hold all the cards
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To control a situation; to be the one making the decisions.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikipedia “English-language idioms” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review. Figurative class: Metaphor (PIE-English corpus, CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-31).
Common questions
What does “hold all the cards” mean?
To control a situation; to be the one making the decisions.
Is “hold all the cards” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.