Wordcyclopedia | English | ace in the hole

ace

— noun (= one) the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number he has the one but will need a two and three to go with it they had lunch at one — noun one of four playing cards in a deck having a single pip on its face — noun someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field — adjective (= A-one, crack, first-rate, super, tiptop, topnotch, top-notch, tops) of the highest quality an ace reporter a crack shot a first-rate golfer a super party played top-notch tennis an athlete in tiptop condition she is absolutely tops — noun a serve that the receiver is unable to reach — verb score an ace against He aced his opponents — verb serve an ace against (someone) — verb play (a hole) in one stroke — verb (= pass with flying colors, sail through, nail) succeed at easily She sailed through her exams You will pass with flying colors She nailed her astrophysics course

ACE

— noun (= Allied Command Europe) a major strategic headquarters of NATO; safeguards an area extending from Norway to Turkey — noun (= angiotensin converting enzyme) proteolytic enzyme that converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II

More »

in Preposition

— Used to show that something is inside something else. The cat is in the box. — Used to show that someone is at home, or is available. Is John in? The Doctor is now in. — Used to show movement towards the inside. The rain came in through the window.

More »

the Determiner

— Used, instead of a, to reference something specific, already known to exist. Compare "I read a book." and "I read the book." — Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special. Are you the John Smith that I went to school with? — Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people concerned The poor are always with us. — Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs. You are the best.

More »

hole Noun

— A hole is an empty space in an object or material. He fell into the water through a hole in the ice. They dug a hole in the ground for the tree. — In golf, a hole is the place you tried to hit the ball into. It took four shots to get the ball in the hole.

More »