Poker Face Idiom Meaning

Posted By admin On 15/04/22
Poker Face Idiom Meaning 6,7/10 8867 votes

noun

an expressionless face: He can tell a funny story with a poker face.
a person who has or deliberately assumes a poker face: It is impossible to tell what that poker face is really thinking.

An expressionless face, as of a poker player trying to conceal the nature of his or her hand. Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. An expression on someone's face that does not show what they are thinking or feeling: to wear / keep a poker face. One of the most difficult things to do in an emotionally charged situation is to maintain a poker face.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU IDENTIFY LITERATURE’S FAMOUS OPENING LINES?

The opening line of any book should say, in the words of Stephen King, “Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.” Right? So intriguing! But, alas, that is not how books begin. So, how well do you know the actual opening lines from some of literature's greatest novels? Correctly match these memorable openers with their works of fiction and consider yourself an excellent listener!
“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”

Origin ofpoker face

OTHER WORDS FROM poker face

poker-faced,adjective

Words nearby poker face

pokelogan, Pokémon, poke one's nose into, poker, poker dice, poker face, poker-faced, poker machine, poker spine, pokerwork, pokeweed
Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to poker face

deadpan, mask, seriousness, straight face, impassivity, inscrutability

British Dictionary definitions forpoker face

noun

informala face without expression, as that of a poker player attempting to conceal the value of his cards
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases withpoker face

A visage lacking any expression that can be interpreted, as in Whenever Betty attended one of her children's performances, she managed to keep a poker face. This term alludes to the facial expression of a poker player who is expert at concealing his feelings about his hand. [c. 1880]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Poker
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Wikipedia. Idiom
Like this video? Subscribe to our free daily email and get a new idiom video every day!

poker face

A blank, emotionless expression that gives no indication of one's thoughts or intentions. Poker players use such an expression so as not to give their opponents any clues about which cards they are holding. I kept looking over to see if she was impressed, but she wore a poker face throughout the performance.Now, make sure you keep your poker face on for these negotiations—we can't let them know where we stand.

Poker Face Meaning Idiom

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

poker face

A visage lacking any expression that can be interpreted, as in Whenever Betty attended one of her children's performances, she managed to keep a poker face . This term alludes to the facial expression of a poker player who is expert at concealing his feelings about his hand. [c. 1880]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Poker

poker face, a

Total lack of expression; deadpan. This term comes from gambling, where the astute player tries not to betray the quality of his or her hand by remaining expressionless. Originating in the late nineteenth century, the term was transferred to other areas in which individuals tried hard not to betray their thoughts. C. E. Mulford used it in his western novel, Rustler’s Valley (1924): “He glanced around the circle and found poker faces.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
See also:

Definition Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.

Poker Face Idiomatic Meaning


Link to this page:

Poker Face Idiom Definition