Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole

Ace in the Hole is a slang expression meaning a secret or extra asset to assure success, referring to the ace playing card a player has as a hole card (or face down card) in a game of stud poker.

References to this expression include:

"Songs:"
* "Ace in the Hole", a 1909 popular Tin Pan Alley song by James Dempsey and George Mitchell; later recorded by such artists as Bunk Johnson, Lu Watters, Bob Scobey, and the Dukes of Dixieland
* "Ace in the Hole" (Cole Porter song)
* "Ace in the Hole", 1979 song by Paul Simon
* "Ace in the Hole", song written by Dennis Adkins and sung by George Strait
* "Ace in the Hole", song by Dave Van Ronk
* "Ace in the hole" 1952 Rhythm & Blues record by the Griffin Brothers Orchestra featuring Margie Day, vocal. [Dot records,Dot 1108]

"Others:"
* "Ace in the Hole" (film), a 1951 film starring Kirk Douglas
* President John F. Kennedy called the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Montana his "First Ace in the Hole" during the Cuban Missile Crisis due to its revolutionary and unmatched capability in nuclear war at the time.
* Don Altobello(Eli Wallach): "You are my 'ace in the hole,' as we say in America. I have a stone in my shoe. You can remove it."
* Heath Ledger's Joker in 'The Dark Knight' refers to Harvey Dent as his 'ace in the hole': "You've gotta have an ace in the hole... Mine's Harvey..."


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • ace in the hole — {n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2.… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • ace in the hole — {n. phr.} 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. * /When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him./ 2.… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • ace in the hole — An ace in the hole is something other people are not aware of that can be used to your advantage when the time is right …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • ace in the hole — ☆ ace in the hole n. 1. Stud Poker an ace dealt and kept face down until the deal is over 2. Slang any advantage held in reserve until needed …   English World dictionary

  • ace in the hole — [n] secret weapon card up one’s sleeve, reserve; concepts 274,340 …   New thesaurus

  • ace\ in\ the\ hole — n. phr. 1. An ace given to a player face down so that other players in a card game cannot see it. When the cowboy bet all his money in the poker game he did not know that the gambler had an ace in the hole and would win it from him. 2. informal… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • Ace in the Hole — Le Gouffre aux chimères Le Gouffre aux chimères Titre original Ace in the Hole Réalisation Billy Wilder Acteurs principaux Kirk Douglas Jan Sterling Robert Arthur Scénario Walter Newman Lesser Samuels Billy Wilder Musique Hugo Friedhofer …   Wikipédia en Français

  • ace in the hole — 1. : an ace when it is a player s hole card in stud poker 2. : an effective or decisive argument or resource held in reserve * * * 1. Poker. an ace dealt and held face down, esp. in stud poker. 2. an advantage or a resource kept back until the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Ace in the Hole — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel: Reporter des Satans Originaltitel: Ace in the Hole Produktionsland: USA Erscheinungsjahr: 1951 Originalsprache: Englisch Altersfreigabe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ace in the hole — n. something important held in reserve. □ The twenty dollar bill I keep in my shoe is my ace in the hole. □ Mary’s beautiful singing voice was her ace in the hole in case everything else failed …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

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