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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

play the race card en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (derogatory, idiomatic, often) To assert that race or racism is involved in a situation, especially in order to exploit racist or antiracist attitudes.
    • The defense played the race card, but Ito let them. 1997, Mark Fuhrman, Murder in Brentwood, page 153:
    • White man: White privilege? Now you're just playing the race card. Clio: No. I'm not "playing the race card". Because racism isn't a card game to me. It can get me killed or jailed... threaten my livelihood. I don't have the privilege to treat it like a game. White man: Oooo well played! 2015 May 15, Tatsuya Ishida, “Black Lives 3”, in Sinfest:
    • Moreover, some leaders on both sides of any racial divide love to play the race card to keep themselves in power. 2002, Donald A. Carson, Love in Hard Places, page 94:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
played the race card Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
played the race card Tense=Past lexicographic
playing the race card Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
plays the race card Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Coordinates

play the gender card