To stand pat
Meaning
To maintain one's current position, decision, or course of action without making any changes, especially when under pressure to do otherwise.
Origin
The phrase "to stand pat" emerged from the 19th-century American card game of poker, specifically from "draw poker." In this variant, players are dealt five cards and then have the option to discard some and draw new ones to improve their hand. To "stand pat" means a player chooses not to draw any new cards, indicating satisfaction with their current hand and a belief it's strong enough to win. This strategic decision, a refusal to change, quickly moved beyond the card table to describe anyone holding firm in their current position, whether in business, politics, or personal matters.
Examples
- Despite calls for a policy shift, the President announced he would stand pat on his economic agenda.
- The manager decided to stand pat with the existing team, confident they could still deliver the project on time.