trump

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
trump1

▶noun

• 1 (in bridge, whist, etc.) a playing card of the suit chosen to rank above the others, which can win a trick where a card of a different suit has been led.

  ■ (trumps) the suit having this rank in a particular hand.

  ■ (in a tarot pack) any of a special suit of twenty-two cards depicting symbolic figures and scenes.

• 2 (also trump card) a valuable resource that may be used, especially as a surprise, to gain an advantage.

• 3 informal, dated a helpful or admirable person.

▶verb

• 1 play a trump on (a card of another suit).

• 2 surpass by doing something better.

• 3 (trump something up) invent a false accusation or excuse.

– phrases
come (or turn) up trumps informal, chiefly Brit. have a better performance or outcome than expected.

■ be especially generous or helpful.

– origin C16: alt. of triumph, once used in card games in the same sense.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
trump2

▶noun archaic a trumpet or a trumpet blast.

– origin ME: from OFr. trompe, of Gmc origin; prob. imitative.