play cards close to chest Idiom, Proverb

chestnut

old favorite song, well-known story Moira played the piano, and we sang old songs - old chestnuts.

get it off your chest

talk about a problem, complain He can get it off his chest at the meeting. He can complain there.

rodchester

single armrest between two airplane seats The woman beside me rested her arm on the rodchester.

get off one's chest

release one's true feelings or emotions 倾诉出自己的真实感情
I tried to hold back my real dislike for him，but I finally had to get my true feelings off my chest．我试图掩饰对他的不喜欢，但我最后还是不得不讲出我的真实感情。
When you get very upset，it's good to get it off your chest．当你烦躁不安时，把事情讲出来是有好处的。
If you are worried about some thing，get it off your chest．如果你有心事，就痛痛快快说出来吧。

on sb's chest

feeling worried or upset心中有事；闷闷不乐
Jane looks unhappy because she has the quarrel with Sue on her chest．简显得不高兴，因为她和苏吵了架，心里有些烦闷。

play one's cards close to the chest

Idiom(s): play one's cards close to the chest AND play one's cards close to one's vest

Theme: SECRECY

[for someone] to work or negotiate in a careful and private manner.
• It's hard to figure out what John is up to because he plays his cards close to his chest.
• Don't let them know what you're up to. Play your cards close to your vest.

get sth off one's chest

Idiom(s): get sth off one's chest

Theme: CONFESSION

to tell something that has been bothering you.
• I have to get this off my chest. I broke your window with a stone.
• I knew I'd feel better when I had that off my chest.

Old chestnut

An old chestnut is something that has been repeated so many times that it has lost its impact.

War chest

A war chest is a fund that can be used to finance a campaign like and election or for use in emergencies or unexpected times of difficulty.

off one's chest|chest|off

adj. phr., informal Told to someone and so not bothering you anymore; not making you feel worried or upset, because you have talked about it. After Dave told the principal that he had cheated on the test, he was glad because it was off his chest. Father felt that Tom wasn't helping enough around the house, so he got it off his chest by giving Tom a list of things to do.
Compare: MAKE A CLEAN BREAST OF.
Antonym: ON ONE'S CHEST.

play (one's) cards abutting to (one's) chest

To accumulate one's plans, intentions, or approach abstruse from added people. Refers to captivation one's arena cards abutting to one's chest in a agenda game, so as not to acquiesce added players to see one's hand. We're all analytical about what the bang-up has been discussing in those affairs with the lawyers, but she's arena her cards abutting to her chest. Sorry for not actuality added aboveboard about my plans, but I'm arena my cards abutting to my chest for the time being.Learn more: card, chest, close, play

play one's cards abutting to one's chest

and play one's cards abutting to one's vest; accumulate one's cards abutting to one's chest; accumulate one's cards abutting to one's vestFig. to accumulate to oneself or be actual alert in one's ambidextrous with people. (As if one were arena cards and not allowing anyone to see any of the cards.) He is actual cautious. He plays his cards abutting to his chest. You assume to be arena your cards abutting to your vest.Learn more: card, chest, close, play

play one's cards abutting to one's chest, to

To be secretive. The affinity to captivation one’s duke so that no one can see what cards are in it has been acclimated back the mid-twentieth century. Agatha Christie had it in The Pale Horse (1961): “I couldn’t allow to accord hints. You accept to comedy these things abutting to your chest.”Learn more: card, close, play

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