Obs. A playing card bearing a ‘coated’ or habited figure (king, queen or knave). In regular use down to c. 1688; afterwards corrupted into COURT-CARD.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1298. The beste cote carde beside in the bunche, yea thoughe it were the Kyng of Clubbes.
1591. Florio, 2nd Fruites, 69. I haue none but coate cardes.
1674. Cotton, Compl. Gamester, in Singer, Hist. Cards, 347. The value of your coat-card trumps.
1690. W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 83. The dealer shall have the turn-up Card if it be an ace or a coat card.
1867. Max Müller, Chips, III. 301. Coat cards—the king, and queen, and knave in their gorgeous gowns—were exalted into court cards.
1878. H. H. Gibbs, Ombre, 11. The Ace being inferior [in the Red suits] to the Coat (or Court) cards.
