black ace
- noun
- /blæk eɪs/
:
as de espadas
- The player revealed a black ace during the game.
Examples
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He played the black ace just when his opponents least expected it.
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She was the black ace in the card tournament, surprising everyone with her skill.
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That decisive move proved he was truly the team's black ace.
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He played his black ace at the perfect moment.
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During the game, she played her black ace and turned the match in her favor.
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In negotiations, having the black ace up his sleeve helped him secure a better deal.
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The team's black ace was their top strategist, always finding clever ways to win.
Synonyms
57
2.7
A playing card with one picture that is often the highest or lowest
3
5.8
A playing card with a single black spade and the letter A that people often think is unlucky
1
4.7
A strong advantage kept for an important moment to help win
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal sense — an ace card that is black (spades or clubs) — is directly and transparently derived from combining 'black' and 'ace', so a B1 learner knowing the constituents would understand that meaning. However, the figurative sense ('key person' or 'decisive factor' with clever maneuvers) is a metaphorical extension not fully predictable from the parts, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Black ace may come from the black ace playing card, a single strong card in spades or clubs that can surprise other players when it is played. That's why someone called a 'black ace' is seen as a single 'decisive' or 'key' person or move that can change the result.