6 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A card is a piece of thin cardboard carried by someone such as a business person in order to give to other people. A card shows the name, address, telephone number, and other details of the person who carries it. [BUSINESS ] □ Here's my card. You may need me.
7 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Cards are thin pieces of cardboard with numbers or pictures printed on them which are used to play various games. □ …a pack of cards.
8 N‑UNCOUNT If you are playing cards , you are playing a game using cards. □ A group of officers was sitting round a table in the sun playing cards.
9 N‑COUNT You can use card to refer to something that gives you an advantage in a particular situation. If you play a particular card , you use that advantage. □ It was his strongest card in their relationship–that she wanted him more than he wanted her. □ This permitted Western manufacturers to play their strong cards: capital and technology.
10 N‑UNCOUNT Card is strong, stiff paper or thin cardboard. □ She put the pieces of card in her pocket.
11 → see also bank card , business card , calling card , cash card , cheque card , Christmas card , credit card , debit card , gold card , identity card , index card , payment card , place card , playing card , report card , smart card , wild card
12 PHRASE If you say that something is on the cards in British English, or in the cards in American English, you mean that it is very likely to happen. □ Last summer she began telling friends that a New Year marriage was on the cards.
13 PHRASE If you say that someone will achieve success if they play their cards right , you mean that they will achieve success if they act skilfully and use the advantages that they have. □ You're looking for fun and romance and, if you play your cards right, you may just get it.
14 PHRASE If you put or lay your cards on the table , you deal with a situation by speaking openly about your feelings, ideas, or plans. □ Put your cards on the table and be very clear about your complaints.
car|da|mom /kɑː r dəməm/ (cardamoms ) also cardamon N‑VAR Cardamom is a spice. It comes from the seeds of a plant grown in Asia.
card|board /kɑː r dbɔː r d/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Cardboard is thick, stiff paper that is used, for example, to make boxes and models. □ …a cardboard box. □ …a life-size cardboard cut-out of a police officer.
ca rd-carrying
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A card-carrying member of a particular group or political party is an official member of that group or party, rather than someone who supports it. □ I've been a card-carrying member of the Labour party for five years.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe someone as, for example, a card-carrying feminist, you are emphasizing the fact that they believe strongly in and try to carry out the ideas of feminism. [EMPHASIS ]
ca rd game (card games ) N‑COUNT A card game is a game that is played using a set of playing cards.
card|holder /kɑː r dhoʊldə r / (cardholders ) N‑COUNT A cardholder is someone who has a bank card or credit card. □ The average cardholder today carries three to four bank cards.
car|di|ac /kɑː r diæk/ ADJ [ADJ n] Cardiac means relating to the heart. [MEDICAL ] □ The king was suffering from cardiac weakness.
ca r|di|ac ar|re st (cardiac arrests ) N‑VAR A cardiac arrest is a heart attack. [MEDICAL ]
cardie /kɑː r di/ (cardies ) N‑COUNT A cardie is the same as a cardigan . [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
car|di|gan /kɑː r d I gən/ (cardigans ) N‑COUNT A cardigan is a knitted woollen sweater that you can fasten at the front with buttons or a zip.
car|di|nal /kɑː r dn ə l/ (cardinals )
1 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE A cardinal is a high-ranking priest in the Catholic Church. □ In 1448, Nicholas was appointed a cardinal. □ They were encouraged by a promise from Cardinal Winning.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A cardinal rule or quality is the one that is considered to be the most important. [FORMAL ] □ As a salesman, your cardinal rule is to do everything you can to satisfy a customer.
3 N‑COUNT A cardinal is a common North American bird. The male has bright red feathers.
ca r|di|nal nu m|ber (cardinal numbers ) N‑COUNT A cardinal number is a number such as 1, 3, or 10 that tells you how many things there are in a group but not what order they are in. Compare ordinal number .
ca r|di|nal poi nt (cardinal points ) N‑COUNT The cardinal points are the four main points of the compass, north, south, east, and west.
ca r|di|nal si n (cardinal sins ) N‑COUNT If you describe an action as a cardinal sin , you are indicating that some people strongly disapprove of it. □ I committed the physician's cardinal sin: I got involved with my patients.
ca rd in|dex (card indexes ) N‑COUNT A card index is a number of cards with information written on them which are arranged in a particular order, usually alphabetical, so that you can find the information you want easily.
car|di|olo|gist /kɑː r diɒ lədʒ I st/ (cardiologists ) N‑COUNT A cardiologist is a doctor who specializes in the heart and its diseases.
car|di|ol|ogy /kɑː r diɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Cardiology is the study of the heart and its diseases.
car|dio|vas|cu|lar /kɑː r dioʊvæ skjʊlə r / ADJ [ADJ n] Cardiovascular means relating to the heart and blood vessels. [MEDICAL ] □ Smoking places you at serious risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease.