[An alteration of the earlier name COAT-CARD, q.v. (readily suggested by the personages represented on these cards): see also CARD sb.2 1.] 1. A playing card bearing the figure of a king, queen or knave; a picture-card.
1641. Milton, Reform., Wks. 1738, I. 18. To blow them down like a past-board House built of Court-Cards.
1650. Sir E. Nicholas, in N. Papers (Camden), 192. If a Presbiterian or Scotch court card were trumpe.
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 187. When all the court-cards get together, and are acted by one mind, the game is usually turned accordingly.
1816. Singer, Hist. Cards, 49, 55.
1851. Dickens, Child’s Hist. Eng., xv. Whom he took with him wherever he went, like a poor old limp court-card.
2. fig. Obs. slang and dial. [Cf. CARD sb.2 2 c.]
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Court-card, a gay fluttering fellow.
1725. in New Cant. Dict.
1877. E. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., Court-card, ‘He’s gotten to be a court-card noo’ is said of some one who has risen very much in social position.
