† coat-card Obs.
A playing card bearing a ‘coated’ or habited figure (king, queen, or knave). In regular use down to c 1688; afterwards corrupted in court-card.
| 1563 Foxe A. & M. 1298 The beste cote carde beside in the bunche, yea thoughe it were the Kyng of Clubbes. 1591 Florio 2nd Fruites 69, I haue none but coate cardes. 1674 Cotton Compl. Gamester in Singer Hist. Cards 347 The value of your coat-card trumps. 1690 W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 83 The dealer shall have the turn-up Card if it be an ace or a coat card. 1867 Max Müller Chips III. 301 Coat cards—the king, and queen, and knave in their gorgeous gowns—were exalted into court cards. 1878 H. H. Gibbs Ombre 11 The Ace being inferior in the Red suits to the Coat (or Court) cards. |