Call one's bluff
Meaning
To challenge someone to prove a claim or threat, implying that one does not believe they can or will follow through.
Origin
The phrase "call one's bluff" emerges directly from the high-stakes world of poker, a game that gained immense popularity in 19th-century America. In poker, a "bluff" is a deceptive move where a player bets strongly with a weak hand, trying to convince opponents they hold a winning hand. To "call" a bluff means an opposing player pays the required bet to see the bluffer's cards, challenging their deception. If the bluffer's hand is revealed to be weak, their bluff has been "called" and exposed. This exhilarating moment of truth, where a claim of strength is either validated or shattered, quickly transcended the card table to describe any situation where one person challenges another's perceived deceit or empty threat.
Examples
- When the politician threatened to resign if his demands weren't met, his opponents decided to call his bluff, confident he wouldn't actually step down.
- She claimed she could finish the entire project by Friday, but I think we should call her bluff and see if she delivers.