had the cards in one's hands

A form of have the cards in one's hands — To have the initiative for, or the means of, success; to be in a position to control the outcome.

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of have the cards in one's hands
Cite this entry
APA

had the cards in one's hands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/had%20the%20cards%20in%20one's%20hands

MLA

“had the cards in one's hands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/had%20the%20cards%20in%20one's%20hands. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “had the cards in one's hands,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/had%20the%20cards%20in%20one's%20hands.

Source: had the cards in one's hands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.