ace

[eɪs]

ace Definition

  • 1a playing card with a single spot on it, ranked as the highest card in its suit in most card games
  • 2a person who is very skilled at something
  • 3a serve that an opponent fails to touch in tennis

Using ace: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ace" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    He played the ace of spades.

  • Example

    She's an ace at math.

  • Example

    He won the game with an ace.

  • Example

    The tennis player served an ace.

ace Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for ace

Phrases with ace

  • be in a strong or advantageous position

    Example

    As the CEO, she held all the aces in the company.

  • an ace up one's sleeve

    a secret advantage or resource kept in reserve until needed

    Example

    He always has an ace up his sleeve when it comes to negotiations.

  • very close to; on the brink of

    Example

    She came within an ace of winning the race.

Origins of ace

from Old French 'as', from Latin 'as', meaning 'unity, a unit'

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Summary: ace in Brief

An 'ace' [eɪs] can refer to a playing card with a single spot on it, a person who is very skilled at something, or a serve that an opponent fails to touch in tennis. It is often used to describe someone who is an expert or master at something, as in 'She's an ace at math.' Phrases like 'hold all the aces' and 'an ace up one's sleeve' use 'ace' to denote a strong or advantageous position or a secret advantage or resource kept in reserve until needed.

How do native speakers use this expression?