HOUSE OF CARDS (houses of cards)

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does house of cards mean? 

• HOUSE OF CARDS (noun)
  The noun HOUSE OF CARDS has 2 senses:

1. a speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control

2. an unstable construction with playing cards

  Familiarity information: HOUSE OF CARDS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HOUSE OF CARDS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A speculative scheme that depends on unstable factors that the planner cannot control

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

bubble; house of cards

Context example:

a real estate bubble

Hypernyms ("house of cards" is a kind of...):

scheme; strategy (an elaborate and systematic plan of action)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An unstable construction with playing cards

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

card-house; cardcastle; cardhouse; house of cards

Context example:

he built three levels of his cardcastle before it collapsed

Hypernyms ("house of cards" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)