The Archive

Etymology Journal · R

Read 'em and weep

Meaning

A phrase used when someone reveals a winning hand in cards or a triumphant result. It suggests that the news is so good for the winner that the loser has every reason to cry.

Sassy, competitive

Used in a sentence

  • I just laid down four aces, so read em and weep.
  • When the quarterly numbers were finalized, the boss told the team to read em and weep.
  • She showed the winning lottery ticket to her friends and told them to read em and weep.

The backstory

This comes directly from 19th century American card playing culture. It started in poker games where a player would toss their cards on the table to seal their victory.

Heard in

Nationwide

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