card
card [card cards carded carding] noun, verb BrE [kɑːd] NAmE [kɑːrd]
noun 
PAPER
1. uncountable (BrE)thick stiff paper
•a piece of card
• The model of the building was made of card.
WITH INFORMATION
2. countable a small piece of stiff paper or plastic with information on it, especially information about sb's identity
•a membership card
•an appointment card
see also ↑green card, ↑identity card, ↑loyalty card, ↑red card, ↑report card, ↑yellow card
3. countable = ↑business card
• Here's my card if you need to contact me again.
4. countable = ↑visiting card
FOR MONEY
5. countable a small piece of plastic, especially one given by a bank or shop/store, used for buying things or obtaining money
• I put the meal on (= paid for it using) my card.
see also ↑cash card, ↑charge card, ↑cheque card, ↑chip card, ↑credit card, ↑debit card, ↑phonecard, ↑SIM card, ↑smart card, ↑swipe card
WITH A MESSAGE
6. countable a piece of stiff paper that is folded in the middle and has a picture on the front of it, used for sending sb a message with your good wishes, an invitation, etc
•a birthday/get-well/good luck card
see also ↑Christmas card, ↑greetings card
7. countable = ↑postcard
• Did you get my card from Italy?
IN GAMES
8. countable = ↑playing card: (BrE)a pack of cards
• (NAmE)a deck of cards
see also ↑trump card, ↑wild card
9. cardsplural a game or games in which ↑playing cards are used
• Who wants to play cards?
• I've never been very good at cards.
• Let's have a game of cards.
•She won £20 at cards.
COMPUTING
10. countable a small device containing an electronic ↑circuit that is part of a computer or added to it, enabling it to perform particular functions
•a printed circuit card
•a graphics/network/sound card
see also ↑expansion card
PERSON
11. countable (old-fashioned, informal)an unusual or amusing person
HORSE RACES
12. countable a list of all the races at a particular ↑race meeting (= a series of horse races)
FOR WOOL/COTTON
13. countable (technical)a machine or tool used for cleaning and combing wool or cotton before it is spun
more at show your hand/cards at ↑show v., the cards/odds are stacked against youthe cards/odds are stacked in your favour at ↑stacked
Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 12 and v. sense 2 late Middle English Old French carte Latin carta charta Greek khartēs ‘papyrus leaf’ n. sense 13 and v. sense 1 late Middle English Old French carde Provençal carda cardar ‘tease, comb’ Latin carere ‘to card’
Example Bank:
•Bennett is something of a wild card.
•Contact the bank and cancel all your cards.
•Each player in turn must play a card.
•Everyone at work signed a card for her.
•He always wins at cards.
•He had a wallet full of plastic cards.
•He went around the room handing out business cards.
•I'll put the meal on my card.
•She paid for her holiday by credit card.
•She searched the library's card catalogue.
•She wrote the main points of her speech on index cards.
•The bank hasn't issued me with a cash card yet.
•The computer has three additional card slots.
•The kidnappers hold all the cards.
•The restaurant accepts all major credit cards.
•This defender's ability to score vital goals has often proved a trump card.
•We play cards every Friday night.
•You need to install a new graphics card.
Idioms: ↑get your cards ▪ ↑give somebody their cards ▪ ↑have a card up your sleeve ▪ ↑hold all the cards ▪ ↑hold your cards close to your chest ▪ ↑lay your cards on the table ▪ ↑on the cards ▪ ↑play the … card ▪ ↑play your cards right ▪ ↑somebody's best card
verb
1. ~ sth (technical)to clean wool using a wire instrument
2. ~ sb (NAmE, informal)to ask a person to show their ↑identity card as a means of checking how old they are, for example if they want to buy alcohol
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 12 and v. sense 2 late Middle English Old French carte Latin carta charta Greek khartēs ‘papyrus leaf’ n. sense 13 and v. sense 1 late Middle English Old French carde Provençal carda cardar ‘tease, comb’ Latin carere ‘to card’
See also: ↑in the cards
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