few cards shy of a full deck: meaning & examples

Meanings:

• 2.

  generalliteralcolloquialMachine
  • Literally, having fewer playing cards than required for a complete deck.

  Examples

  Beta

  • The magician realized he was a few cards shy of a full deck when he couldn’t complete the trick.

    El mago se dio cuenta de que le faltaban algunas cartas para un mazo completo cuando no pudo completar el truco.

  • During inventory, they found that the deck was a few cards shy of full, missing three aces.

    Durante el inventario, encontraron que el mazo tenía unas cartas menos, faltando tres ases.

  • She noticed her deck was a few cards shy of a full set and quickly went to buy replacements.

    Ella notó que su mazo tenía algunas cartas menos para estar completo y fue rápidamente a comprar repuestos.

  • The card game was delayed because one player was a few cards shy of a full deck.

    El juego de cartas se retrasó porque un jugador tenía menos cartas para un mazo completo.

• 1.

  USUKgeneralinformalderogatoryMachine
  • Mentally deficient or lacking normal judgment; acting in a way that suggests incomplete sanity or competence.

  Examples

  Beta

  • He’s a few cards shy of a full deck, often forgetting simple instructions at work.

    Le faltan algunas cartas para un mazo completo; a menudo olvida instrucciones simples en el trabajo.

  • You can tell she’s a few cards shy of a full deck by the way she acts in stressful situations.

    Se nota que le faltan algunas cartas para un mazo completo por la forma en que actúa en situaciones estresantes.

  • Don’t take his advice seriously; he’s a few cards shy of a full deck when it comes to financial matters.

    No tomes en serio su consejo; le faltan algunas cartas para un mazo completo en cuestiones financieras.