Critics accused the campaign manager of playing the race card to divide the community.
Some politicians play the fear card every time a national election approaches.
By playing the family card, the mayor convinced the city council to fund more playgrounds.
文法句型
play the [race/gender/fear/education] card
用法筆記
Always used in the structure 'play the + [adjective/noun] + card'. The adjective or noun names the emotional topic (e.g. race card, gender card, age card). This sense is critical in tone and common in political analysis.
常見錯誤
5. a piece of folded paper with a picture or design on the front and a space inside
a piece of folded paper with a picture or design on the front and a space inside for a personal message, sent to someone on a special occasion such as a birthday, holiday, or celebration
Amelia chose a birthday card with a funny cartoon on the front for her cousin.
collocation: birthday card
Kofi bought a get-well card for his teacher who was recovering in the hospital.
collocation: get-well card
Sivan designed a beautiful handmade card for her best friend's wedding celebration.
The shop on the corner sells cards for every occasion, from Christmas to graduation.
- greeting card
more formal term for the general category
- birthday card
specific type for birthdays, very common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Often combined with a specific occasion name: birthday card, Christmas card, get-well card, thank-you card. The word 'card' alone can refer to a greeting card when the context is clear (e.g. 'Did you send her a card?').
6. a small rectangular piece of thick paper with a picture or photograph on one sid
a small rectangular piece of thick paper with a picture or photograph on one side and space for a short message and address on the other, sent through the mail without an envelope, usually from a holiday destination
Indra sent a postcard from Japan showing a beautiful photo of Mount Fuji.
Esteban collects postcards from every new city he visits for work.
collect + postcards
A postcard from Paris arrived three weeks after Padma had already returned home.
Minh pinned a postcard of the Grand Canyon on his office wall at work.
- postcard
the full standard term
- picture postcard
slightly old-fashioned term emphasising the scenic image
用法筆記
Postcard is fully interchangeable with card in informal contexts when the picture-and-mail sense is clear (e.g. 'I sent her a card from Rome'). For clarity, use postcard when the context of mailing from a trip is central.
7. a small flat piece of plastic issued by a bank that allows you to pay for things
a small flat piece of plastic issued by a bank that allows you to pay for things or take money out of an account at a machine.
When Jabari forgot his wallet, his wife let him use her credit card to pay for dinner.
credit card + pay for [something]
The shop only accepts cards, so Lakshmi had to pay with her debit card instead of cash.
accept + card / debit card
Mateo checked his credit card statement online to see how much he had spent that month.
After losing his bank card, Luca called the bank immediately to cancel it.
Many stores now let customers tap their card on the machine instead of inserting it.
- debit card
a card that takes money directly from your bank account
- credit card
a card that lets you borrow money from the bank and pay later
- bank card
a general term used mainly in British English for any card linked to a bank account
用法筆記
Common verb + card collocations include "use", "accept", "tap", "insert", "swipe", and "cancel". The type of card (credit, debit, bank) is often specified.
常見錯誤
8. a thin, flat piece of paper or plastic that carries a person's name, job title,
a thin, flat piece of paper or plastic that carries a person's name, job title, photograph, or membership details for an organisation.
Christopher handed his business card to the client after the meeting ended.
hand + business card to [person]
You need to show your ID card at the main gate before security lets you in.
show + ID card + at [place]
Mizuki keeps a membership card for the gym in her phone case so she never forgets it.
The receptionist asked everyone to fill out a visitor card with their name and arrival time.
Kian's new company gave him a photo ID card with his name on it.
- identification card
formal term, used for official documents with a photo
- business card
a small card with a person's name, job title, and contact details
- membership card
a card proving that someone belongs to a club or organisation
用法筆記
The specific type is often named: business card, ID card, membership card, student card, visitor card. A business card is commonly exchanged in professional settings.
常見錯誤
9. a small card with a picture of a sports player, cartoon character, or other popu
a small card with a picture of a sports player, cartoon character, or other popular figure, kept and swapped by fans as a hobby.
The boys traded basketball cards in the school playground during lunch break.
trade + [sport] cards
Sven has a rare Pokémon card that his older brother gave him years ago.
At the comic convention, fans bought and sold vintage trading cards from the 1990s.
Cyrus keeps his valuable baseball cards in protective sleeves so they stay in perfect condition.
A signed cricket card by a famous player can sell for hundreds of dollars at auction.
- trading card
the most common term for collectible cards that are swapped between fans
- baseball card
a specific type of trading card featuring baseball players
用法筆記
Also called trading cards. The sport or theme is usually named before the word 'cards', for example "baseball cards" or "Pokémon cards".
10. a thin board with electronic parts that fits inside a computer to add extra func
a thin board with electronic parts that fits inside a computer to add extra functions, such as better sound, graphics, or network access.
Eitan installed a new graphics card in his computer so he could play modern video games.
install + graphics card + in a computer
The sound card in Leo's laptop stopped working, so he could no longer hear any music.
Before buying an expansion card, check whether your computer has an open slot for it.
Lakshmi's computer came with a network card that connects to the Wi-Fi signal automatically.
Inside the casing, Cyrus could see the motherboard with several small cards plugged into its slots.
- expansion card
any card that adds new abilities to a computer
- graphics card
a card dedicated to handling images and video
- network card
a card that allows a computer to connect to a network
用法筆記
Often qualified by function: graphics card, sound card, network card, expansion card. A card plugs into a slot on the motherboard.
常見錯誤
11. a piece of stiff paper with holes punched in a pattern, used in the past to stor
a piece of stiff paper with holes punched in a pattern, used in the past to store instructions or information for early computers.
In the 1970s, programmers used punch cards to enter data into large mainframe computers.
programmers + used punch cards + in the 1970s
The university library still keeps a box of old punch cards from its first computer room.
Each punch card held one line of code, so a program often needed hundreds of cards.
A machine read the pattern of holes on the punch card and processed the information.
- punch card
the standard term for this historical data-storage medium
用法筆記
Now obsolete in everyday computing. The term appears mostly in historical discussions of early computer technology.
12. a printed list that shows the order of races or competitions during a day of hor
a printed list that shows the order of races or competitions during a day of horse racing, boxing, or athletics.
Jabari checked the race card to find out which horses were running in the first race.
check + race card
The boxing card for Saturday night features five fights, with the championship bout last.
boxing card + features + [number] fights
At the athletics stadium, spectators bought a programme card listing all the events of the day.
Leo studied the day's card before placing his bets on the afternoon races.
- race card
a card listing horses and races at a race meeting
- fight card
a card listing boxing or martial arts bouts
- programme
a printed guide listing all events at a sports day or meet
用法筆記
Commonly paired with the sport name: "race card" (horse racing), "boxing card", or "fight card". Not used for team sports such as football or basketball.
常見錯誤
13. a list of the food and drinks that a café, restaurant, or bar offers its custome
a list of the food and drinks that a café, restaurant, or bar offers its customers, usually shown on a printed sheet or small board
The waiter handed João the card so he could choose a dessert.
card (menu) in a restaurant context
Jiwoo looked at the lunch card to see which soup was available.
lunch card = menu for the midday meal
Asher asked the barista for a breakfast card to check the pastries.
The café's breakfast card includes fresh juice, eggs, and toast.
- menu
the more common word in American English and for full restaurant lists
- price list
focuses on costs rather than the full range of available items
文法句型
card + noun (e.g. wine card, lunch card)
用法筆記
Common in phrases like 'wine card' or 'lunch card'. More frequent in British English than American English, where 'menu' is the usual word.
14. an entertaining or slightly silly person who makes other people laugh with their
an entertaining or slightly silly person who makes other people laugh with their jokes or behaviour
Uncle Walid is such a card — he always makes everyone laugh at family dinners.
be + a card for a funny person
Mayumi's younger brother is a real card; he told funny jokes all evening.
Ilan is quite a card at parties, always doing impressions of the teachers.
Brooke is such a card that the whole office looks forward to her stories.
文法句型
be + a card
用法筆記
Used with the verb 'be' in phrases like 'be a card', 'be quite a card', or 'be a real card'. Almost always singular.
常見錯誤
15. a stiff material made from thick paper, used for making boxes, envelopes, and ot
a stiff material made from thick paper, used for making boxes, envelopes, and other packaging
Jabari packed the old books inside a strong card box.
card + noun for material
The delivery came in a large card envelope marked 'fragile'.
Shanti cut the card sheet into small pieces for the art project.
The children used pieces of card to build a model castle.
- cardboard
the full form, used in both British and American English
- paperboard
a more technical term for thin, stiff board used in packaging
文法句型
card + noun (describing material)
用法筆記
In British English, 'card' is the common short form of 'cardboard' and is used as an uncountable noun or as an adjective before nouns (card box, card envelope). American English prefers the full form 'cardboard'.
常見錯誤
16. a tool or machine with rows of wire teeth, used in the textile industry to clean
a tool or machine with rows of wire teeth, used in the textile industry to clean, untangle, and straighten fibres such as wool or cotton before spinning them into thread
Haruto fed the wool through the card to straighten the fibres.
through the card = processing wool fibres
Jisoo used a hand card to prepare the cotton for spinning.
hand card = small manual carding tool
The factory installed a new card that processes fifty kilograms of wool each hour.
Before spinning, the worker passes the wool through the card twice.
- carding machine
the full term for the mechanical device
- carder
an older term for either the tool or the person who operates it
文法句型
card (used as a tool noun)
用法筆記
A specialised term in textile manufacturing and handcraft fibre preparation. The verb 'to card' (to use a card on fibres) is more common in general use.
cards — abbreviation
1. a standard written shortening used before a person's name or a number when refer
a standard written shortening used before a person's name or a number when referring to a cardinal — either a high-ranking Catholic official, a member of a sports team called the Cardinals, or a cardinal bird — with 'Card.' being the usual singular form and 'Cards.' an informal plural abbreviation sometimes seen in sports rosters, birdwatching checklists, or ecclesiastical notes
Card. Müller was appointed to the Vatican committee in early March.
standard abbreviation: Card. + title/name
The team roster page listed 'St. Louis Cards.' next to the logo of the baseball club.
informal plural: Cards. = Cardinals (team)
Card. 5 of the deck shows the number five in red diamonds.
文法句型
Card. + [number/name]
Cards. (non-standard plural variant)
用法筆記
The standard singular abbreviation for 'cardinal' is 'Card.' (with capital C, followed by a period). The form 'Cards.' (with plural -s) is a non-standard variation that appears only in informal or space-limited contexts such as team-sheet shorthand, crowd-sourced bird lists, or quick handwritten notes. In formal academic, ecclesiastical, or sports writing, the full word 'cardinal' or the abbreviation 'Card.' (singular) is preferred. Do not use 'Cards.' as a general abbreviation for 'cardinal' outside of these niche uses.