Business Idioms with 'ace'

To hold all the aces

MEANING: to be in a strong position in a contest or situation because you have all the advantages.

EXAMPLE: 'Our competitor holds all the aces: their company has the best team in the country, it has won the national award for the third year in a row, and has a stronger presence on social media.'

ORIGIN: the phrase has been used since the late 1800s. In most card games, the ace is the highest card in each suit. So, the player who holds all the aces has a distinct advantage over all the other players.

To come within an ace

MEANING: to very nearly suceed in doing something, to be within a narrow margin of achieving what you want.

EXAMPLE: 'I cannot believe our bad luck! We came within an ace of winning that contract.'

ORIGIN: the phrase dates from the early 16th century. During the Middle Ages an ace or one was the lowest score one could throw with a dice and hence came to mean bad luck.

An ace also meant a jot or a very small amount, from which this expression derives.

To have an ace up one's sleeve

MEANING: to have a powerful and often secret weapon, advantage, idea, resource, etc. that can be used if it is needed.

EXAMPLE: 'Our competitors think they've won the contract but we've still got a couple of aces up our sleeves.'

ORIGIN: the term came to use in the mid 1800s, and stems from gambling game card games. A reference to cheating at a card game by hiding a favourable card up one's sleeve.