To beat or surpass someone or something, or in card games, to play a trump card that beats all others.
From Old French 'trompe' meaning 'to deceive.' In card games, a 'trump' is the suit chosen to outrank others. The word evolved to mean any advantage that defeats an opponent.
In card games, 'trump' literally means a suit that beats all others, and players would 'trump' each other's cards—it's a perfect metaphor for getting one-upped! The word spread from the gaming tables of medieval Europe into general English meaning 'to beat,' and it's surprisingly one of the oldest competitive metaphors in English.
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