show one's cards

verb

To reveal something known to oneself but previously concealed from others, especially regarding one's own plans or resources.

Similar
show one's hand
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Meanings

verbshow one's cards (third-person singular simple present shows one's cards, present participle showing one's cards, simple past showed one's cards, past participle shown one's cards or (US also) showed one's cards)

present singular third person shows one's cards · participle present showing one's cards · past showed one's cards · participle past shown one's cards · US also participle past showed one's cards

  1. idiomaticTo reveal something known to oneself but previously concealed from others, especially regarding one's own plans or resources.

    Synonyms: show one's hand

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo reveal something known to oneself but previously concealed from others, especially regarding one's own plans or resources.

Similar
show one's hand
Also see
put one's cards on the table

Translations

Finnish näyttää korttinsa
  • näyttää korttinsato reveal
Polish wykładać karty na stół, wyłożyć karty na stół
  • wykładać karty na stółto reveal
  • wyłożyć karty na stółto reveal
Portuguese abrir o jogo
  • abrir o jogoto reveal
Russian раскры́ть ка́рты
  • раскры́ть ка́рты (raskrýtʹ kárty)to reveal
Spanish revelar las cartas
  • revelar las cartasto reveal
Vietnamese trình làng
  • trình làngto reveal
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: show one's cards on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.