breast one's cards

present singular third person breasts one's cards · participle present breasting one's cards · participle past breasted one's cards · past breasted one's cards

1. Alternative form of chest one's cards.
   1. To hold one's cards close to the chest.

      Flynt shifted in his chair, breasting his cards, then glared at Sunny. "You'll have to wait till I play this hand.

      1995, Jane Peart, A Distant Dawn, →ISBN, page 25

      2 more examples

      Some experts also use an extra eye, well trained in peripheral vision, to catch a glimpse of an opponent's cards - leading to the firm injunction, "Breast your cards, partner!"

      2006, The Bulletin - Issues 6536-6544, page 157

      “Whose call?” Then as he sat down beside me, “Breast! Breast! Breast your cards, Nell.” I pressed my cards against my chest instinctively.

      2018, Penny Flanagan, Surviving Hal, →ISBN

   2. To avoid revealing information.

      But he must hold his tongue and breast his cards.

      2014, Becky Lee Weyrich, Hot Winds from Bombay, →ISBN

      2 more examples

      A firm believer in breasting his cards, Jenks was keeping the "Pulitzer" file under wraps a while longer.

      1996, Marilyn T. Quayle, The Campaign: A Novel, page 121

      We were careful not to mention other females The Darter had already escorted into the house, so we answered here inquiries about him somewhat stupidly, as if we could not remember much about his associates or even what he did, or where he might be. We knew he liked to breast his cards.

      2018, Michael Ondaatje, Warlight, →ISBN, page 51