showdown
UK: ˈʃəʊ.daʊn | US: ˈʃoʊ.daʊn
n. a decisive confrontation or final contest, especially one involving a display of strength or skill
n. (poker) the final stage of a hand where remaining players reveal their cards
showdown = show<display> + down<final>
- show (from Old English scēawian, "to look at, display") → evolved to mean "exhibit or demonstrate."
- down (from Old English dūn, "hill," later figuratively "to the end" or "final stage") → in poker, refers to revealing cards at the table’s "bottom" phase.
Etymology Origin:
Originating in 19th-century American poker slang, "showdown" literally meant laying cards face-down to conclude a hand. By the 1880s, it broadened to any climactic confrontation where parties "show their hands" (i.e., reveal true intentions or abilities). The morphemes retain their original spellings while combining vivid imagery of revelation ("show") and finality ("down").
The political debate turned into a dramatic showdown between the two candidates.
In poker, the showdown determines the winner of the pot.
The courtroom showdown exposed the defendant’s lies.
Fans eagerly awaited the showdown between the rival football teams.
The labor union’s strike led to a tense showdown with management.