chest one's cards

present singular third person chests one's cards · participle present chesting one's cards · participle past chested one's cards · past chested one's cards

1. literalcard gamesTo hold one's hand close to one's chest so that other players cannot see the cards.

   The request, "Chest your cards, please," or an equivalent, should be obeyed promptly.

   1969, Conde nast publications, Vogue's book of etiquette and good manners, page 71

   2 more examples

   Another hand was dealt. Skookum chested his cards, looked down into them with one bright eye. The game went on.

   1930, Lowry Charles Wimberly, Prairie Schooner - Volumes 4-5, page 231

   Mark also loved to gamble, and wanted nothing more than to elope to Vegas. I did not. He found someone who did. There was one other thing I learned — I learned to chest my cards, because I was famous for flashing.

   2003, Jake Austen, A Friendly Game of Poker: 52 Takes on the Neighborhood Game, →ISBN

   Synonyms: keep one's cards close to one's chest, hold one's cards close to one's chest, play one's cards close to one's chest, keep one's cards close to one's vest, hold one's cards close to one's vest, play one's cards close to one's vest

2. broadlyfigurativelyTo be careful and reticent about sharing information about one's resources and intentions.

   The hardball line tells you to chest your cards (and maybe slip a couple up your sleeve).

   2013, Michael Wheeler, The Art of Negotiation: How to Improvise Agreement in a Chaotic World, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   As is now obvious, the element that is different from other discovery techniques discussed above is that the defendant is actually at risk: if it continues "chesting its cards," it may pay the price of being found liable, at least in part.

   1994, Kent Spriggs, Representing plaintiffs in Title VII actions - Volume 1, page 421

   So their response to the “chest your cards” strategy is to ask even more questions, which, given an uninformed and suspicious board, may lead to even greater meddling.

   2018, Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, Gerald B. Kauvar, E. Gordon Gee, Leading Colleges and Universities: Lessons from Higher Education Leaders, →ISBN