trump

To trump something means to beat it or to matter more than it. In card games, a trump or trump suit is the suit that can beat cards from the other suits. In everyday English, the word often means that one feeling, need, or reason becomes stronger than another. You might say that curiosity trumped fear, or that safety trumped speed. It can also refer to a special advantage, as in the phrase "a trump card."

The word trump began in the world of card games. There, a trump is a card from the special suit chosen to beat cards from the other suits, and to trump can mean to win a trick by playing such a card. This idea of one thing having extra power lies behind the word's wider use in everyday English.

As a verb, trump often means to defeat, outdo, or be more important than something else. It is common when one reason or force clearly wins over another. For example, "Her wish to help trumped her fear," or "In the end, safety trumped speed." In these cases, the word shows that one thing became the deciding factor.

The word can also be used as a noun. In cards, "hearts are trump" means hearts are the winning suit for that round. Outside card games, a trump card is a strong advantage that can change the result of a situation. A lawyer may keep a key piece of evidence as a trump card, or a company may treat low prices as its trump card in the market.

In modern general English, the most common idea is simple: one thing beats another because it is stronger, more important, or more effective. Whether you are talking about card games, decisions, arguments, or strategy, trump points to a clear advantage or a clear win.