Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ace up one's sleeve

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.63 in modern English

Syllables
ace up one's sleeve
IPA
22
Scrabble Score
15
Letters
1
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From the dishonest hiding of a high-value ace card for use during play, e.g. in the game of poker.

Inflected Forms

Synonyms

Questions

What does ace up one's sleeve mean?
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
Where does ace up one's sleeve come from?
From the dishonest hiding of a high-value ace card for use during play, e.g. in the game of poker.

How to pronounce ace up one's sleeve

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ace up one's sleeve”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ace up one's sleeve”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “ace up one's sleeve” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.