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Give Someone Their Cards

What Does "Give Someone Their Cards" Mean?

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"Give someone their cards" is an English idiom. It means "to terminate someone's employment or membership, often informally or abruptly."

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "give someone their cards" used in a sentence:
  • The manager had to give their employee their cards due to ongoing performance issues.
  • She decided to give her unreliable contractor their cards and find a more dependable replacement.
  • They believed in fairness and gave their teammate their cards after they repeatedly violated team rules.
meaning for give someone their cards

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Give Someone Their Cards" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

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