🗓️ Idiom: Have an Ace Up Your Sleeve (verb)
💬 Meaning
- To have a secret advantage or plan that you can use when needed.
- To keep a hidden resource ready for the right moment.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The company had an ace up its sleeve with a new product that surprised competitors.
- She always has an ace up her sleeve during negotiations.
- The lawyer revealed his ace up his sleeve at the end of the trial.
🏛️ Origin
This phrase comes from card games and gambling. A dishonest player might hide an extra ace up their sleeve to use later. The idiom began appearing in English in the mid-19th century and is now widely used to describe a hidden advantage, not just in games but also in business and daily life.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The negotiator had an __________ up his sleeve to win the deal.
Answer
ace
2. Multiple choice:
What does “have an ace up your sleeve” mean?
a) To keep a secret advantage
b) To play cards very slowly
c) To share all your ideas at once
Answer
a) To keep a secret advantage
3. Change the sentence using “have an ace up your sleeve”:
The company had a hidden plan to surprise competitors.
Answer
The company had an ace up its sleeve to surprise competitors.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Negotiation Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
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