ace; aces

Definition 
Aces has been American slang for "the best" at least since the first years of the last century, deriving from aces, the highest cards in poker and other card games. But ace for an expert combat flier who has shot down five or more enemy planes appears to have been borrowed from the French as, "ace," during World War I. From there ace was extended to include an expert at anything. The card name ace comes ultimately from the Greek ás, one. An ace in tennis, badminton, and handball, among other games, is a placement made on a service of the ball, while an ace in golf is a hole in one. The trademarked Ace bandage, used to bind athletic injuries, uses ace meaning "best," too. Ace figures in a large number of expressions. To ace a test is to receive an A on it, and ace it means "to complete anything easily and successfully." To be aces with is to be highly regarded ("He's aces with the fans."), and to ace out is to cheat or defraud ("He aced me out of my share.") Easy aces in auction bridge denotes aces equally divided between opponents; it became the name of a 1940s–1950s radio program featuring a husband and wife team called The Easy Aces. Another old ace term is to stand ace high, to be highly esteemed.