play one's best card
verb
Roget 686:
exert oneself;
exert one's energies,
tax one's energies;
use exertion.
labor,
work,
toil,
moil,
sweat,
fag,
drudge,
slave,
drag a lengthened chain,
wade through,
strive,
stretch a long arm;
pull,
tug,
ply;
ply the oar,
tug at the oar;
do the work;
take the laboring oar bestir oneself
(be active)
682;
take trouble,
trouble oneself.
work hard;
rough it;
put forth one's strength,
put forth a strong arm;
fall to work,
bend the bow;
buckle to,
set one's shoulder to the wheel
etc.
(resolution)
604;
work like a horse,
work like a cart horse,
work like a galley slave,
work like a coal heaver;
labor day and night,
work day and night;
redouble one's efforts;
do double duty;
work double hours,
work double tides;
sit up,
burn the candle at both ends;
stick to
etc.
(persevere)
604.1;
work one's way,
fight one's way,
lay about one,
hammer at.
take pains;
do one's best,
do one's level best,
do one's utmost;
give one hundred percent,
do the best one can,
do all one can,
do all in one's power,
do as much as in one lies,
do what lies in one's power;
use one's best endeavor,
use one's utmost endeavor;
try one's best,
try one's utmost;
play one's best card;
put one's best leg foremost,
put one's right leg foremost;
have one's whole soul in his work,
put all one's strength into,
strain every nerve;
spare no efforts,
spare no pains;
go all lengths;
go through fire and water
etc.
(resolution)
604;
move heaven and earth,
leave no stone unturned.
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Roget 698:
be skillful
etc.
adj.;
excel in,
be master of;
have a turn for
etc.
n..
know what's what,
know a hawk from a handsaw,
know what one is about,
know on which side one's bread is buttered,
know what's o'clock;
have cut one's eye teeth,
have cut one's wisdom teeth.
see one's way,
see where the wind lies,
see which way the wind blows;
have all one's wits about one,
have one's hand in;
savoir vivre [Fr.];
scire quid valeant humeri quid ferre recusent [Lat.].
look after the main chance;
cut one's coat according to one's cloth;
live by one's wits;
exercise one's discretion,
feather the oar,
sail near the wind;
stoop to conquer
etc.
(cunning)
702;
play one's cards well,
play one's best card;
hit the right nail on the head,
put the saddle on the right horse.
take advantage of,
make the most of;
profit by
etc.
(use)
677;
make a hit
etc.
(succeed)
731;
make a virtue of necessity;
make hay while the sun shines
etc.
(occasion)
134.
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